When I visited Colombus, Ohio last year, my sister's friend, Emma, took us to her local farmer's market for lunch. North Market is an awesome, indoor and outdoor market that features oodles of fresh produce, foraged edibles, farm fresh meats, cheese mongers, bakers, and a whole slew of other gourmet goodies. We had a great time poking around North Market, nibbling this, gawking at that, but the most memorable discovery was of an ice cream maker that I still stalk to this day.
Emma had raved a bit about Jeni's Splendid Ice cream on the way over. Being an ice cream nut, it didn't take much convincing for me to try a scoop (or two).
In fact, it took all of my brain power to stop fanticizing about the impending ice cream cone while attempting to browse the rest of the market. When we finally arrived at the Jeni's Ice Cream Stand, I was all a twitter. The variety of creative and unique flavors sent me over the top with excitement. With flavors like Cherry Lambic Sorbet, or Black Coffee, Bangkok Peanut, Marscapone, Salty Caramel, it was a wonderland of creamy delights.
It was like a dream come true, and that is NO exageration. When I was a kid, I was just as obsessed with ice cream as I am now. Maybe worse. (No, on second though, I am definitely worse now.) Back then, I had a notebook filled with hundreds of insane ice cream flavor ideas. My mission was to compile a list of one thousand ice cream flavors that noone had ever tasted. Of course, you wouldn't want to taste most of them. Things like Dill Pickle, Sardine & Cherry Pepper, or Phone Booth Ice Cream filled a majority of slots on that list. (I am was a big weirdo.) Allbeit a truly unique idea, I don't know anyone who would really want to eat Hot Dog Ice Cream.
Jeni's flavors, however, are unique AND delicious. I'll never forget my mouth watering cone of Marscapone & Cognac Fig Ice Cream. You could taste the texture of the cheese! The sweet cognac figs were the perfect compliment to that mellow, almost savory ice cream. All of that greatness was plopped into a fresh, crispy, and definitely handmade waffle cone. How COULD I forget that?
What's really sad about my Jeni's ezperience is my constant longing for more. There were so many flavors I didn't get to try, and they just keep whipping up more. If Jeni's was down the street I would probably have a serious addiction going. Jeni's does offer nationwide home delivery of their amazing ice creams, but the price of delivering frozen treats such as these makes it a little tricky to sneak into my grocery budget. Though, I have often tried to dream up occassions special enough for the splurge. My birthday, for example, is on its way. Why not blow $75+ on a little ice cream? Better yet, let's hop in a plane and fly over to Ohio and do this thing right. Oh well, a girl can dream, can't she?
For now, I stalk Jeni's via newsletter, blog, and web site, drooling over their ever changing menu of ice cream wonders. Their latest mind blower is the Ice Cream Macaroon, handmade gourmet ice cream sandwiched inside a freshly baked, almond flavored, French Macaroon. Sigh.
Corn Syrup Custard with Whiskey & Pecans from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams on Vimeo.
Have a food crush of your own? Share it with me in the comments below.