Summer Snapshot :: Fresh Peach Shakes

With the last day of August having come and gone, that only meant two things to us: (1) the fun-filled days of summer were ending, and (2) time was running out to enjoy just one more fresh peach shake at Whitey’s Jolly Kone in West Sacramento.

The secret to their cold and frosty treat is the tree-ripened freestone peaches from Modesto. Share it with a friend or keep it all to yourself, they are pure heaven! With each slurp, we got a delectable taste of sweet peach bits mixed in with the thick vanilla ice cream.

The kids and I sipped slowly under the shade of the bright red umbrellas that adorned their patio tables. Each one of us hoping to stretch the summer hours just a little longer because we knew that once Whitey’s takes down their sign which reads "Fresh Peach Milkshakes," the summer was surely over ... And we didn't want it to end.



Whitey's Jolly Kone
1300 Jefferson Boulevard
West Sacramento, CA 95691

Summer Snapshot of the Day :: Pie Shake

A few weeks back, our family was in the San Francisco area to attend a family reunion. As with any trip, we researched a few of the neighborhoods in the city and pleasantly discovered a corner cafe that combined two of my favorite food items, but with a unique twist ... We've all had pie à la mode, but have you ever had a pie shake?

Located in the NOPA neighborhood of San Francisco, Chile Pies (& ice cream) has been serving up their frozen dessert since it opened in March 2010. The general concept? You get to choose your pie from a wide variety of selections -- peach, lemon, blueberry, country apple, or whatever is in season -- and then it gets blended with a little bit of milk and whole lot of ice cream. Although a good portion of it was able to get through the straw, I had to bust out a spoon to get to the sweet and buttery goodness at the bottom of the glass.

Now, there were a few skeptics at the table, including my wife who was unsure about combination. But she soon "ate her words." Before I was able to take a second sip, the pie shake suddenly disappeared.

Chile Pies (& ice cream)
601 Baker Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1407
415.614.9411

Sacramento Zoo | Ice Cream Safari

For the last twenty-seven years (and counting), the Sacramento Zoo has opened its doors for one special night in the mid-summer months to host their Ice Cream Safari, an all-you-can-eat extravaganza that is easily one of the city's premiere showcases that promises hours of family fun. This year was no exception, but to be honest, we almost didn't make it after we already put in a full day of activities that drained most of our energy.


With a little cheerleading from our kids, however, we mustered up just enough motivation to include a date with zebras, giraffes, flamingos, gibbons, and great hornbills. Sorry folks, no lions, tigers, or bears on this trip. Many of them were still hiding out in their pens, but as one visitor aptly put it, "We're not here to see the animals. We're here for the ICE CREAM!" Can't say that I was arguing with her, and the many volunteers, staff, donors, and supporters did not disappoint. They rolled out the flavors by the truckload:

- Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
- Pink Lemonade
- Oreo Cookies and Cream
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
- Very Berry Strawberry
- Rainbow Sherbet
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- Pralines n' Cream
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Golden Oreo

And to ensure that no one was left out, they also threw in free popsicles for those whose diets couldn't include dairy.

It didn't just stop there either. The price of admission also included complimentary bottled water and sodas, face painting, an ice cream dance party, live music, and of course, access to all zoo exhibits.

Generally speaking, the Sacramento Zoo's Ice Cream Safari is held in the month of July. Discounted tickets are available prior to the day of the event, but door admission is $20.00 dollars for adults and $15.00 for children ages two to eleven. All proceeds benefit the general maintenance and animal care at the Sacramento Zoo.

So, take it from us. We were certainly impressed, and after having visited for the first time, we would encourage anyone, with kids or not, to add the Ice Cream Safari to your list of summer plans.

Wordless Wednesday :: Rocca

In this picture:
Rocca, two scoops of gelato drowned in espresso.
A sweet treat from Hot Italian in Sacramento, CA.

