Ice Cream News

This probably isn't exciting or new to most people, but Turkey Hill makes a line of light ice cream that surpasses Edy's and (I hate to say it) Breyer's varieties. I tried the Light Recipe Extreme Cookies 'N Cream over the weekend and it is rich and chocolatey. It's chocolate ice cream with pieces of chocolate cookies and a fudgy cookie swirl. That was essentially what was written on the carton, and the ice cream definitely lived up to its description.

A Ben & Jerry's is slowly being built in Carytown, just a few doors down from my beloved Bev's in a former laundromat. The laundromat went out of business months ago, so I'm not sure why Ben & Jerry's didn't get moving and convert the building in time for prime ice cream months. Maybe they're afraid. And they should be - a Ben & Jerry's shop used to reside in a different Carytown location, but it couldn't stand up to Bev's back then. With any luck, it won't be able to now either.

Got Crabs?

Believe it or not, I am now the proud owner of a turquoise colored t-shirt with these words on the front and back. Saturday afternoon I went to my first Annual Hanover Firefighters' Crab Feast (it was their sixteenth). Tickets for the event, which took place in a park in Mechanicsville, cost $25, and had to be purchased ahead of time. Finding the tickets wasn't the easiest task considering they were sold at limited Mechanicsville locations, but I was so excited at the prospect of all-you-can-eat crabs that I wasn't going to let any of the details ruin my enthusiasm.

The weather was beautiful, the directions were easy to follow, and the festival was in full swing when Davy and I walked through the admission area. There were about 2000 people there, so it was a little overwhelming at first. Tables and chairs were set up under several tents, and there were long tables filled with people enjoying their share of 240 bushels of crabs. I could hardly contain myself.

It seemed that the plastic yellow cups we were given in exchange for our tickets were designated for beer, and we quickly found a Budweiser truck near the entrance. You can imagine our shock when we realized that people were serving themselves - unlimited beer was included in the $25 ticket price! Information about the feast mentioned only "beverages," which I'd assumed were only sodas and water. Even without the beer, I think that all-you-can-consume crabs, hot dogs, Saltines could be considered the bargain of the century.

When we found spots at a long table and had eaten a hot dog each, we started working on a pile of crabs. Firefighters came around occasionally to dump more on the table or clear away the empty shells. The second round was from the top of a bucket, and the crabs were encrusted with a healthy amount of Old Bay Seasoning. I ate for two hours straight and didn't mind standing. Our table never got crowded, and the spots around us were empty after a short amount of time - some people were more dedicated to their Bud Lights than the crabs.

The entire afternoon was surreal and close to perfect. As hard as it was to believe that the feast actually happened, I was left with a hungover feeling unique to eating copious amounts of crabmeat, and spent much of the evening lying on the couch. My lethargy was a very real reminder that the feast actually happened, and that it was extraordinary.

Fudgalicious

Going to the beach often means coping with the repetitive t-shirt and sandal shops, and the endless offerings for salt water taffy, fudge, ice cream, and other treats. Normally I opt for ice cream alone, but last week I got an amazing tip about a chain called The Fudgery.

The geniuses behind this establishment offer various combinations of Edy's ice cream, their own fudge, and candy. I was so excited to try it that I can't remember the exact name of my order, but it was something like "You Put Ice Cream in my Peanut Butter." Brilliant.

It started with chocolate ice cream on a marble slab (think Coldstone's mashing technique) and then a large chunk of chocolate peanut butter fudge was broken into it. The ice cream, which was soft but not runny, just how I like it, was then topped with Reeses Pieces. Amazing and decadent, I know. It was almost too much for me to handle, and I ordered the smallest size. I may have to recreate this spectacular concoction over the winter to remind me of the beach.

Victory is Mine

Unilever pulled through. When I checked my mail on Saturday, I found an apology letter and coupon from the company that produces Breyer's ice cream. I guess I wasn't angry enough when I complained, because the coupon is only for one free item (Good Humor, Klondike, or Breyer's), and not an unlimited supply of ice cream. Better than nothing, I suppose. Now I have to decide what to use the coupon for...