Ice cream and “pie” unite in one container.
Photo by Katharine Polllak | THE NIBBLE.
It’s National Ice Cream Month. We’re a major celebrant: Ice cream is one of our favorite foods.
Alas, we like to eat lots of ice cream. Looking at the calorie counts of superpremium ice cream brands is an eye-opening experience. There are up to 300 calories for a teeny quarter-cup serving (some flavors with high-calorie inclusions are even more). Raise your hand if you limit your portion to a quarter of a cup!
So while we eat our fair share of superpremium ice cream, to feed the majority our habit we look for lower-calorie alternatives.
Breyer’s No Sugar Added Ice Cream in the Smooth & Dreamy line hits the spot. Enjoyed plain or with fruit, added to a diet root beer or whisked into a glass of nonfat milk (we add a packet of non-caloric sweetener to the milk for a sweeter shake), it makes a very satisfying ice cream experience.
Another way to go is a brand like Lovin’ Scoopful, a light, low-calorie premium (not superpremium—see the difference) ice cream with half the fat and one-third fewer calories than other premium ice creams. The milk is rBST-free.
Unlike most lighter brands, which tend to focus on the basic flavors, Lovin’ Scoopful has lots of flashy flavors, such as Baba’s Butter Pecan Brittle (loved it!), Mad About Mud Pie and Rockin’ Raspberry Cheesecake. We were especially captivated by Oh My Blueberry Pie, a blueberry swirl in vanilla with large pieces of pie crust that were fully crisp and crunchy.
It may look like a hair curling wand, but the Looftlighter, from Swedish inventor Richard Looft, solves the aggravation many grillers face when the burning wood or charcoal has the audacity to go out.
Lighter fluid is one option to restart the flames, but it has the nasty habit of flavoring the food with petroleum.
We haven’t personally tried the Looflighter yet, but those grillmasters who raced to acquire one attest that the it takes the headache out of lighting grills and smokers. Starting the fire is as simple as touching the tip of the tool to wood or coals for 15 seconds.
The only catch is that you need an electrical outlet to plug in the device. But hey, if you don’t have one adjacent to your grill, that’s what extension cords are for.
The Looftlighter may be the firestarter that
grillmasters have been waiting for. !
The Looflighter can also light those pesky fireplace logs.
The Looftlighter isn’t inexpensive—it’s about $80.00. But it pays for itself as a grilling (or fireplace) headache remedy. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
We’re sorry we didn’t know about this handy device before Father’s Day, but if you still owe Dad a gift, we’d put it on the list.
We’re maaad for Delicieuse goat’s milk
ice cream. Photo by Daniela Cuevas | THE
NIBBLE.
July is National Ice Cream month. That’s great news for most of us, but what about people who are lactose-intolerant?
Pints of goat’s milk ice cream are a happy solution.
Goat’s milk contains less lactose than cow’s milk, and can generally be enjoyed by the lactose intolerant. In fact, goat’s milk is more digestible for everyone. The fat globules in goat’s milk are much finer than those in cow’s milk, making it easier for enzymes to break down. There’s also less fat than in cow’s milk.
LaLoo’s Goat Milk Ice Cream has been a palate-pleaser for both goat cheese lovers and the lactose-intolerant. It is sold at fine food stores nationally (see the store locator), and you can order it online.
As much as we like LaLoo’s, we’re even crazier about Delicieuse French Ice Cream Artisanal—goat’s milk ice cream in gourmet flavors that can pass for cow’s milk (that is to say, you might not even notice any goaty flavors). It is available online. Delicieuse also makes magnificent cow’s milk ice cream and sorbet as well.
Goat’s milk ice cream makes a wonderful gift for lactose-intolerant friends—or anybody who loves goat cheese.
For goat cheese lovers, here’s a goat cheese ice cream recipe from Charlie Trotter—served with whole roasted figs. It is made with goat cheese plus cow’s milk and cream, but you can tweak the recipe with goat’s milk.