Tasty Tuesday :: Fat Face Popsicles

Our kids have never met a popsicle that they didn't like. However, have they ever reached popsicle nirvana? No...At least, until they tasted the ones from Fat Face.

Fat Face is a gourmet popsicle shop that carries original flavors such as strawberry basil lemonade, strawberry coconut, kaffir lime & avocado, Thai tea, and sweet potato. Owner, Jaymes Luu, generally serves six flavors at a time, based on what's fresh and in season. Currently, these original and delectable treats are only available at selected food festivals or during the weekly farmers' market in Davis, CA, where Fat Face originates.

This summer, however, food fans in the Sacramento area won't have to drive out to Davis. Luu is moving to a bigger location in mid-town Sacramento. Partnering with Olivia Coelho and Trisha Rhomberg, Luu will be operating a cafe within a storefront that will also include an art gallery and a clothing boutique.

Wordless Wednesday :: Ube Ice Cream

In this photo: Ube Ice Cream found at Fosselman's Ice Cream in Alhambra, CA.

OOTK's "12 Days of Christmas" | The First Day

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

A single scoop of "Secret Breakfast" ice cream...

In this picture:

Humphry Slocombe's Secret Breakfast ice cream.

Owner Jake Godby makes this ice cream with bourbon and toasted cornflakes, including so much Jim Beam that the scoops always run soft.

Humphry Slocombe

2790 Harrison St
San Francisco, CA 94110

415.550.6971

Mix Sweet Shop | Ashland, OR

Looking for the perfect place to rest your feet? How about the perfect place to satisfy that sweet tooth of yours? After having spent of couple of hours window shopping through Ashland’s downtown plaza, we were ready to do both.

But where do we start? Ashland has its fair share of dessert bars and coffee shops to choose. There are the name brands, of course, but you’ll also find a scattering of small, independent establishments as well. Being who we are, we asked around and were kindly directed towards the Mix Sweet Shop.

Located in what was once known as the Ashland Fudge Company, the Mix Sweet Shop opened in July 2006 and, dare I say, borrowed a page or two from its predecessor by providing its customers with scrumptious handmade chocolates and candies as well as a selection of ice creams and gelatos. Where the fudge shop was once the town's premiere destination for refreshing treats on a hot afternoon or a lazy day, their baton was certainly passed on to here.

But that's where the comparisons end. The folks at the Mix Sweet Shop take it a few steps further with a full-service bakery where the smell of baked bread, cookies, and pastries is only rivaled by the sharp aroma of freshly brewed coffee, compliments of Stumptown Coffee Roasters.



Now, we’re told that many of the ingredients used in their baked goods are delivered daily by suppliers and growers who are local to the surrounding region. And you can taste the freshness in each bite whether you’re having a simple dessert like their lemon bars or cupcakes or specialty sandwiches such as the ham on a buttered baguette with bright red roma tomatoes or a croissant stuffed with leafy spinach and Rogue Creamery blue cheese.

If you have a few extra dollars in your pocket, we suggest that you indulge yourself and add either the coconut cream tart or a slice of the Dagoba Mousse Torte to your order. Take it home or nosh on it right then and there, you won’t be disappointed.


By the way, if you stop in after 6:00p, it’s noted that the baked goods remaining near the register (i.e. not the ones in the glass case) are 2 for the price of 1. We’re talkin’ about baguettes, boules, croissants, and the like.

So, who's responsible for all this goodness? The driving force behind the Mix Sweet Shop is renowned pastry chef Jamie North, who, after earning her culinary degree from the University of Oregon, honed her skills by working in Napa Valley's The French Laundry and Terra. When asked what her motivation was for opening the shop, she once noted to a local writer that it was “to showcase classic desserts and pastries that don't require the same time-consuming techniques that she uses at Ashland's fine-dining restaurant Amuse, which she co-owns with husband Erik Brown.”

This was certainly fortunate for us and for the many others who stood in line to sample the shop’s wares. And once we were poised to move on, the Mix Sweet Shop had us refreshed, recharged, and ready for our next activity. I’m willing to bet you’ll discover the same.

