Tea Stains on Parchment

I walked into Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Cream on a mission one spring afternoon. Actually, I was there on business—I needed to taste Jay Gatsby. You see, in celebration of 100 years of Fitzgerald’s novel, Clementine’s has crafted 4 Great Gatsby inspired scoops: a rose sorbet; a chamomile and apricot ice cream in pale green; a golden turmeric and cacao nib concoction inspired by the opening epigraph; and one inspired by 1920’s cologne notes, swirled with floral ripples, butterscotch shards, and a woodsy base. This last one, called “Old Sport,” was the green light I was after. In fact, I was promised by Clementine’s Goldbelly listing that one bite “captures the essence of embracing Jay Gatsby or Nick Carraway.” Through a scoop of ice cream and a spoon, I somehow would soon know what it was like to hug Gatsby and Nick, as well as taste what such an embrace would be like. This truly was a Great Gatsby experience unlike any I’d encountered before. I’ve read The Great Gatsby many time,...

If you are friends with me, maybe even just a casual pal, you have probably been asked to get ice cream with me. In fact, you probably weren't just asked to get ice cream and make plans like a normal person, but asked if you wanted to get ice cream, like, today, maybe right now, or anytime in the next 6 hours. If this describes something that has happened to you, congratulations, you are part of an elite group of people that I have invited to partake in ice cream adventures. It also means that 1) you are my friend; I like you or 2) I like you; let's become better friends. Whether I want more friends or just really like ice cream is up for debate, but needless to say, if there is an interesting ice cream flavor, I will be the one to make impromptu plans to go try it. After that needlessly long intro, let me tell you that I will try just about anything. Goat cheese ice cream? Sure. Black ice cream? Sounds divine. If there is something weird or unique, I will make it my mission ...

You might think this post is a day late since National Doughnut Day was yesterday, but I just didn't want this post to get mixed in with all the subpar doughnut content I saw yesterday. The truth is, all the places offering free doughnuts yesterday just aren't good. I used to think that they were good, I really did, but now I see every fault with them because I made the mistake of trying Federal Donuts. Here are some reasons why you should never eat Federal Donuts. Lemon Crumble Cheesecake First of all, do you really want to have the best doughnut of your life? What will you even be living for afterwards? There will be no continued quest for the best doughnut because you will have already had it. How else are you going to spend your weekends? I guess you can go get one of their many delicious doughnuts if you want to rob your doughnut-eating life of meaning... Every doughnut you eat afterwards will pale in comparison. I used to like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin, I really d...

Ever since Instagram, there has been a flood of colorful, photogenic, and unique foods. But, these chic food trends have taken a turn for the outlandish. I mean, drinks served in lightbulbs, burgers covered in marshmallows, and don't get me started on "unicorn" or "rainbow" foods (most things should never be rainbow!). Thriving in this technicolor, toddler—designed food world is the very antithesis of color: black foods. Somewhat unnatural, these black foods are tempting. Dark and mysterious, filled with activated charcoal, could they possibly be any good? Well I never turn down trying something new...especially ice cream. It seems that if I ever go out, it is always for ice cream. So it is no surprise that it was ice cream that brought me to the black food trend. I had heard of the ice cream from one of my favorite shops Franklin Fountain. It was a unique flavor, black, and limited time. How could I say no? Before I outline my adventure on the dark side, let ...

About a year ago, I visited Big Gay Ice Cream in Philadelphia. Maybe you remember that I wrote a review about it in a post called "Overrated?" I believe that I said something about this soft serve famous ice creamery was slightly better than McDonald's or some other standard soft serve chain. Well, I do still like soft serve. And the store front is one of the most adorable that I have ever seen. So, I went back, and I think I need to give my updated opinions and thoughts. So, review 2, here we go. First off, I got the "Burnt." A somewhat questionable name just because you sound kinda stupid going up the cashier asking for "a burnt." Obviously I put my awkwardness aside and ordered a burnt in the middle of a technicolored, unicorn emblazoned store. I was intrigued by an ice cream sandwich with chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two cakey cookies, brushed with Sriracha and rolled in orange and red sprinkles. It was both sweet and savory. Confusing ...

