Posts tagged unusual foods

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

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694 days
by in Dessert, Food, Tips

Or do we? In the “olden days” there really wasn’t anything else to choose from. Oh, there was sherbet (no it’s not sherbert), but that wasn’t really considered “cool.”

Today there are a number of frozen summer treats to choose from.

  • Ice Cream – the old standby. There’s egg based, custard or French style, and Philadelphia-style without eggs. Ice cream has to contain at least 10% milkfat.
  • Popsicle – not really ice cream, but a summer favorite. Any type of frozen flavored water is considered a popsicle.
  • Sherbet – Contains some dairy, but only 1-2%, no more or less.
  • Soft-serve – Continuously churned so it doesn’t harden and contains less milkfat than ice cream.
  • Frozen Yogurt – Just like it sounds frozen yogurt. Usually a soft serve variety.
  • Now on to the more eclectic treats:
  • Sorbet – Still pretty well known. Typically fruit flavored with no dairy. Sometimes herb or vegetable flavors during a main course.
  • Gelato – Another that has become well know recently. From Italy, it is made with milk, minus the cream. It has less fat than ice cream because of this. Slow churned so it is dense with a rich, more concentrated taste.
  • Shaved Ice – Differs from snow cone in that the ice is very fine, snow-like texture. Flavored with a syrup.
  • Paleta – Coming from Mexico these are fancy popsicles. Made with either water and fruit or cream and fruit. They often have chunks of fruit in them, as well.
  • Granita – Sounds like an alcoholic beverage, which can be part of it. It is made with water, sugar and either fruit juice, alcohol, espresso or some beverage. They go through a slushing process, then stirring, which creates a crystalline texture.
  • Concrete – I thought this was what you walked on! It is a milk shake made with frozen custard. There is no milk added to it to thin it out and can contain extras like candy pieces. It is so thick when finished that it can be handed to customers upside down and won’t spill, thus the name.

So, what will you be enjoying this Fourth of July? Traditional ice cream or one of the new hybrids?

 

Other Noteworthy Indigenous Food Plants

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809 days
by in Food, Unusual Foods

Much of what we eat in the US has come here from all over the world. We’re truly a melting pot of not only people, but foods, as well. Unfortunately this has meant that many delicious native foods have been left behind in the dust. The reason for this is unknown, but may be because people preferred to eat foods they brought with them from their native lands, instead of embracing naturally occurring edibles.

Some of my favorites, beyond persimmons and paw paws are: sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes), huckleberry, chicory, juniper (berries), mulberry, purslane, sorghum, and wild sorrel (actually a nemesis in my yard). You can find some of these foods available at specialty store, natural food stores, and in your own backyard. However, be certain you have a positive identification, as some plants are dangerously poisonous. There are many more food plants native to the US, however, I’ve only listed the unusual ones that I’ve actually eaten.

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