Mix Sweet Shop

57 North Main Street

Ashland, OR 97520

541.488.9885

Gunther's Quality Ice Cream | Sacramento, CA

Shortly after moving to Sacramento in 1939, Herman "Pop" Gunther and his wife, Iva, acquired a small storefront on the corner of 5th Avenue and Franklin Boulevard. Along with their son, Dick, they proceeded to turn this modest location into a place where neighborhood families and people from all over could come and enjoy good quality ice cream. The idea was there, and so was the knowledge given Pop's 20 years of previous experience working with a Bay Area creamery.

Gunther's Quality Ice Cream Company was opened in April 1940. Sales of hand-packed pints and quarts was its initial staple, but what steadily grew in popularity was the customer’s ability to order a single scoop cone of any flavor for just five cents. Needless to say, it didn't take long for the Gunthers to seal their place in ice cream heaven.

Now, I can't say with certainty the degree of frequency that my family patronized Gunther's, but I do know that a divide existed between a few of my father's brothers and sisters who preferred Gunther's ice cream over another neighborhood joint. Does the debate continue to this day? You betcha! Why? One only has to sample the goods.

Their ice cream recipe involves using only fresh and all-natural ingredients, including a high percentage of butter cream, and blending them slowly in a freezing process that mirrors the hand-cranked methods used in the early 1900s. What is ultimately produced is a much richer ice cream than any other churned by their competitors.

And there isn't a flavor choice that hasn't been tried or left off the menu. You've got your standards such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chip, rocky road, and pistachio. But there are also some that are slightly off the beaten path like marble fudge, butter brickle, swiss orange chip, black raspberry walnut, and birthday cake. In all, Gunther's features 40 ice cream flavors as well as sherbets, sorbets, frozen yogurt, and real fruit freezes.

Our recommendation? The kids swear on Gunther’s old-fashioned 50/50, a throwback to the creamsicle that takes a hefty scoop of vanilla and sandwiches it between two equal scoops of any fruit freeze flavor. Orange, strawberry, lemon, pineapple, strawberry banana, grape, or mango ... The choice is yours!

Not into ice cream, but fun foods on a stick is more your passion? They got you covered with a cold-counter full of heavenly selections, each one covered in chocolate for a complete sugar experience: cheesecake, moussecake, bananas, oreo pie, mudd pie, and strawberries just to name a few. They also have nutty cones, clown cones, oatwheels, bon bons, and chocolate dipped banana chips just ripe for the pickin'.

Completing their story, the Gunthers would later move their parlor just a couple of blocks down the street to its present location on 3rd Avenue and Franklin, and over the years, it changed ownership at least two times since Iva sold the business following Dick's passing in 1967. She passed away herself in 1989.

Although the Gunthers are no longer with us, their names have become synonymous with good, quality ice cream. And under current owner, Rick Klopp, the promise of "giving the customer his money's worth" continues to this day, meaning that the Gunthers’ legacy will go on to delight customers for many generations hereafter.

Fenton's Ice Cream | Oakland, CA and Vacaville, CA

Fenton's Creamery was already a popular destination for Oaklanders, but once Pixar Animation Studios featured them in its 2009 animated feature "Up", the place exploded on the scene. Although I'd like to think that the long lines for the ice cream bar or a dine-in experience existed before the film, I do believe many, like my family, made a personal pilgrimage to discover what the folks at Pixar wanted the world to know: Fenton's Creamery is one damn fine place for ice cream!!!

Founded in 1894 by E.S. Fenton, the creamery was known for delivering milk by horse drawn carriage. It wasn't until E.S.'s grandson began making ice cream was its place in history solidified. 115 years and three store locations later, Fenton's boasts 37 flavors, four types of frozen yogurt, and season favorites like Apple Pie, Rum Raisin, and Egg Nog. And, any variety of them can be found in their specialty sundaes like Banana Special, the Berry-Go-Round, and the Saddleback Brownie.

