the traveling cupcake: ice cream

Showing posts with label ice cream. Show all posts

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Pinterest Chocolate Covered Peanut Brittle

In case you didn't know, I have a slight obsession with Pinterest.

And by slight I mean I *might* check my pinterest account before I check my emails in the morning.

I *might* have used up an entire months worth of internet on my mobile in two weeks because I was pinning during my morning and evening bus commute...which is 45 minutes in each direction.

(click on my Pinterest button on the right to see what I have been so busy pinning!)

However, as much as I pin away to my little hearts content, it is very rare that I actually do something with the items I pin.

Gorgeous white and grey kitchen with all of my dream appliances? Sure, throw that on my "Someday forever Home" board for that one day when I finally own a home, not to mention a home that is big enough to fit said kitchen and I have enough money to outfit it with all of those fancy appliances. ie - in my dreams

The amazing ivory Dolce and Gabanna ballroom skirt chic-ly paired with a fitted denim shirt? Get up on my "so pretty for my closet" board and stay there! Its highly unlikely I will ever find you in my real closet, oh beautiful skirt...so stay in my imaginary one!

But, I digress...you probably came here for a post about Peanut Brittle. I'm getting there, don't worry.

Perhaps my favorite board is my "Nom Nom" board - otherwise known as the-place-where-I-put-all-of-my-food-inspirations-that-I-cannot-look-at-on-an-empty-stomach. Got that? The Nom Nom board.

Last week I pinned something that looked SO amazing, I couldn't get it out of my brain.

It was homemade peanut brittle. Covered in dark chocolate. Dusted in sea salt.

*cue angels singing*

Now, my extent to working with a candy thermometer includes the few times I have made homemade caramels and a couple of times I made marshmallows. I wasn't too nervous about making the peanut brittle (or toffee as its known to some people) until I started reading the comments below the original posted recipe. People were having problems with the mixture seizing and separating, throwing away batch after batch. Apparently, molten hot boiling sugar butter is tricky to work with.

I jumped right in, and by some grace of the big man upstairs, my toffee came out perfect! It was crunchy and crisp, it didn't have a slick of buttery oil on the top, the crunch of the peanuts and the smooth dark chocolate complimented each other perfectly. And the sea salt...

How did I live before I had sea salt in my life?

The recipe makes a full cookie sheet worth of candy. Perfect for sharing with others (or not, I won't tell). And when all the candy is gone...?

I have can think of one way to use up those crumbs, and it rhymes with ice cream.

Check out the original recipe here on www.culinate.com. I reduced the amount of butter to 3/4 lb of butter but otherwise kept all of the other measurements the same. I followed the cooking instructions pretty much to a T as well...I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Friday, September 02, 2011

Friday Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Thank G it was a short week this week. Recovering from a long weekend getaway is always tough...don't you feel bad for me?

This week was ushered in with bright sunshine and summer weather in the south of France and is exiting out the back with crisp fall temperatures (never mind that its been like that since July) and the start of a new month. A fall month at that. I have been whining for WEEKS about the cool temperatures, crisp chill in the air and having to wear pants and sweaters. Now, to my own defense the reason why I was complaining is because it was supposed to be summer. But now...ooohhh now - it's fall. So - bring on the cold weather, the cozy sweaters, hot apple cider and all things pumpkin. Come and get me fall - I've been practicing for two months!

(unless, of course, by some freak of nature we end up with a gloriously sunny and HOT weekend. Then - screw you fall! I'm breakin' out my flippy floppies and flippin' you the bird!)

(by which I have just officially scared off any chance of summer returning to London)

(you're welcome)

On to this weeks favorites! Chock full of randomness this week...enjoy!

*Weird Wedding Photos

Words cannot express how happy these two wedding photo collections make me. Amen for people taking wedding photos a little less seriously and a little more FUN! I'm not even going to put a teaser photo of them because they are too awesome, you have to look at all of them at the same time. Even if you don't like weddings AT ALL you at least have to check out the first one...I mean really, who can resist zombies?!

Zombie Wedding Photos

Real Wedding Album: Barbie and Ken

**Capes!

In my effort to embrace fall my eyes have been gravitating towards fun, cozy ways to keep warm this season. Always in need of a new jacket I can't help but think that this is the year I finally buy a cape (or poncho, whatever you want to call it). These have been on my radar for a few years now (and in stores all along the high street for ages), but as usual I am late to the party. Though I have to say, if you manage to get yourself a well made, classic piece it is bound to last you for decades. Enter - Burberry. Because really, who does a cape better than Burberry? No one.

Burberry Britt from Net-a-porter

A few more of my faves...

Aubin & Wills from Net-a-porter

Jumpjack Twill Poncho from French Connection

***The 25 Best Ice Cream Shops in the US - by Food & Wine

I am not kidding when I say this - I would base a whole cross country road trip around this list. Watch me, I dare you! Summer - Fall - Spring - Winter - whatever the season I am always down for ice cream! This list is seriously drool-worthy...have a napkin near by before jumping in!

