Epic Portions

Tag: ice cream

  • Egg Nog Ice Cream

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    After a recent holiday party, we have WAY too much egg nog left over.  And way too much cheap brandy.  I mean, seriously.  What were we thinking.  What do I do with a handle of brandy?  And a gallon of eggnog.

    The answer came to me during my nightly stare into the refrigerator.  Egg….Nog….Ice…Cream!  I mean, I don’t even have to make the nog…just make the nog really, really cold.  The problem is most recipes for eggnog ice cream assume you don’t already have a vat of nog in your fridge.

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    One of the 3 half gallon egg nog containers in the fridge. Why do I always get so overzealous with the nog during this time of year?

    I was perplexed until I stumbled upon Natalie’s Killer Egg Nog Ice Cream Recipe, which is blatantly plagiarized below:

    1 qt Eggnog
    1/2 cup Sugar
    1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or extract)
    pinch Salt
    Gingersnaps, crumbled (optional)

    1. In a bowl whisk together the sugar, vanilla bean paste and salt. Pour in enough egg nog to be able to stir everything together until smooth.
    2. Pour the eggnog/sugar mixture along with the rest of the eggnog in your electric ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions. [In Todd’s case, this meant for like 2 hours using a crappy Krups ice cream maker and then freezing overnight]

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    Boo – this ice cream maker sucks!

    So good. That is all I can say. So good. Ideas for improvement: cover with a layer of brandy. Or Rum. Or Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. And add some ginger snaps.

    Oh. Snap.

  • Dippin’ Dots: NOT the Ice Cream of the Future.

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    Ever since I was about five years old, I would always see a stand at large social events selling a product called Dippin’ Dots.  It was always advertised as the “Ice Cream of the Future!”  They always made me curious when I was a little guy.  Tiny Beads of Ice Cream?  In assorted flavors and colors?  Sounds awesome!

    Let me just say, they never were and never will be awesome.

    They are NOT the goddamn ice cream of the future.  Give it up.  Dippin’ Dots were started in 1988, which means it’s been openly available to the public for 21 years now.   It’s not in testing phase or not completely ready to sell until the future is now.  You can go to any sporting event, concert or carnival and purchase Dippin’ Dots for a completely unreasonable price.  Wow, thanks.  The smallest bowl possible filled with  tiny beads of cheap ice cream for $4.99.  Big Macs were available for sale in 1988.  Do we consider those the burger of the future?  NO.

    Other things that happened in 1988 that aren’t considered (blank) of the future…

    • Sonny Bono elected mayor of Palm Springs.  Sonny Bono is NOT the politician of the future.
    • Super Mario Brothers 3 was released.  Super Mario Mario Brothers 3 is NOT the future of gaming.
    • Ted Turner bought World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which was bought out by Vince McMahon and disbanded in 2001, making it NOT the future of wrestling.
    • Brooke Hogan was born.  I don’t even feel the need to explain.

    This is taken directly off the Dippin’ Dots.com’s Frequently Asked Questions Page:

    Why is Dippin’ Dots the Ice Cream of the Future?

    Much like microwave ovens revolutionized the way we cook, Dippin’ Dots is revolutionizing the way we think of ice cream. Our high-tech cryogenic process is a highly advanced method of ice cream production, unique within the ice cream industry.

    Are these people for real? Do they hear themselves? Dippin’ Dots has revolutionized the way we think of ice cream? Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry, broadband is revolutionizing telecommunications, the Catholic Church revolutionized pedophilia. But taking something that already exists, freezing it into tiny balls, and selling it, is not revolutionary, nor is it making it “of the future.”

    Last I checked we had birthday cakes, then we had birthday ice cream cakes, and now we have birthday cookie cakes (which are delicious I might add) but we skipped right over birthday Dippin’ Dots cakes? Know why? Because it’s stupid, that’s why.

    Last time I checked regular old ice cream is still around, and I don’t think Ben OR Jerry are shaking in their boots at the thought of Dippin’ Dots cornering the market.  They should change the name to Dippin’ Dots: The Novelty Ice Cream of the ’90s.