But be warned, it doesn't just stop there. When stopping in, come hungry because a full menu of savory sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers also await your arrival.

Fenton's Ice Cream (Oakland)

4226 Piedmont Ave.

Oakland, CA 94611

510.658.7000

Fenton's Ice Cream (Nut Tree Location)

1669 East Monte Vista Ave.
Vacaville, CA 95688

707.469.7200

The Triple Shot of the Day -- More Oregon Finds!

In this photo: A triple sampler of ice cream - marionberry pie, wild mountain blackberry, and mountain blueberry from the Tillamook Cheese Factory located on the Oregon Coast in Tillamook, OR.

In this photo: Many many cheese choices from The Rogue Creamery in Medford, OR.

This company is well-known for their award winning blue cheese as well as being a sustainable company.

In this photo: A hearty and tasty banana nut short stack from

the Breadboard in Ashland, OR.

Fosselman's Ice Cream | Alhambra, CA

If you ask anyone in the San Gabriel Valley where the best place to get ice cream is, the same name is repeated time and again: Fosselman's Ice Cream Company. Heck, on its mere mention, members of my wife's family drop what they're doing and are out the door, in the car, and down the street in a flash. Obviously, there's something special here!

Family-owned and operated, the folks at Fossleman's Ice Cream Company have been making their handmade frozen treats since the day they opened in 1919. As I understand it, this is a home-grown creamery that many generations in the area have enjoyed and where some of Southern California's finest restaurants, hotels, and soda fountains turn to stock their own kitchen freezers.


They only use the freshest ingredients available to ensure quality and consistency in their products, meaning that some varieties may not be available simply because they are "out of season." That being said, however, if a flavor is missing among the rows of three gallon tubs in their own freezer counters, you're still guaranteed to find a suitable replacement to curb your craving. For example:

• There are over 40 different ice cream flavors including standard fare such as Vanilla Bean, Cookies & Cream, Mint Chip, Rocky Road, Strawberry, and Toasted Almond. But there are also exotic blends to choose from such as Taro, Lychee, Macapuno, Brown Butter, Lemon Custard, and Mango.

• Instead of ice cream, how about filling your waffle bowl with any one of 25 varieties of sorbets or sherbets? Among the more popular sorbets, you'll find Creme Fraiche, Mexican Chocolate, Pink Champagne, Coconut Basil, Hazelnut, and something called the Yuzu. Sherbet flavors range from crushed pineapple to raspberry.

• Or, if you're looking for something that's a bit lighter, then perhaps frozen yogurt is the order of the day. They have five kinds to choose such as Tahitian Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Peach, Pineapple, and Strawberry.

And it doesn't just stop there. Place an order in advance, and they can put together made-to-order ice cream cakes or pies for a birthday party, special occasion, or just because.

Now, because Fosselman's Ice Cream Company is such a popular place, lines can trail out the door and right along the sidewalk, especially on a bright and sunny day, which down in the valley, is almost everyday. Just be patient. The frozen goodness that awaits you is worth each passing minute!

Fosselman's Ice Cream
1824 West Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801

The San Francisco Creamery Co. | Walnut Creek, CA

Everything, but the kitchen sink. We've all heard of this frequently used idiom, especially when describing something or someone who tries to include as many things as possible for convenience or comfort. In fact, I'm betting that you have used it for one occasion or another. I know I have:

"Every time we go camping, it seems like my wife packs everything, but the kitchen sink." Or, "I really like your new car. It's got everything, but the kitchen sink." Or, "Your presentation during this morning's meeting was very thorough. You must have included everything, but the kitchen sink when putting it together."