25 Best - does your favorite make the cut?

****Metro Wine map of France

A wine map of France a la London tube? Genius! I might need to buy one to frame and one to take with me on trips to France!

photo from de long wine

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Greedy Goat (goats milk ice cream)

On Saturday I met a good friend for lunch and a wander around my happy place - Borough Market.

After nibbling our way around some of our favorite stalls, we came across a vendor that I hadn't seen before. Not only was it a new stall but they were selling ice cream so I knew had to try it.

And then I took a closer look...

Was I reading that correctly?!

Did that sign say...Goats milk ice cream??

I have had normal ice cream, gelato in Italy and even glace in Paris. But never have I ever had goats milk ice cream. This, was a must try.

It looked like ice cream...it had the normal ice cream flavors on offer (strawberry and chocolate as well as about a dozen others)...it even scooped up like normal ice cream. But what was it going to taste like?

Well...it didn't really taste like ice cream, but it sure was delicious!

I bypassed the typical ice cream flavors and went straight for the most savory flavor I could spot (something about the goats milk was putting me in a savory mood rather than sweet). I chose lemon lime basil, it sounded exceptionally seasonally appropriate to me! It would have been perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day (but since I live in London where it refuses to get hot during the summer, it felt more like a fall day). The verdict?

Interesting.

It wasn't bad - far from it actually. But I couldn't quite wrap my head around what I was eating. It was cold. I was eating it with a spoon. But it wasn't exactly ice cream. It had the texture of sorbet and the slight tang of goats cheese. There were tiny bits of lemon and lime rind that added texture and a pop of flavor. It was smooth and creamy but at the same time light and clean.

So, why goats milk? The folks at Greedy Goat boast that goats milk ice cream is naturally lower in fat and calories than cows milk ice cream, and it is suitable for people who are lactose intolerant.

Less fat, calories and chance of getting a stomach ache...call me converted!

Ok, maybe not converted - but I'll sure as heck try it again!

If you are in London and fancy a try, check out Greedy Goat in Borough market on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

(I know thats a mouth full, my apologies. I promise it'll be worth it!)

Things I like:

Reading books (paper and electronic - the kindle's where its at!) - it's good to put.the.computer.down. sometimes

Dance parties in my living room

Coffee - hot, cold you name it I drink it

Laughing so hard your stomach hurts

Traveling the world...and finding hidden spots in my neighborhood

Keeping up with the Kardashians (there's a lot of them, this hobby takes time!)

Ice Cream

Oh yes...you see where this is going.

*read more*

Sunday, July 17, 2011

A weekend in Paris...

(From the top: Lobster, mango and grapefruit salad; fresh raspberries and creme fraiche; Ferris wheel by the Louvre; Ferris wheel; inside Notre Dame (next three photos); Promenade Maurice Careme; inside Sainte Chapelle; marble sculpture at the Louvre; iron sculpture at the Louvre; wine at Willies Wine Bar; radishes and cherrys at les Halles market; menu of the day; Rue de Poitou; graffiti; falafel from L'As du Fallafel; bistro; Chocolate/White Chocolate/Caramel with sea salt glace; glace shop

Monday, June 27, 2011

This is what summer looks like...

Summer decided to grace us with her presence over the weekend (fashionably late as usual). It would have been nice of her to call and let us know that she would be late, but I still welcomed her with open arms.

Ok, maybe he doesn't "look like summer" but he is one heckofa cute kid!

(Don't worry, I do know him, I didn't take a picture of some random persons kid)

(I can't promise that won't happen in the future though)

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Orvieto

After checking out of Poggio Piglia we had nearly a full day left in Italy before our flight back to London. We decided to head back towards Rome and spend the afternoon in Orvieto at the recommendation of the villa. Orvieto is a larger town located on the top of a large butte in Umbria. The setting is quite dramatic, you can see the town from miles away perched on top of cliffs seemingly about the topple over the edge. Aside from the stunning location Orvieto is also widely known for its Cathedral.

The Cathedral was stunning - it always amazes me how these massive churches can be so ornate and decorative and at the same time plain and humble. Its an oxymoron I'm still trying to understand after the dozens and dozens of churches that I have seen. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the small back streets of the town...

And eating gelato...it wasn't even that good but it was still SO GOOD...if that makes sense...

One more side note/wicked cool thing I had to share (and I'm sure I'm about three and a quarter years behind the times on this thing). I recently downloaded the app "Photosynth" for my iphone which allows you to take panoramic photos and it stitches them together for you. Best.Thing.Ever. And its totally free. Super extra bonus.

I present to you a, slightly wonky, panoramic shot of Orvieto (with two suns...we gotta work on that stitching thing...)

Like what you see?