Eat First

The scoop on ice cream in Central New York

We all scream for ice cream this time of year, but in my world, nobody screams ice cream more than my friend M.F. (Mary Frances) Piraino.

M.F., better known as Fran, is a freelance writer and social media manager who lives in Syracuse. We used to work together at The Post-Standard and have been “freelance friends’’ since we left the newspaper in 2009.

Fran is also a major league ice cream enthusiast. If you follow her on social media, a highlight is her posts using the hashtag #franniepicecreamtours. When the weather warms up in the spring and until the snow flies, you can count on Fran (with her husband, Bob) to hit as many local ice cream spots as possible – and share a taste online with her friends and followers. She has the scoop on local stands and their frozen assets, which isn’t surprising for a former newspaper reporter with a passion for frosty treats.

Fran says her affinity for ice cream can be traced to childhood, when her grandfather would take her and her sister out for a cone. “Going to an ice cream stand for a soft vanilla cone was a big deal to me and a special treat back in the day (and still is),’’ Fran says. “It’s one of summer’s simple pleasures.’’

Tag along with her virtually on #franniepicecreamtours and you pick up on certain patterns: She has a soft spot for vanilla, chocolate, coconut and lemon ice cream and is somewhat faithful to those flavors, in various forms. “I’m not overly adventurous when it comes to certain flavors,’’ she says. “Every once and a while I may try a new flavor or different sundae combo, but not too often. If I find something I like, I stick with it.

“Even when I travel, I always seek out a local place for a scoop or two,’’ she adds.

It's late August, but in the spirit of there still being plenty of summer left, here are five of Fran’s favorite ice cream spots:

•  Gannon’s Ice Cream: “The king of cones in Syracuse.’’ Favorite flavors: Strawberries and Cream (seasonal), Lemon Custard, Chocolate Pie.

•   Sno Top, Manlius: “An OG stand with a top-notch Vanilla Pepsi Float.’’

•  Emmi’s Antonio’s Ice Cream, Liverpool: “My go-to here is a Heath Chip Razzle (also known as a Flurry) with soft vanilla ice cream. Most stands only offer Heath Bar crumbles, I prefer the Heath Chips.’’

•  Arctic King, Central Square: “The Strawberry Shortcake Sundae is elite.”

•  Gabrielle Chocolates and Ice Cream, Manlius. “Lots of delicious homemade ice cream and custards to choose from.’’

Follow Fran on social media: Twitter Instagram Facebook

 

DIY ice cream (frozen yogurt and sorbet)

Every kitchen has gadgets and gizmos bought, barely used and taking up real estate on shelves and in cupboards. You know: the rice cooker, salmon poacher, mango pitter, cordless cookie press…

I’m not about to let that fate befall my compact electric ice cream maker. No way. Not a chance.

On impulse last summer (the Internet is a dangerous shopping place!), I bought a Cuisinart 1.5 quart frozen ice cream, yogurt and sorbet maker for the unbelievable low price of $44.95. It was later in the summer, and I didn’t experiment with it much: a batch of frozen Greek yogurt with mini chocolate chips; a trial run of strawberry sorbet most memorable for seeping out of the machine and all over the kitchen counter. 

This summer, I’m giving the machine a good workout. So far, it has produced an outstanding five-ingredient, pleasingly pink Strawberry Ice Cream and David Leibovitz’ divine (and so simple!) Chocolate Sorbet.

And the summer is still young! Before it’s over, I’m going to give homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream a whirl. And homemade Roasted Pistachio Ice Cream. Doesn’t that sound dreamy?

Some of you have asked: Why go to the trouble of making homemade ice cream when you can buy good ice cream?

We are not going to put Gannon’s Isle out of business, that’s for sure, but making frozen desserts at home is fun! I keep the freezer bowl in the basement chest freezer, wrapped in two layers of plastic grocery bags, so it’s ready to roll when the mood strikes.

Plus, it doesn’t seem like work at all when you make the ice cream (or yogurt or sorbet) in stages. I find that ice cream or sorbet freezes best when the ingredients going into the freezer bowl are REALLY, REALLY cold. So I make it the morning or night before I’m going to process the ice cream.

The only downside to the ice cream maker is the noise it makes. It sounds like an electric can opener, as it whirs for 20 to 25 minutes, mixing up frozen treats.

That’s an annoyance we can put up with.

5-Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream

You will need:

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 vanilla bean

2/3 cups sugar

1 pound strawberries

Directions: Wash and hull strawberries, removing green caps. Slice strawberries. Puree half of the sliced berries in a blender and set aside.
 Combine cream, milk, and sugar  in a saucepan then add vanilla bean.  Heat until sugar is dissolved.
 Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Fish out vanilla bean. Slice it open using a sharp knife and scrape the insides into bowl. Add strawberry puree and mix well.
 Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until cool – or overnight.

While custard chills, dice reserved berries to mix into ice cream.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker following manufacturer’s instructions.
When ice cream is done, mix in diced berries. Spoon ice cream into an air-tight container.
Remove to freezer for two hours or more.

Coffee, soup and ice cream for the soul

I've driven by Cafe Kubal, at 3501 James St., in Syracuse's Eastwood neighborhood, literally hundreds of times.

It won't be long before I go back.

Maybe you've seen the sign above on the awning of the tiny storefront in the Eastwood Plaza, next to the Sacred Melody Parable Christian Store.

Inside you'll find a tiny but efficient space with five seats, a refrigerator case holding yogurt parfaits and containers of delicious Wake Robin Farm yogurts (made at a family farm in Jordan) for sale, a choice of two soups and a hummous-and-pita plate for lunch,  milkshakes, cookies and other baked goods and a long list of hot and cold coffee and tea drinks. There's also a small patio, with tables, umbrellas and seating for about 10 more people.

I planned just to treat myself to a scoop of Purity ice cream, a tasty mainstay of Ithaca's food culture that's now served at several spots in the Salt City, but ended up treating myself to a complete lunch: homemade chipotle chicken chowder served in a big cappuccino mug, plus ice cream and coffee for dessert. And not just any old coffee: Coffee roasted on-site, in a vintage roaster.

The soup was rich, thick and slightly smoky in flavor, thanks to the chipotle peppers, and loaded with chunks of chicken and potatoes. A trio of wheat pita triangles was served on the side.

A more reasonable person would have been content with the soup, which was really quite filling. But no, I had to have a scoop of Purity's Boomberry, or black raspberry ice cream studded with cherries, blueberries and strawberries. 

That's a really generous single scoop, don't you think?

 The next time I'm tempted, I'm going to do my waistline a favor and ask for the  "junior" cup.

 I don't think my soul will mind.

During ice cream season, Cafe Kubal (278-2812) is open 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays. The cafe is closed on Sundays.

If you're a fan of Purity ice cream but can't get to Ithaca any time soon, it's also being served at Funk 'n' Waffles, near Syracuse University, and at KSB Desserts, at the Regional Market Commons, on Park Street.