Contrary to this, did you ever wonder what something would look like IF the kitchen sink was included in the mix? Well, the folks at The San Francisco Creamery Company have asked that question and answered it in a way that just boggles the mind and tempts the taste buds.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you THE KITCHEN SINK: Three sliced bananas, your choice of up to eight heaping scoops of ice creams, eight servings of toppings, mounds and mounds of whipped cream, chopped toasted almonds, and a handful of cherries. This behemoth of a sundae weighs in at about three pounds (roughly a gallon-and-a-half of ice cream), and it's held together in a custom-designed kitchen sink.

Now, I understand that it serves up to six people. However, if you are up to the challenge and would like a place on their Wall of Fame, try putting this bad boy down with no help from your friends. It has been tried, but only a few have succeeded.

Inspired by the neighborhood dime stores and pharmacies that were popular throughout the San Francisco region in the 1930s and 1940s, The San Francisco Creamery Company takes a page from the past in its look and approach. Clean lines, deep colors, marble tabletops, and vintage accents highlight a rich Victorian-styled interior. And a playful staff keeps things lively whether sharing their own personal favorites made with the finest ingredients available or talking about, you guessed it, The Kitchen Sink.

But it’s not just about the desserts, albeit they are the main attraction when stepping into the creamery. They also boast a fresh selection of soups, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, and appetizers. Our suggestion, try the crab salad sandwich made with real chunks of dungeness crab blended with mayo, lettuce and a dash of paprika.

So, as you can plainly see, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone to bring out the kid in all of us. To borrow another popular saying within our vernacular, The San Francisco Creamery Company is all that, and a bag of chips.

San Francisco Creamery Co.
1370 Locust St.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Vic's Ice Cream | Sacramento, CA

Three generations. That's how long my family's been going to Vic's Ice Cream. It started with my father who's been a regular since he attended C. K. McClatchy High School as a teenager, and now this rite of passage includes my children.

What makes Vic's Ice Cream such a popular choice for us? Well, the answer is as plain as the nose on your face ... They keep it simple, whether it's in the making of their ice cream (29 flavors by my last count) or the careful construction of their sandwiches from the classic Reuben to the kid favorite fried hot dog. Established in 1947, Vic's is located in the historic Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento. And it hasn't changed much since then with its black and white checkered floor tiles, blue jeans and t-shirts worn by its employees, and menu items that date back to the Truman administration. When you walk through the doors, you're walking into history. So, the next time you're passing through town, be sure to include Vic's Ice Cream on your agenda.

LaLa's Creamery | Petaluma, CA

Located in Petaluma's historic downtown district, LaLa's Creamery opened its doors in early 2009 with promising results as its customers were treated to the finest handmade ice cream and baked goods. Although we were less adventurous with our own choices, sticking to such traditional favorites as strawberry and vanilla, LaLa's does offer its own unique flavors such as Grasshopper Pie, Cotton Candy, PB&J, and its popular Black Cow.

A very cute find that is simple in its philosophy and taste, and certainly a throwback to the old soda fountains of old. One more thing...If you happen to stop into LaLa's Creamery on a clear night, be sure to take advantage of their back patio. Enjoying their rich and smooth ice cream under the stars is, well, the cherry on top!

Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain | South Pasadena, CA

I became a regular patron of the Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain in the early 1990s after moving to Southern California to attend college. How I came upon this charming store front was by accident.

Looking for a bite to eat after watching a movie at the nearby Rialto Theater, the Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain seemed as good a place as any. To my surprise, it was better! With a complete menu offering classic soups, salads, and sandwiches, each item is both simple and hearty.

Located along the historic Route 66, the Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain first opened its doors in 1915. Known then as the South Pasadena Pharmacy, it quickly became a community cornerstone to not only bag a few personal necessities, but also catch up with a neighbor or a passing visitor. And though the name may have changed a handful of times over the years, not much else has.

Today, you can still fill a prescription, purchase vintage candies, and find anything from greeting cards to jewelry. And let's not forget that you can also jerk yourself an old-fashioned ice cream soda or savor any one of their specialty sundaes like "The Raymond," the "Huntington Heath," or the "Banana Blitz."