May 31, 2000
Perhaps it's an ice cream fascination, but people will do
the most interesting things to ice cream... or ice cream
does the most amusin' things to people...
Why just the other day...
There are places in the city where one can watch both the
making of ice cream desserts behind the counter, and then,
with proper anglin' of eyes along the mirrored surface,
watch cute girls eat ice cream...
It's always a very slow and careful journey - both the
making and eating of these works of art...
Every so often, someone will order the House Special -
something that would certainly elicit squeals of delight
amongst those that can see what the dessert is.
The House Special consists of a very large square porcelain
plate topped by four mounds of ice cream: two each of dark
rich chocolate, and two white vanilla - each sitting
catty-cornered to each other.
Meanwhile, off to a slight corner, there is a double broiler
that's Always in use... today's sauces include... a rich
milk chocolate, and because it's a special occasion... the
butterscotch fudge is also there...
Sometimes the Ice Cream Bartender will carefully spoon a
healthy mound of fresh whip cream onto the square of ice
cream, but tonight it's decided that a slow dance is called
for.
So, with a careful back and forth motion, the chocolate is
dripped across the white mounds... shifting slightly with
each pass. Each line is drawn forth and a slight twinge in
arm muscles is seen as the broiler is replaced back onto the
stove.
The plate is spun ninety degrees and the Bartender switches
arms... good to have ambidextrous fingers... And the
same process is begun with the butterscotch fudge...
watching each drop form and slowly fall onto the mounds of
rich chocolate.
And as each golden drop forms, eyes follow its slow
descent... listening for the soft 'splash' of arrival.
By now the four mounds of ice cream have softened
slightly... while the criss-crossing of sauce have formed a
colorful nest of chocolate in the center of the ice cream...
an energetic whipping of cream has meant that even when the
pan is turned over, there will be nothing to fall over -
forming firm peaks of white.
In keeping with four large mounds of ice cream, four dabs of
whipped cream are placed on the top of the ice cream. A
brief debate results in the fishing of dark red maraschino
cherries from a pan ... placed on the center of the whipped
cream, they are a rich contrast of red on white.
(
geocities.com/pdt_bear)