The three-ounce rounds of peppermint ice cream are dipped in a dark chocolate coating (coating = some vegetable oil is added so the chocolate will adhere to the ice cream). The ice cream is a lot less intense than the York Peppermint Pattie. This will please people who like just a bit o’ mint.

The ice cram bar doesn’t have the candy’s depth of chocolate coating flavor, either. But it certainly is refreshing, and we can’t complain: It’s tough to find any type of peppermint ice cream. Our favorite flavors, chocolate chip mint and cookie mint, seem to have disappeared from stores in our area.

CURIOSER & CURIOSER

Although the box declares that the bars are made from Peppermint Light Ice Cream (see photo above), the small print underneath it says, “This is not a light food.” It goes on to explain that the light ice cream has 75% less fat than “a range of full fat ice creams.”

Hmm. So the ice cream is lower in fat, but not the bar as a whole? The whole bar has 170 calories but the box explains that the light ice cream portion is 80 calories. So the thin chocolate coating has more calories than the much larger lump of ice cream?

If this information is meant to help consumers understand what they’re getting, we think that a second explanation is needed to clarify the first explanation.
 
 
PATTIE VS. PATTY

Second, the ice cream box never mentions the word “patty” or “pattie.” Wouldn’t calling them “York Peppermint Ice Cream Patties” better leverage the York Peppermint Pattie brand?

And what about “pattie?”

Whether it’s candy, meat or veggies, you may have noticed patty and pattie used in different places. The plural for both is patties.

Dictionary.com doesn’t recognize the word “pattie.” Merriam-Webster.com at least brings you to “patty.” The word, by the way, derives from the French pâté, for paste (i.e., a mix of finely-ground ingredients; pasta also means paste and in French, pâté refers to a meat loaf as well as the more rare ground goose or duck liver pâté). “Patty” seems to have entered the English language around 1710.

Patty, pattie or bar, the six pieces disappeared faster than we would like to admit.
 
 
YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIE HISTORY

According to a company history in Wikipedia, the York Peppermint Pattie was first produced by Henry C. Kessler, owner of the York Cone Company, in 1940. The company was named for its location: York, Pennsylvania.

In the annals of corporate acquisitions, in 1972 the York Cone Company was acquired by Peter Paul. In 1978, Peter Paul merged with Cadbury Schweppes. In 1988 the Hershey Foods Corporation acquired the U.S. operations of Cadbury Schweppes.

The York Peppermint Pattie we know is different from Henry Kessler’s: the mint centers are only semi hard. In February 2009, Hershey closed the Reading, Pennsylvania plant that made York Peppermint Patties, 5th Avenue and Zagnut candy bars, and Jolly Rancher hard candies. Production was moved to a new factory the company built in Monterey, Mexico.

Cheesecake Pops are irresistible and fun.
Photo courtesy Le Chateaux.

From the moment Burke created these pops, some eight years ago, we were in love with them: a favorite dessert turned into a bite-size sphere-on-a-stick.

There are three varieties of creamy cheese cake centers, coated in chocolate and dipped in garnishes:

Each order contains an assortment of the flavors. The pops come frozen and thaw in 30 minutes.

If Dad doesn’t want to hoard them all, you can serve the Cheesecake Pops for dessert on Father’s Day; or simply hand them to guests as they walk in the door, to get the party started.

 
David Burke Cheesecake Pops have been a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week. Here’s our review.

Using a set of two grooved wooden “butter paddles”—an item so archaic it isn’t even sold on Amazon.com—she cut chunks of butter from the stick and paddled them into perfectly round balls, nicely patterned by the grooves.

The butter balls were set on the table in a lovely porcelain dish. Those wishing butter (and in those days, we all did) helped themselves to a ball or two.

When we started to host dinner parties, we had no paddles and needed to find an alternative. Our solution: butter ramekins.

Perhaps it didn’t have the wow factor of those golden orbs of paddled butter, but it was much faster to make.
 
 
FANCY BUTTER RECIPE

All you need are butter, a ramekin, a spatula and a fresh herb garnish. Then:

1. Soften 2 sticks of butter until they are malleable.

3. With a sharp knife, cut a crosshatch of grooves onto the top of the butter. If the butter is too soft, stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig or other fresh herbs, such as two short chive “plumes” inseted vertically, or a rim of finely-minced chives. You can also press a single large parsley or cilantro leaf into the top, and/or sprinkle some Hawaiian red sea salt (alaea), coarse pink sea salt, tri-color whole peppercorns or coarse-ground black pepper.
 
 
MORE BUTTERY GOODNESS

Find butter tips and recipes for flavored butters (compound butters) in our Butter Section.

Check out all the different types of butter.

How many types of butter have you had? See our Butter Glossary.
  

The sweet and savory flavors are not only delicious; they’re healthier snacks, as well (popcorn is a whole grain).

The business began as a passion for “Crunch Daddy” Dan Bazis, who started out simply trying to improve the recipe for kettle corn.

He then envisioned the potential for a gourmet popcorn business, and spent several years exploring flavors, refining recipes, sourcing ingredients and equipment and creating a website—all the while “navigating the tangled web of regulations that govern the operation of a small business like mine.”

We think he’s done a great job, and you don’t need a gift occasion to enjoy his wares. Buy them for yourself, as well as for the dads in your life.

TERRIFIC GOURMET POPCORN FLAVORS

Maple Bacon Crunch popcorn: It’s maplebacalicious! Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.

 
We loved them all!

EDITOR’S NOTE 2020: We regret to report that Crunch Daddy is no longer operational.

Give them as party favors, send them to kids at camp. Enjoy more popcorn, the better-for-you snack.

A praline bacon appetizer, side or cheese
course. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk
Marketing Board.

The praline-crusted bacon with its peppery kick contrasts with the creamy saltiness of blue cheese. The mouthfeel is unforgettably lush and the flavor is addictive.

Serve it as an appetizer, as a cheese course after the main course, or as a sophisticated side with breakfast eggs.

BLUE CHEESE WITH PRALINE BACON

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Combine all ingredients but the bacon in a wide, shallow dish. Dip and press each slice of bacon in the praline mixture on both sides.

3. Lay bacon strips on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle additional praline mixture over the bacon slices in the pan.

4. Roast the bacon until the fat begins to render, about 6 minutes. Rotate the pan front-to-back and continue roasting until the bacon is crisp and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Remove, cool and break or cut bacon into bite-sized pieces. Serve warm or room temperature with the blue cheese and optional garnish.

This recipe is courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.