Ice Cream and a Milk Shortage
January 20, 2015There’s a milk shortage in Venezuela, and it’s affecting ice cream. In fact, in some cases, there is no ice cream to be had. But is it really because of an ice cream shortage? Here’s the story: One famous ice cream shop in Merida, Venezuela is closed right now. The folks who run the shop say it’s because of a lack of milk. However, the Venezuelan tourism ministry denies that a lack of milk is the reason the shop is closed. In fact, the ministry says there is no shortage of an ingredients and that other ice cream shops are still open. Apparently, it’s not just about the milk. The country is experiencing shortages of such staples like corn and powered milk. It’s important to note that Venezuela is a country that is very dependent on exports. So, what’s the real story? Is the country facing a milk shortage? According…
Read MoreDoes Ice Cream Really Cool Us Down?
January 13, 2015It’s winter and it’s really cold outside. Let’s think some warm thoughts. Or cool thoughts. Let’s explain. We often enjoy our ice cream in the summer months and talk about how it “cools us down”. Believe it or not, the cooling effect of ice cream is tied to how our body temperature works. That’s the subject of a recent article that takes a look at the relationship between ice cream and body temperature. The process of maintaining an optimal body temperature is called thermoregulation. It turns out human beings can control individual body temperature independent of the environment. This means our bodies generate our own heat. This certainly helps in the cold weather months. However, during the times of hot weather, our bodies need to avoid overheating. Here’s where it gets a little confusing. When it gets warm out, our natural inclination is to ingest something cold. Hence, the ice…
Read MoreHomemade Ice Cream Cones
January 6, 2015We have all heard about homemade ice cream. Heck, many of us have our favorite homemade ice cream recipes. But what about homemade ice cream cones? Sounds pretty good. Think it’s hard to make homemade ice cream cones? Well, it’s all a matter of perspective. It’s not as difficult as space travel or fixing the national deficit but it’s definitely harder than just opening up that box of pre-packed ice cream cones you grabbed during that stop at the grocery store when you were only supposed to be getting milk and nothing more. Whew. Anyway, back to ice cream cones. If you like ice cream and adventure, why not try making homemade ice cream cones? You can find many ice cream cone recipes online, many of which are not too complicated or requiring a ton of ingredients. In fact, if you make an impressive enough ice cream cone, you may…
Read MoreAvoiding Salmonella in Ice Cream
December 29, 2014We know how important proper food preparation is if one is to avoid salmonella. We may not know that salmonella can be found in some types of ice cream, especially ice cream made in homes. Salmonella can be found in raw eggs and there are plenty of homemade ice cream recipes that call for egg yolks. There are ways to safeguard against salmonella when using an ice cream recipe that calls for raw egg yolks. Instead of using raw egg yolks, substitute the yolks with a pasteurized egg product, egg substitute or pasteurized shell eggs. The reasons why many homemade ice cream recipes call for eggs are simple. Eggs add flavor and color. They also prevent ice crystallization and help deliver a smoother ice cream texture. Preparation can also help prevent salmonella poisoning. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends starting with a cooked egg base for homemade ice cream…
Read MoreMincemeat Ice Cream?