A year and a half ago, I discovered one of the best restaurants. This restaurant wasn't in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, but quaint, unassuming Bentonville, AR. But the cuisine here rivaled what had been the best meal I'd ever eaten at Tom Colicchio's Craft Bar in NYC. Modern Ozark Dining (MOD) brought an urban and eclectic perspective in food to my hometown, and I couldn't have been happier. To create food this delicious, this creative, requires a chef with passion. Someone who is unafraid to experiment with new flavor combinations and dining experiences. I am the kind of person that will go to a restaurant and choose not what I "feel" like eating, but the most outlandish, and honestly, weird dish I can find--I will try anything once (tip to non-adventurous eaters: a restaurant isn't going to put something on a menu that isn't delicious. That would be stupid...). The menu at MOD has always been a foodie playground for me, making my decision on w...

The heat index here is currently 115 F, and sometimes air conditioning doesn't cut it when I want to cool off from the suffocating humidity outside. Sometimes I need to cool down with something crisp, light, refreshing, and bubblier than iced tea. Introducing my new obsession, gourmet soda. Here is a list of all of my favorite flavors and the ones that I think are better left on the shelf. Belvoir My first *artisanal* soda--Belvoir elderflower and rose lemonade. Also, excuse the Christmas tree. Clearly, I have been sampling these sodas for several months. I had to try this soda because 1. the packaging and shape of the bottle is adorable (perfect for a casual vase) 2. Mary Berry says just about every other episode of The Great British Baking Show that elderflower is her favorite flavor. I wanted to know if it lived up to the baking legend's hype. I was a bit skeptical, as rose flavors can often overpower, crossing the line of floral undertone to Grandma's perfum...

Happy World Chocolate Day! I hope all of you celebrated with some form of chocolate, but I doubt many of you celebrated a day as chocolate filled as the one I had at Markham & Fitz. Markham & Fitz is a local chocolate maker that sources cacao from all of the world, curating unique flavor combinations in the form of bars, truffles, desserts, and beverages. I had been familiar with the expensive chocolate bars of this company formerly known as Hello, Cocoa, but I was excited to see a new storefront and cafe. What had once been just chocolate and a very tasty cocoa tea had expanded to include three sipping chocolates and a few pastries when I visited for the first time a few months ago. Coming back to Markham & Fitz for world chocolate day, I found a chic cafe filled with a much wider variety of treats. The world chocolate celebration began with a tasting of chocolates made with cocoa beans from different countries, highlighting the differences in taste based only on whe...

When I made this blog, I promised three things: literature, cuisine, tea. I have kept my word on the first two, but I have really dropped the ball on the supposed namesake of my blog. In an attempt to fulfill my promise and prove my honesty, I am writing about my favorite teas for spring. Spring teas can be a tricky thing. They breach the transition from piping hot, earthy winter teas and cold, fruity summer teas. So, here are my picks for tea* this spring. Jasmine Pearls: This classic tea is perfect for spring. Earthy and warm, but floral and slightly fruity. The flavor is the embodiment of winter meeting summer, combining the best qualities of each. Green tea is the supporting role alongside aromatic jasmine flowers. And what is more fun than tea rolled into beads (aesthetic>price)? London Fog: In the winter, I enjoy this tea as a latte, steeped in milk, but this is a little heavy for breezy spring days. But I am getting ahead of myself. What exactly is London fog? This deli...

Every time I go to Whole Foods, I see heaps and bushels of odd fruits and vegetables I have never heard of before. Most people would pass by these, only casting curious glances, but I must know what these exotic delicacies taste like, what one does with it, what it looks like below its spiky shell. My last taste adventure was the rambutan. I thought it looked funny, like the prickly gumballs that litter the sidewalks at my grandmother's house, so naturally I bought one. Here's what I found out... The rambutan must be peeled, which is not an easy task The inside is white and slightly translucent like a lychee It was also quite squishy, like a lychee, and chewy There is a pit that is actually inedible and toxic. This pit peels and makes it very hard to eat this weird fruit Flavor: mild and slightly tart Although tasty, the rambutan is not worth the trouble it takes to peel and remove its shell bits. *Comment if you know the secret to unlocking these funny fruits.* S...