Minty Fresh Scouting: Cayuga Lake Creamery

August 08, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Cayuga Lake Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Cayuga Lake Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Everyone needs a summer project; a goal to work toward over the hottest months of the year; a plan that will give meaning to an otherwise lazy series of days. I considered this question carefully and arrived at the most obvious answer: visit as many ice cream shops as possible in search of the best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream.

Why Mint Chocolate Chip? Mainly, because it’s my all-time favorite flavor, but also it seems like most shops offer an option that combines mint and chocolate. I’m willing to consider gelato, novelties and sorbet, but ice cream is really what I’m after. If you have recommendations on places I should try I’d love to hear them!

My fifth stop in my quest for the minty-est ice cream cone in the land took place in the gorgeous hills above Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York. I was back home visiting my family and of course had to take advantage of being back in dairy country to taste some local flavors at the aptly named Cayuga Lake Creamery, which sits above the aforementioned lake.

According to their site:

“Our homemade ice cream is made on the premises in small batches for excellent quality control. We start with a 14% butterfat mix from our dairy, Upstate Farms. We then add the finest ingredients available – from down the road and around the world – to create our flavors.”

“Mint Chocolate Chunk: Mint ice cream (we use white mint) with lots of chocolate chunks.”

I would have liked to give higher scores here, but the lack of minty-ness and pale color really hurt Cayuga Lake Creamery’s chances. This is not to say it isn’t worth trying since the ingredients were high quality, but I’d probably go for a different flavor next time.

The Scientific Part:

The five criteria are Flavor and then the four “Cs” - Color, Creaminess, Chips, and Charm.

I like a dash of kitsch with my high-quality ingredients, so my preference is for pale green ice cream with intense mint flavor and deep dark chocolate shavings. Yes, I realize that this doesn’t make them ‘chips’ per se, but then they’re more smoothly incorporated with the ice cream. I’m giving extra points for a whimsical setting or special experience.

Mint Chocolate Chunk by Cayuga Lake Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Mint Chocolate Chunk by Cayuga Lake Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Cayuga Lake Creamery’s Score:

Flavor – not that minty and also unfortunately a bit strawberry-ish due to cross-pollination (2 of 5)

Color – a peppermint pattie white, sigh (1 of 5)

Creaminess – wonderfully and thick creamy (5 of 5)

Chips – dark chocolate pieces, yum. (4 of 5)

Charm – roadside stand way out in the country, corn fields clearly visible (4 of 5)

Total Score: 16/25

Current Rankings:

For folks following these adventures at home, here are the current rankings of the ice creams and shops I’ve visited so far. Those top three spots are pretty hotly contested!

1. The Lands at Hillside Farms: 22/25

2. Ample Hills Creamery: 20/25

3. Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream: 18/25

4. Cayuga Lake Creamery: 16/25

5. Sundaes and Cones: 11/25

Minty Fresh Scouting: Ample Hills Creamery

August 01, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Brooklyn Bridge | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Brooklyn Bridge** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Ample Hills Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Ample Hills Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

My fourth stop in my quest for the best minty-cool cone in the land was a little closer to home than my last spot but still required a little bit of an adventure to the remote and untamed borough of BROOKLYN…. Just kidding, I’m kind of in love with Brooklyn and have all sorts of schemes to go back ASAP especially if the ice cream is as good as Ample Hills Creamery’s Mint Chocolate Flake (quite a promising name….)

Here’s the scoop (I’m so sorry) on Ample Hills Creamery summarized from their website:

“…Ample Hills was the first to pasteurize on site in New York City – which makes us a registered dairy plant – and are one of the few places that make ice cream this way. We handcraft our ice cream from start-to-finish in small batches, using fresh, local, all-natural milk, cream, and eggs. Instead of relying solely on extracts, we steep source ingredients in our homemade mix, slowly drawing flavors out of vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, peanuts and coffee beans [ed. note: and presumably the mint leaves too.]”

The Scientific Part:

The five criteria are Flavor and then the four “Cs” - Color, Creaminess, Chips, and Charm.

