On the Hunt for: Butter Crunch Ice Cream

www.benandbills.com

September 17, 2011

After having had an awesome lunch at Ninety Nine, Laura and I felt like having something sweet. Ice cream always fits the bill for us, but we wanted great, award-winning ice cream. That could only mean a trip to lovely Falmouth to Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium. So on a lovely fall-like Saturday, we took the highway and headed to the Cape. Soon we were in the very cute main street section that houses lots of stores, souvenir shops and places to grab a bite. Nestled in the midst of these quaint surroundings is Ben & Bill's.

Don't let the sign fool you. There's lots more here than chocolate. There's a popcorn machine as you enter the shop and a long counter that houses magnificent, huge truffles, turtles, peanut butter cups, and of course, chocolates. But we were interested in the other side of the shop; the side with the homemade fudge and ice cream.  We've been here a few times before (click here and here) and we've never been disappointed.

Ben & Bill's is famous for their honored butter crunch ice cream. It's a thick, rich, creamy butter based ice cream with their signature Buttercrunch English toffee candy and walnuts folded in. I can't even describe how delicious and flavorful this ice cream is. It's worth the trip, believe me. Laura and I were going to eat ours at one of the tables outside, but it was too cold. Into the car we went and devoured our cups. Ben & Bill's is very generous with their portions so Laura and I were more than satisfied with the kiddie cup at $4.25 (it would be a small anywhere else). After we finished our treat, we headed back to the city (with quarter pounds of both chocolate marshmallow and pumpkin fudge lying in wait on the back seat). You have to try this ice cream ... and the fudge ... and some chocolates. Check out their website above so you can see all they have to offer. It's all good.

Don't forget to check out our friends at MenuJoy.com for great area restaurant menus.

Bite of the Week - Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls

OK, I get the joke. I saw the Saturday Night Live skit. I'll admit ... it's kind of funny, but where do I get some? We tried my regular Stop and Shop to no avail. I went on the Ben & Jerry's website and it wasn't listed in their flavor locator. So now what? Call around and ask, "Excuse me, do you have Schweddy Balls?" I'd get 10 months! But we really wanted to try some so we called Laura's bud, Scott. Maybe he could ask for this infamous flavor with a straight ... um ... voice. Now where do you look for something when you've exhausted all other options?  Walmart! Especially a Super Walmart. At 1:30 p.m. Scott called, bravely asked for the illusive flavor and was told there were two. He put them on hold. Now since Super Walmart is located closer to Scott, they made this elaborate plan for Scott to get the pints and Laura would drive halfway there to meet him and retrieve hers. She also brought him another flavor (Fair Goodness Cake) that he wanted to try because it is not available in his area. Let the pints exchange begin!

They met up at Exit 10 off Route 24 at the park and ride. The exchange was made and they both headed home with their treasures. Laura showed me the pint and I cracked up. Ben & Jerry, how do you get away with this stuff? The flavor was described as vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and loaded with fudge covered rum and malt balls. It sounds delicious! Let's taste.

THE VERDICT:  Mmm, it's really good. There's a strong rum flavor in this creamy vanilla base and the candy balls add a nice texture. I would definitely get this again, if I could find any. If you run across any, first tell me then try it. I think you'll really enjoy this rich flavor. Hey Ben & Jerry, maybe you've pushed the envelope far enough. People won't get a pint that they're embarrassed to ask for.

Visit our friends at MenuJoy.com for great area restaurant menus.

On the Hunt for: Grand Slam Breakfast

www.dennys.com

September 12, 2011

It was 10 a.m. when we were leaving the doctor's office in Providence, RI. I had only had a yogurt much earlier and my tummy was protesting loudly, so Laura and I decided we needed to have breakfast - a big breakfast. If you want a really big breakfast, Denny's is the place to go.

We couldn't wait to get there and drove to the nearest one. In this case it was the one nearest to my doctor's office and was in West Warwick.

The place was still busy with late morning diners but we got a nice booth anyway. Our waitress approached with menus and we both ordered iced coffees. Wow, Denny's menu is huge.So many different options and combo's of your breakfast favorites. They have all manner of eggs, meats, breads and pancakes plus specialty treats (check their full menu above). But we were on the hunt for their famous Grand Slam breakfast. When our waitress came back we gave her our order. Laura wanted the bacon avocado burrito, which she had before and loved, and I ordered the All-American Slam ($8.99).

Just look at that delectable plate of food. It included three eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese, two strips of bacon, two sausages, hash browns and my choice of two wheat toast (other bread options available). I couldn't wait to dig in. Mmm ... so good. Everything was done perfectly. The eggs were creamy, the bacon and hash browns crisp, the sausage meaty and the toast, well ... toasty.  Plus it was all served nice and hot. This was a great breakfast and just what I needed after a dreaded doctor's appointment. Laura and I just ate and relaxed and contemplated the day ahead. If there's a Denny's near you, give them a try. I don't think you'll be sorry. And I know you won't leave hungry.

