Wassailing with Richard Blais

Wondering about large, shiny, and expensive gifts for the holidays?  Chef Richard Blais was on the ready to demonstrate a few things you might add to your list for Santa this year.  Even better, he took a little time out of his day to show me how to make Eggnog ice cream in minutes!  If you remember how much I love ice cream, you know he has my heart. 

If you watch Top Chef (you should), you'll remember Richard Blais from Season 4: Chicago, and from Top Chef Masters.  What you might also remember, is that he a gadgety, and sciencey guy.  Also, very lovable and down to earth.  Nothing egotistical or arrogant about him.  His first culinary position might surprise you.

So, sit down.  Take a load off, and watch Chef Blais perform some magic.  (and enjoy his caught off guard expression with my last question)

And a quick cheat sheet for your convenience:  

:28    How to make ice cream/gelato using dry ice?

4:35  What do you like to cook around the holidays that isn't as traditional, or different?

5: 48 What do you recommend if you don't have a double oven and are preparing meals for the holidays?

7:30  There is a mixed attitude with fast food in the food world.  Some What are your fast food guilty pleasures, if any?  (spoiler - he loves the McRib!)

Childhood Favorites: Umpqua Ice Cream

Umpqua Ice Cream

A new store came to Salt Lake City recently.  Some were excited at the promise of co-op low prices.  I, on the other hand, left my cheapness at the side.  Nostalgia was what had me on this one.  Dreams of Tillamook cheese and Umpqua ice cream was where my mind had floated off to.  I'm sure you've heard of Tillamook cheese.  If you haven't, I feel for you.  You have missed out on life.  But I don't expect you to have heard of Umpqua Dairy.

Umpqua Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

I've mentioned before that I used to have a habit of eating entire cartons of ice cream (the 1.75 qt size) in one sitting.  I can't really explain that ability except that maybe if you tried this ice cream you'd do the same.  That, and I firmly believe ice cream has a special ability to melt and find any open space that normal non-melty food couldn't.

My two drugs of choice were Umpqua's Peanut Butter Chocolate and their Ol' South Fudge Pie.  I ventured to this new store to see if in fact, I was still addicted.

Deliciously salty chocolate peanut butter ice cream

Verdict?  Yeah, I think I pretty much still am.  The ice cream was delicious as remembered.  Creamy and smooth intermingled with smooth salty ribbons of peanut butter and medium hard pieces of peanut butter chips.  Why is this so freaking delicious?  Personally, I'm a sucker for just about anything containing a combination of peanut butter and chocolate.  At the Serious Eats office, we were pretty much always in agreement that if you added salt to something sweet it was a winner.

If you're not fond of the harder bits, allow the ice cream to soften for a bit before serving.  I found if you let it roll around in your mouth for a an extra moment, the ribbons of peanut butter would melt in your mouth.

This carton was gone in less than a week.  Consumed pretty much by me.  The husband never had a chance.

Check out some of Umpqua's other addicting flavors here.

Shiny New Product Review: Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream. Go Sawxs!

I've fallen off of the wagon.  My attempt to eat a little healthier went right out the window after I found out that I'd been accepted into the 2010 NYC Marathon and after I read about Ben & Jerry's new flavors.  One of them in particular I was giddily willing to throw my healthy eating out the window for - marathon or not.  Serious Eats did a review on the new flavors which is where I learned of them.  They also reviewed some new limited edition flavors, one of which is Flourless Chocolate Cake - a Walmart exclusive.  YUMMM!  (the YUMMM is for the ice cream not for Walmart - I know some of you were going to go there - so I stopped you, okay?)

Was the promise of potentially melty delicious ice cream enough to draw me in to Walmart?  If you know me, you already know the answer.  Duh - I'm known for a few things (or at least I used to be). 

1.) Eating entire cartons of ice cream in one sitting (and I don't mean Ben & Jerry's sized)

2.)  Eating straight out of the carton (it saves dishes!)

3.)  Picking the best parts out (brownies, cookie dough, Oreos)

I don't do one of those anymore.  You can guess which.

So, I ventured to one of the local Walmarts in search of a creamy, cool treat.  Alas, the fabled flavor of Flourless Chocolate Cake was not there.  However, Boston Cream Pie was.  And while not a pie lover, I am a Boston Creme Pie lover (its really not anything like pie). 

Here are my discoveries (I should totally be paid for this - its like an expedition.  There's danger, wild animals, and either disappointment or an unearthment of something incredibly life changing.) 

First off, the packaging is wicked awesome.  It has a picture of Paul Reveah (the guy on the horse) and a cow saying, "Go Sawxs!"  The cow is even holding a four leaf clover on another part of the carton.  Go Irish!  How can you not love it already?  Boston Cream Pie is described by Ben & Jerry as:  "Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream with Yellow Cake Pieces, Fudge Flakes & Swirls of Pastry Cream."  I was definitely excited by the prospect of cake - not as sure about how pastry cream would translate into ice cream.   

Here Goes.

The pastry cream was a little sweet but overall good.  If you don't know what pastry cream is, I'll tell you the poor man's version - vanilla pudding - and if you don't know what vanilla pudding is, I can't help you but maybe a therapist can help you leave your house once in a while.  The cake pieces were divinity and deliciousness.  I wish there were more - but carefully added so as not to overdo the cake/ice cream ratio.  They were spongy and made me think of buttery pound cake.  I will tell you my one true criticization (remember? I make up words).  The "Fudge Flakes" just don't do it for me.  When I've eaten Boston Cream Pie in Boston I don't remember eating little bits of hard chocolate.  Ben & Jerry apparently need to travel a bit more.  It shouldn't be too hard.  Boston is not all that far from Burlington, Vermont (did I mention I've been to THE Ben & Jerry's?  I even have an official ice cream scooper from there).  I realize it might be scary to venture down south where they shave and shower but still, they should find out what the real stuff is.  Especially, because you don't want to anger Bostonians.  They're a rough crowd.  And you definitely don't dare to defile a Boston delicacy by doing it improperly. 

Boston's Ben & Jerry's Tea Party

  Ben & Jerry, if you are listening.  Please add CHOCOLATE GANACHE.  That is all.  Oh, and I'd eat it again.