Mint Chocolate Flake by Ample Hills Creamery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Mint Chocolate Flake by Ample Hills Creamery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Ample Hills Creamery’s Score:

Flavor – deliciously minty and cool (5 of 5)

Color – a peppermint pattie white, sigh (1 of 5)

Creaminess – lovely and creamy (5 of 5)

Chips – shavings of dark chocolate, see I wasn’t making it up! (5 of 5)

Charm – the waterfront location, just a short walk from the Brooklyn Bridge is pretty hard to beat (4 of 5)

Total Score: 20/25

Current Rankings:

For folks following these adventures at home, here are the current rankings of the ice creams and shops I’ve visited so far. Those top three spots are pretty hotly contested!

1. The Lands at Hillside Farms: 22/25

2. Ample Hills Creamery: 20/25

3. Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream: 18/25

4. Sundaes and Cones: 11/25

Scouting: Global Table

July 25, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Global Table UWS | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Global Table UWS** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

It only took a few weeks of living on the Upper West Side before I came across the Amsterdam Avenue location of Global Table and it quickly became one of my window-shopping destinations. After passing countless times – always glancing in to see what new temptation would be displayed – I finally had a moment cross the threshold.

The shop is deceptive - practically everything is visible from the door, yet there are still surprises and discoveries to be made. Light and airy it’s surprising how many treasures are arranged on the long, low tables and tall shelves. Good thing my afternoon was wide open because I spent more than an hour exploring the beautiful linens, brightly colored porcelain vases, and imaginative tableware.

Nathalie Smith established the first location of Global Table in Soho in 1996, the UWS location followed in 2011. When I talked with her described it as the place where her “love of food and fashion converged.” She grew up in New York and credits her French mother’s great taste, “she always set a beautiful table,” and wonderful cooking with her enthusiasm for entertaining.

She further developed her eye by working as a fashion editor and stylist for magazines like Glamour and Elle. While traveling the world for photo shoots she noticed that her fellow editors would often stash great tableware finds in their suitcases and bring them back as souvenirs. When she was ready to leave the world of fashion the inspiration for her next venture was inspired by the experience.

Nathalie says she looks for clean lines, natural textures, and simple shapes eschewing anything too “design-y.” She tends to shy away from most patterns, although she says she’s becoming more open minded, and wants the pieces she offers to be both functional and beautiful calling herself “a very practical person.”

Whether apartment space is constrained or not that’s an M.O. I can get behind 100%. Any of the items in Global Table would look beautiful displayed as décor, but can also be pulled down off the shelf and pressed into service. No lilies of the field here!

I had a hard time walking out empty-handed and brought home a beautiful charcoal colored bowl with a periwinkle blue interior from the store’s Middle Kingdom line. I’m already plotting my next acquisitions and future wedding, house-warming, and birthday presents. After all, I’m just taking Nathalie’s lead by “buying what I would like in my home.”

Global Table | Soho: 107 Sullivan Street, NYC | UWS: 471 Amsterdam Avenue, NYC | Hours: Mon-Sat 12-7 pm, Sun 12-6 pm

Minty Fresh Scouting: Hillside Farms

July 18, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Hillside Farms, Shavertown, PA | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Hillside Farms, Shavertown, PA** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

My third stop in my quest for the ultimate cool, minty creation was The Lands at Hillside Farms in Shavertown, PA. Hillside Farms is more than just an ice cream shop, to paraphrase from a 2013 magazine article:

“Originally established in 1881, The Lands at Hillside Farms became a non-profit organization in 2005 devoted to sustainable life choices. Located on 413 acres in a magnificent valley; the goal of the farm is to use the landscape as a backdrop for educating the public about healthy life choices. […]

The dairy store offers farm-made milk in glass bottles, ice cream, butter and produce among many other wholesome products. The animals on the farm are treated humanely and are fed old fashioned diets while living as their ancestors did over a century ago.”

Some Thoughts on Ratings:

The five criteria are Flavor and then the four “Cs” - Color, Creaminess, Chips, and Charm.

Mint Chocolate Chip by Hillside Farms, Shavertown, PA | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Mint Chocolate Chip by Hillside Farms, Shavertown, PA** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Hillside's Score:

Flavor – refreshing, well-balanced mint (5 of 5)

Color – medium green, but a touch too bright for my taste (3 of 5)

Creaminess – very smooth and dense (5 of 5)

Chips – miniature dark chocolate chips (4 of 5)

Charm – historic, functioning gentleman’s farmstead. Talk about local, I can see the cows! (5 of 5)

Total Score: 22/25