Desserts - - Page 7

by snebbu

Endless Beers: PUNKIN Pie Beer Cocktail

RELAX. I realize that many are still upset about the end of summer, and saying goodbye to their summer brews. But frankly, I’m sick and tired of hearing people complain about pumpkin being out too early. We are nearly halfway through September and it’s time to embrace it. So why not embrace it with…BEER!

As you know, there are many pumpkin beers to choose from. To kick off the summer beer season, why not celebrate with something new? This weekend, our friend told us about a “pumpkin pie” beer cocktail.

It’s pretty much just a garnish, but it does change the flavor of the beer. Here it is: syrup (maple) and brown sugar. Where? Around the rim.

by ES Guest

Warm Beaches, Hot Food: Eating in Goa

Kendra P. continues our eating around the world series with news of food from the Goan Peninsula.

Situated on the west coast of India and lapped by the waters of the Indian Ocean, Goa is perhaps best known for its inviting palm-fringed beaches and many luxury resorts. However, it’s also a paradise for food lovers, offering an astonishing variety of delectable, fiery local dishes that titillate the palate and make you regret when it’s time to leave.

The history of Goa has left its indelible mark on the local cuisine. Goa is an ancient place, with the earliest traces of human habitation dating back nearly 30,000 years. The Sumerians came to Goa in 2200 BC, followed by Dravidians from the Deccan Plateau. Many other peoples came to Goa over the following centuries, and by the 14th century, it had come under the control of the sultans of Delhi. By 1510, Goa was under Portuguese rule—and continued to be so until 1961.

The Portuguese presence gave rise to one of the best-known dishes from the region: vindaloo. The name is actually derived from that of a Portuguese dish, carne de vinha d’alhos, which is pork prepared with wine and garlic. In Goa, the recipe was modified by replacing red wine with palm vinegar, and adding Kashmiri chilies and other spices. Interestingly enough, the fiery dish also became a staple of Anglo-Indian cuisine, although the variety you can find in UK curry houses today is substantially different from the original. One thing you will often find in a Western vindaloo is potato, which you would never find in Goa. This is due to a misinterpretation of the name—aloo means potato in Hindi.

by Emily

Finally, You Can Eat the Whole Pint

I generally don’t buy ice cream. I don’t like to have it in the house. Not because I dislike it—the opposite! I love it and if I keep a pint of Ben and Jerry’s (or Bluebell! My people in the southern states know what I’m talkin’ about!) in my freezer, I keep going back for one more spoonful until all the sudden it has magically disappeared. Into my stomach. Oops.

All that might be changing, though. Arctic Zero is now available all over the country. Have you heard of this stuff? It’s ice cream… kind of… well, it’s a frozen ice cream-like dessert with only 150 calories in an entire pint. 150! How do they do it? They use monk fruit concentrate and organic cane sugar (no artificial sweeteners) to sweeten and mix in whey protein concentrate. Not gonna lie here—Arctic Zero is good, but it doesn’t taste like full-fat, ultra-sugary ice cream. You know what, though? The fact that an ice cream binger like me can eat the entire pint if I so choose and not bust my healthy eating plan for the day or feel like a sluggish failure is a major, major plus. I would almost call it… healthy!

Arctic Zero offers an impressive array of flavors as well as cute little chocolate-covered bars that clock in at 85 calories a pop. I’m partial to vanilla maple and cookies & cream varieties. One warning: this stuff is rock hard straight out of the container, so I’d recommend letting it sit for about 10 minutes before digging in. Or! If you’re not into eating it plain, Arctic Zero is really great in recipes. You can use it to replace ice cream or whipped cream when making frozen pies or as a totally guilt-free base for smoothies and milkshakes. The peeps at AZ were nice enough to share some recipes with me and now I’m going to share one with you.

Cookies & Cream S’more Cups

in Desserts / Rants & Raves / Recipe 2 comments

by Katt Kasper

The Regrettable Edible

You know what the relationship is between inspiration and perspiration? Inspiration allows you to think outside the box, which sometimes leads to magical creations. Perspiration is what happens when life bends you over the Counter of Good Intentions and pile drives your inspiration into deep regret. Case in point; I got a call from a special ‘friend’ who is a single mom with two great kids who are Cub Scouts. My friend has a demanding, full-time job and was hosting her sons’ Cub Scout meeting after work, and she asked me if I could help her out by preparing some lime Jell-o desserts for the troop before she got home. I knew that I would be compensated for this in a way that I can’t describe, so I quickly agreed and went over to her place to make the treats.

While I was looking for some pots I found her liquor stash and unopened bottles of tequila and margarita mix. Suddenly – inspiration!

What if I substituted half the Jell-o water with tequila and margarita mix? If this worked that would be a cool little treat for my friend and myself once the Cub Scout meeting was over and it was time for my compensation. I prepared the Jell-o and added my margarita substitute; then I put the sauce pan into the fridge to chill. Once it set up I’d cut a bunch of small square margarita shots for me and my favorite Den Mother to enjoy later that evening. I still had plenty of time to run out and get some more Jell-o to make for the Scouts before the meeting so I jumped into my ride and took the freeway shortcut to the store.

Uh…did I mention that I live in L.A.? Yeah, well…on the way back I was a quarter-mile from the exit when something happened to the tractor-trailer up ahead and before I knew it the rig was lying on its side across the freeway! The driver got out okay but all four lanes on my side came to a grinding halt. I was gridlocked with no way out when I made a shocking discovery; in my haste to rush out and get the additional Jell-o I had left my cell phone in the kitchen! Up to this point I wasn’t worried that I hadn’t memorized her number because I knew it was in my phone. Perspiration!

in Desserts / Drinks / Personal / Recipe 0 comments

by BS

Endless Poptails

Summer’s not over until you pass out in a pool of melon-flavored vodka, right?

ES-ers of new and old, don’t forget you can find all of our signature cocktail popsicle recipes here!

And if that’s not enough summertime joy for you, get wacky with our creative ice cream flavors in Endless Ice Cream.

in Desserts / Endless Cocktails 0 comments

by BS

Artsy Photo of the Day

In this kind of a summer, ice cream is not a privilege, it’s a right.

Spotted at: L’Albero dei Gelati, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Remember, all your ice cream makin’ needs can be fulfilled in Endless Ice Cream.

in Desserts / Photos 0 comments

by Miss K

Guacamole That Beats the Heat

I am not a sucker for gimmicks. Some years ago, I paid big bucks to go to a certain very fancy restaurant, wherein I was served a dish that was “a play on chicken Parmesan.” It consisted of a one-inch piece of pressed chicken, some Parmesan noodles, and a handful of little frozen tomato sauce balls, a la Dippin” Dots. And after consuming the one bite that was this dish, I remember thinking, “I wish I had a plate of chicken Parmesan.” Because I am hungry, and five Dippin” dots do not a meal make.

So, when I was invited to for a preview of their summer ice cream festival, where one of the featured items was a tableside preparation of “guacamole ice cream.” I was skeptical. Not one to resist the charms of frozen desserts, though, I tried to go in with an open mind.

For this particular concoction, avocado ice cream was hand-blended with raspberries, mint, white chocolate and something crunchy. It was done in a frozen stone bowl (think upscale Coldstone). The result looked like guacamole and tasted, well, delicioso. Cinnamon-coated fried tortillas were the perfect thing for dipping into the “guacamole.” The presentation was cool (heh) but it was the end result that really delivered. It was enough to at least partially obliterate my memories of those tiny frozen tomato balls.

in Desserts / Restaurants / Trends / Veggie 0 comments