P.S. The iced coffees were especially delicious. I should have gotten one to go.

Check out our friends at MenuJoy.com for great area restaurant menus.

On the Hunt for: Gorton (French Pork Spread)

www.karenskitchenanddeli.net

September 10, 2011

You say gorton, I say caw-taw. You say creaton, I say pork spread.  What the heck is pork spread you well may ask? Well in French households, it is a traditional homey treat that consists of ground pork, lard and spices that is cooked down for what seems like hours. When most of the fat is cooked away, it's then left to cool and congeal (doesn't that sound tasty). What you're left with can now be used as a stuffing, a sandwich filler or the most popular choice (and what we do) as a spread on toast. Mostly gorton is made at home, but lately it's been showing up in markets and a few specialty shops. This brings us to Karen's Country Kitchen.

On a bright warm Saturday morning, Laura took a quick trip over to Somerset (10 minutes) and drove into Karen's small parking area. We heard that they carried gorton in addition to many other homemade dishes like stuffed peppers, meatloaf, chicken, etc. Check out their website above for all their takeout and catering specials. But Laura was on the hunt for a pound of gorton ($5) and that is what she requested upon arriving. A very nice lady went into the back to retrieve a pound. While she was gone Laura couldn't help but notice how bright, cheerful and immaculate this little shop appeared. Really pretty. The nice lady (who may have been the owner) quickly returned and handed Laura a plastic container with our porky treat. She hurried home and put it in the fridge.

We decided to save the gorton for our Sunday morning breakfast. Laura got to try it first because she had to leave early to volunteer at Habitat for Cats. When she returned, I was just getting ready to make mine. I had bought a fresh loaf of bread so let the toasting begin. Toast done, I spread my gorton thinly over the top and dug in. Mmmm, so good but a little spicy. I think Karen's was a little heavy-handed with the clove (or all spice). After I had finished with the toast/gorton, my mouth was a little burny with the clove taste. It was still good, but I missed tasting the sweetness of the pork itself.  Laura had hers with mustard, as many Fall Riverites do.  I liked the way this pâté spread (though Laura thought it was a bit crumbly). Generally I'd say I liked the gorton, but I've had better. I think, in this case, less may be more concerning the clove. Toning down the spice would let the pork shine through. And who doesn't like pork?

Visit our friends at MenuJoy.com for great area restaurant menus.

On the Hunt for: Bar Pies

www.capecodcafepizza.com

August 23, 2011

Being busy makes you hungry. Well, it makes me hungry. And this was such a busy day so far. We went to get my new glasses, drove all the way to North Kingston, RI, to pick up a donut cake and by 3 p.m. my tummy was growling. Where to go? What to eat? What to do? I know. Laura knew. We wanted pizza, but not just any pizza. We wanted bar pies from Cape Cod Cafe. When I first tasted these wonderful, sized-just-right pies, they went right to the top of my favorites list. So on a very hot Tuesday afternoon we pulled into their Raynham parking lot.

The little store-front shop doesn't look like much from the outside but it goes further back than you think. You walk into a very clean, bright, cheery take-out place with several tables for dining in. There's a large wall TV to watch while you're waiting, coolers to get a drink from and very clean restrooms. Laura knew what we both wanted and went to the counter to give in our order along with our sodas. I wanted a linguica pizza (spicy Portuguese sausage) and Laura wanted a pizza with roasted red peppers and black olives (the pies start at $7.15). Then she joined me at our table to wait for our name to be called.

Look at these little things of beauty!

Laura’s is on the left and mine is on the right. When our name was called, Laura retrieved them right away. Our pizzas were accompanied by paper plates, a packet of plastic utensils and small packs of salt and pepper. On the table were napkins and red pepper flakes. We also had our drinks. With everything on board, we dug in.

Now let me tell you why I love this pizza. It's all made to order, which is why there's a wait before you get it. However, it's worth it. The crust is well done and buttery, the pizza sauce is light and fresh, the cheese is top-quality and your meat and veggie toppings are just prepared. This is not fast-food but food well-done and well-worth the wait. It's just so gosh-darn delicious. Because the crust is thin (but not cracker-thin) and flat, the toppings can be spread right to the edges so there's flavor in every bite. You're not left with "pizza sticks”, you know, a huge pile of thick, bready crust that gets left on your plate. Unless you like the pizza sticks. Not that there's anything wrong with that ... I guess. But I say if you like your toppings all squished in the middle with a wide area of naked crust around them (like some pizzas we know), then you got the wrong pie. Cape Cod Cafe pies are pies of perfect symmetry, perfect balance of toppings to crust, perfect ratio of sauce to cheese, perfect ... you get the picture. I love these pies. You will too if you give them a try.

On this day we went to the shop in Raynham but there are locations also in Brockton and Bridgewater. Click onto their link for their full menu, hours and directions.

Don't forget to visit MenuJoy.com for great area restaurant menus.