Sunday Stealing: Ice Cream

 Just the post to write the day before you embark on a two-month naturopathically sponsored detox regime where gluten, dairy, alcohol, sugar and caffeine are complete no-nos. 

And ice cream, in my eyes, is the sixth food group. 

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Does there have to be just one? I love a very good vanilla, but....

• Snickers at the now defunct Johnn Johnn's in Darwin is magnificent
• Macadamia always goes down a treat
• And I like the Asian flavours such as green tea and black sesame flavours.
• And coffee
• And a good rum and raisin
• And pistachio....

I just like ice cream. 

2. If you could invent a new flavor of ice cream, what would it be?

With all the flavours around are there any do invent. Maybe I'd get a Biscoff, coffee flavour with some toasted almonds thrown in for the crunch factor. 

That or something with Indian flavours like cardamom and turmeric. That could go down a treat. 

3. Who do you like to eat ice cream with?

Everything - great with waffles, fruit, warm cake, nuts, sprinkles, melted chocolate... I don't discriminate. 

4. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be?

Me, I'd probably be a decent vanilla with some unexpected bits mixed in for good measure - good things like white chocolate and macadamia. Good stuff. 

5. Does your family eat ice cream regularly, or just for a special treat?

My family eat ice cream regulary, with dessert, but only once or twice a week. As of tomorrow, I'm off ice cream, thanks to the naturopath, so that's going to be all gone. Not happy about this. 

6. What is your favorite treat from the ice cream truck?

I haven't been to an ice cream truck in years, but I used to love a 99 flake cone. Ice cream trucks are a rare thing these days. 

7. Does frozen yogurt taste different than ice cream?

Yes. As was shown in The Good Place, frozen yogurt is an abomination that should be sent to Orwell's Room 101 for getting rid of. Terrible stuff, even if people pretend it isn't. 

It's like being served prosecco when you're expecting champagne. So disappointing. 

8. If you could make a super sundae, what would it have?

I'm not really a sundae person, but I'd probably put on something like peanut M&Ms with a decent chocolate sauce. Something simple. No extra cream. It's not needed. 

9. Can ice cream make a bad day better?

Of course. 

10. Have you ever had homemade ice cream?

Yes. Actually, I've made my own ice cream on occasion. Nigella Lawson's No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream is the bomb. Nigella Lawson has some great no-churn ice cream recipes. 

11. When is your favorite time to eat ice cream?

In the evening. I tend to not eat it during the day. In Darwin, it was a great thing to wander down to the ice cream parlour for an after-dinner treat. Unfortunately, Johnn Johnn's is closing down today. 

12. What is the best kind of ice cream you ever had?

I have a real penchant for Maggie Beers Burnt Fig, Caramel and Honeycomb ice cream. It is incredible - and available at the supermarket. 

13. Do you prefer your ice cream in a cone or in a bowl?

If I'm buying a scoop of ice cream at a store, I prefer it to come in a waffle cone, rather than a cup. I'm a bit old school like that. 

At home, ice cream is eaten from a small bowl with a teaspoon - not a dessert spoon. I'm told this is a neurodiversity thing, but it tells your brain you're getting more ice cream. 

14. Is there such a thing as a bad flavor of ice cream?

I don't think there are bad ice cream flavours, just ones that are badly executed. I'm not a fan of lime ice cream, nor do I like overly watery gelato. Italian gelato is always amazing. Australian gelato, not so much. Or maybe everything tastes better in Italy. 

15. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. What does an ice cream a day do?

Keeps you happy. Ice cream is the sixth food group after all. 

16. Is ice cream better when it’s fresh or slightly melted?

I like ice cream when it is still firm. Again, this might be a Darwin thing, where I've been having a lot of ice cream, but it all melts too quick. I prefer when it stays firmer. 

17, What is the craziest flavor of ice cream you’ve ever seen?

Over here we get a lot of Asian flavours coming into the stores. Or at shops like Gelato Messina, there are all sorts of things come through. (I forgot about their pannacotta with fig jam and amaretti biscuits and their macadamia crunch flavours).

But I remember one flavour - white chocolate and wasabi ice cream. I loved it. Really unexpected and not too hot. The wasabi had a kick, but it was subtle. Loved it. 

Today's song: