If you look hard enough there are still just a few peaches left. I almost overlooked them at the Fort Greene Farmer’s Market last week, mistaken them for another variety of apples among the already half a dozen or so other bins. Between canning, crisping and just straight out eating, I feel like I’ve gotten my fill of peaches for the summer. But when the last of a harvest is about to leave you for almost a full year, somehow you find the need to buy just a few more.
Summer generally means a few quarts of ice cream. Not all at once of course, throughout the season. I put my ice cream maker bucket in the freezer a few days ago. Unless it’s in use, that’s where it lives all summer, ready to churn at a moment’s notice. A fresh quart of strawberries from the Park Slope CSA pushed me over the edge. As soon as I picked up the small carton, I knew they would soon be turned into ice cream.
My first visit to Brooklyn Farmacy was a bit stressful. Later, when I consulted with friends, colleagues, the random subway rider, they all already seemed to know what I didn’t. The story would start like this. “I finally went to Brooklyn Farmacy.” Good so far. Then the bomb, “…On a Sunday afternoon.” That’s when the looks would start. Shock, horror, disgust. Apparently I was the only one in Brooklyn, maybe the whole tri-state area, who didn’t know that Brooklyn Farmacy’s throw back soda shop/diner setting unofficially transformed into a playground on the weekend. Once you got past the kids running around, no parents in sight, the occasional crying because the wrong ice cream topping was selected and weeding through the endless sea of strollers, things were great. Just blocking out those experiences added a bit of stress.
Today is unfortunately the last day of July. That mean’s summer is ending, Fall is coming soon and National Ice Cream Month has come to a close. But wait, it’s not over yet. We still have today to celebrate. I admit, I did not make any ice cream today. I still have some strawberry and chocolate mint left. It’s just my husband and I and we try to be fairly healthy, so no more ice cream for us. However, just because we’re not able to make any more ice cream, doesn’t mean YOU should deprive yourself!
You notice in the title, there’s no traditional “chip” anywhere between the chocolate and the mint. That’s right. There’s aren’t any! To be completely honest, there isn’t actually any chocolate either. But wait, wait, wait! Don’t go yet! Just because there’s no actual chocolate, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. Read on. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
One of the first weeks of our Tribeca CSA share, we got pint. Great, I made mojitos. Another week, I got orange mint, again, drinks. Two weeks ago we got “mint” but it was very different from the first one. In my Mint Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies, it was amazing. However, when tossing it in a watermelon salad, it tasted a bit like toothpaste (I think it was peppermint). So it’s fair to say I’ve received three different types of mint. Then last week I got chocolate mint. First off, who knew there were so many types of mint? Apparently there are over 20 species of mint and hundreds of varieties to choose from now, thanks to modern science and hybridization. Anyway, back to the chocolate mint.
Brooklyn Locavore 