December 22, 2014The holidays are a festive time of year, a time for celebration, appreciation and reflection. It’s also a time to share good food with family and friends. Everyone has their favorite holiday dishes. That goes for dessert too. Some folks create special treats just for those special holiday dinners. Things like mincemeat ice cream. Wait, mincemeat ice cream? Yup, seems like that’s a thing. Do a little search engine research and you’ll find a few recipes for mincemeat ice cream. If that’s your thing, give it a whirl and dig in. Of course, there are different recipes for mincemeat. Many traditional mincemeat recipes call for actual meat to be involved. In fact, the recipes that stay true to original mincemeat will call for beef suet, which is kind of a raw beef feet. It’s often the hard fat around the kidneys. Many modern mincemeat recipes skip the raw beef fat…
Read MoreLet Ice Cream Help Fight Those Winter Blues
December 15, 2014Once the holiday season passes us and fades into winter’s mid-afternoon sunset, the wintertime blues may begin to roll in. We’ve all been there. The times of exchanging gifts and celebrating a new year are replaced by a return to our normal schedules. The normal work week returns. No more time off, no more mid-week holiday celebrations. Plus, people begin with the New Year’s Resolutions. This often means that people decide to push away from the dinner table before dessert is served. There is nothing wrong with this. Moderation is a good thing. A quest for self-improvement is a good thing. You might think this would be a great time of year to abandon ice cream. But is it really? Again, we understand and agree with moderation, especially after a holiday season of big meals and bigger dessert. That’s not to say you can’t partake in the occasional indulgence in…
Read MoreOrder Your Holiday Yule Log Today
December 9, 2014The weather outside may be frightful. Yet a Praline’s Ice Cream Holiday Yule Log is delightful. Okay, so let’s hope the weather outside is not all that frightful during the holiday season. But that does not mean a Praline’s Yule Log is any less delightful. In fact, if you left Santa Clause a Praline’s Yule Log instead of just the usual milk and cookies, we dare say you might get that fancy home stereo system instead of the usual gift card and three pairs of socks. Not that there’s anything wrong with gift cards. In fact, Praline’s gift cards make awesome stocking stuffers. People love ice cream and they love gift cards. We are beginning to see a connection here. Anyway, back to the Yule Log. This remains of the most popular items at Praline’s. It’s easy to see why. It starts with quality, the same quality Praline’s puts into…
Read MoreThe History of the Hot Fudge Sundae
December 1, 2014As 2014 winds down, we are feeling a bit nostalgic. So it’s time for another look back at how one of our favorite ice cream treats came into existence. We speak of the hot fudge sundae. It’s a classic, surely ranking high on many “favorite dessert” lists. The prevailing theory is that the first hot fudge sundae took shape in Los Angeles, California back in 1906. Clarence Clifton Brown, owner of C.C. Brown’s Ice Cream Shop, is thought to have created the hot and cold concoction. He experimented with several hot fudge recipes before hitting on the right formula. He started selling hot fudge sundaes at his Hollywood store soon after. No doubt people fell in love with the cold ice cream meeting with the hot fudge and then melting just a bit. Back in the early days of the hot fudge sundae, the dessert was served in fluted glassed,…
Read MoreThanksgiving Desserts
November 24, 2014We all love Thanksgiving. This is the time to be grateful for family and friends. It’s also time to think of those less fortunate. Many of us take time or donate what we can to help those in need enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. It’s a time for thanks and food. Oh, the food. We eat on Thanksgiving. We overeat. We all have our favorite foods. Maybe you are a traditionalist who just loves the turkey. Maybe you are all about the stuffing. Perhaps your aunt make a homemade cranberry sauce worthy of medal recognition. Or maybe you are really into the dessert. Before falling asleep in front of a TV with a football game on, you gotta have dessert. And there is usually a few options to choose from. Thanksgiving has a rich tradition, even when it comes to Thanksgiving…
Read MoreHoliday Ice Cream Pie Reminder
November 17, 2014It is two weeks from Thanksgiving and this is getting to be busy times for many of us. There is turkey shopping to be done. And don’t forget all the fixings’. Better make a big list so you don’t forget anything. If you want to take care of dessert without getting messy in the kitchen or worrying about adding another item to the “must put in the oven” list, think pie. More specifically, think ice cream pie. If you want a delicious Praline’s ice cream pie, order one today to make sure you get your in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Your family will love it, assuming your family loves things that are delicious. Praline’s has several kinds of choose from. Which one fits your holiday mood? Let’s stay traditional. It’s Thanksgiving and who doesn’t love pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Praline’s serves up a delicious Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie. The…
Read More
