"Perhaps the most impressive of all the cookbook blogs are the three devoted to the 2004 edition of Gourmet magazine's "The Gourmet Cookbook" -- all 5¼ pounds and 1,300-odd recipes of it. Befitting this culinary Everest, all three writers are overachievers in their professional lives."

--Lee Gomes, The Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2008
"I should have told you before how much I've been enjoying reading your thoughts. You seem like such a great cook."

--Ruth Reichl, Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine, June 8 2008, comment on "Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream".

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream

At first, I was worried about this ice cream because I couldn't find my favorite bittersweet chocolate (Ghiradelli). I had to settle for Hershey's Special Dark. And I don't care what Cook's Illustrated has to say on the matter, it is not the best.

Then, I was worried because the ice cream mix tasted like cake batter. Really, really good cake batter. This was in a semi-frozen state.

Then, I was worried because it seemed too rich. But you know what? There is no dish too rich for me that I think it can't be solved by accompanying it with this:



So tonight, when this ice cream was in its fully frozen state, I was curious to see how it tasted.

Friends, I had a revelatory insight. Temperature is part of the ice cream experience.

Now, I know that probably seems like a no-brainer to you ice-cream lovers, but I (ambivalent ice-cream eater) never looked at it that way. Yes, moving chunks of cold material around in your mouth, and having the flavor released s-l-o-w-l-y as it melts really adds to the experience.

Need more proof? Consider the words of my son, avowed chocolate ice cream hater:

"Up until this exact point, 9:19 PM,Sunday, June 1, 2008 A.D., I hated chocolate ice-cream almost as much as:

Paris Hilton
George Bush
Pop Music
Family Guy
Everyone From "Focus On The Family"
Pat Robertson
Vanilla Ice-cream
Milli Vanilli
Nirvana (The band, not the state of mind)

However--I am glad to say that when I take over the world as Supreme Guitar God I will be eating this ice cream. Delicious, Delicious."

I can hear you now. Melissa, rich food is not your only reason to turn to booze. No, no--I'm counting on the Supreme Guitar God of the Universe to support me in my aged decline. And if it all works out I'll make him Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream every night.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Quite a liquor collection you got there!
The chocolate ice cream looks so rich and delicious. Yum!

Melissa Bach Palladino said...

Hi Eileen! Don't worry, that's not my booze. One of the wonderful things about the internet is the vast array of photographs you can use.

Although I'll tell you--I typed in "booze", and some of the photos I got illustrated things that only rhymed with booze. I had to cover my son's eyes. :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

Unknown said...

Hi Melissa:
I should have told you before how much I've been enjoying reading your thoughts. You seem like such a great cook. And I'm really happy that you like this ice cream, which we pretty much invented because I thought, with so much great ice cream on the market, we had to we had to give people a reason for making their own. And I agree - this is the best reason I've found yet.

Melissa Bach Palladino said...

Ruth! Excuse me for a moment while I melt into a puddle of fan hysteria....(gloob, gloob, gloob)...

Phew! OK, now that I've collected myself, just wait...I'm making the Strawberry Margarita Ice Pops for my book group on Tuesday night, and if you invented those, my book group will send you love letters, because we approve of alcohol. And desserts.

Seriously, it's a thrill to have you stop by. I love backstories, behind-the-scenes glimpses. Feel free to chime in whenever you want!

Melissa
(who is doing a dorky dance)

Melissa Bach Palladino said...

P.S. I forgot to say thanks for the insight on the ice cream recipe! And just my two cents--I think the Cream Cheese Ice Cream is another reason to make your own, though for my husband no ice cream is perfect unless it involves chocolate and peanut butter.