Philadelphian Ice Stream of Consciousness part 1

I went to Philadelphia on a pretty spring day.  There were so many things to do and see!

Like this gorgeous deco architecture,

 a mosaic of the neighborhood where Rocky Balboa took his fist pumping run,

and Basset's Ice Cream,  the oldest ice cream company in the US!  

Basset's was started by LD Bassett, a Quaker school teacher.

I saw another Quaker in Philadelphia -  the Quaker Oats man, fading on the side of a wall.

Philadelphian Ice Stream of Consciousness part 2

Bassett's is located in the Reading Terminal Market, a jewel of a marketplace with 80 merchants serving everything from crepes to cheesesteaks.  

Though I found the specialty cones laced with the nuts and sprinkles intriguing, for my first trip to Bassett's I kept it simple - a single scoop of cinnamon ice cream on a cake cone. 

It was very rich and smooth, not too sticky, with a subtle, even dusting of cinnamon throughout.  

That's me enjoying said cone.  The picture was taken by a harmless yet undeniably creepy older gentleman who said, "I don't get permission to take pictures of pretty ladies often."  This, of course, led me to believe he takes pictures without permission all the time.

Philadelphian Ice Stream of Consciousness part 3

On the way back to Brooklyn and I thought of all I'd seen.  The Quaker Oats man and the creepy old man.  The bronze statue of Rocky Balboa in front of the museum and all the tourists who pose beside it, two fists high. The jazz musicians playing on Poplar St.   The architecture.  The murals.  The mosaics. The Alexander Calder tapestries at the Free Library.  Philly.  Ice cream.  Rocky.  Quaker Oats. (Yes, this is how my brain works.)  Poplar.  Band.  Bronze.  The nouns flew like this for awhile until I landed on some magic dessert math that has not a damn thing to do with calories.

plus

plus

Equals "Rocky's Road"

Yes, I could've just made Rocky Road ice cream but it'll be a cold day in hell when I eat a marshmallow.  So instead, I made this up.  

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese

1 c milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 c sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 c heavy cream (or half and half for a lower fat version)

Blend the first five ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl then stir in cream or half and half.  Prepare in ice cream maker as per manufacturer's instructions.  Store in an airtight container and freeze for at least two hours.

Very important note: Let ice cream soften for five minutes before serving.

Chocolate Sauce

2/3 c half and half

2 tbs butter

1 c milk chocolate, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat half and half and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts.  Remove from heat and add chocolate.  Let mixture stand for one minute then whisk until the chocolate melts.  Mix in vanilla.  Cool sauce to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Rocky's Road

Place a handful of granola in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin or glass until granola is tiny. 

Drizzle chocolate sauce over cream cheese ice cream and sprinkle with granola!

Philadelphian Ice Stream of Consciousness part 4

Alexander Calder banner in Philadelphia

Rocky's Road back home in Brooklyn

Theories: The Second Grade

For my friend Cris' birthday, I made a lovely dessert that comes from the sap of a particular tree.  Was it good?  No, it was, good, eh?  That's right, I channeled my inner Canadian and made Maple Ice Cream!  It was a really positive experience but I have to say, I had a helluva time getting the right maple syrup.  I think the problem has to do with the American psyche.  

Everything in the U.S. has to be THE BEST.  If it's not, then it's obviously THE WORST.  There are only two choices.  Well, that's my crackpot theory and I'm sticking to it.  So what on earth does this have to do with ice cream, you say? 

Real maple syrup comes in grades - grade A is lighter and smooth while and grade B is darker and more complex.  For cooking, you want the grade B because it packs a more of a punch when mixed with other ingredients.  However, it proved to be difficult to find.  I am sure because "grade B" sounds like "second best" in the minds of our fellow citizens.  Kind of reminds me when figure skater Michelle Kwan burst into hot tears of frustration when she was awarded the silver medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics.  And we wonder why people don't like us abroad!

This same phenomenon happens with extra virgin olive oil.  Is it better than regular olive oil?  No.  Each has different uses.  Plain old olive oil is ideal for cooking while extra virgin is for salads and drizzling on cooked veggies right before serving.  However, since extra virgin sounds better, well, it's pretty much all you can find in a market.  And you see people frying things in it.  Oh, the humanity!

So, after checking several local markets including, I finally got poor, misunderstood grade B in Nova Scotia, Canada where they call it "maple syrup #2."  Number 2.  Grade B.  Always a bridesmaid just because you're so complex.  I feel your pain, sister.

Anyway, it was delicious!

Maple Ice Cream

3/4 c grade B maple syrup

1 c whole milk

2 c heavy cream (or half and half for ice milk)

pinch of salt

4 large egg yolks

In a medium saucepan over moderately high heat, boil the maple syrup until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.  Lower the heat and stir in milk, cream, and salt.  Cook, but do not boil.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until lightened, about two minutes.  Slowly add a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly.  Add yolks to the rest of the milk, again, whisking constantly.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Cook, but do not boil.

Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and chill at least four hours.  

Freeze in an ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions.

The mounties rescue me from the grade b dilemma.  Thanks, good neighbors!

Step one: boil the grade b syrup until your camera goes all steamy and romantic.

As they say in Nova Scotia, "That's right some good, dear."

Enjoy!