Decadence is Coming, Decadent Ice Cream that is…

Decadence has been the hallmark of New Orleans from its founding. When you mention New Orleans, most people refer to the food or to Burbon Street. Having lived there for many years, we became accustomed to people defining their stay in terms like three diners and two lunches.

With the butter rich food and over-the-top desserts, one thing New Orleans did not have prior to 2005 was local decent premium ice cream. Sure they had ice cream, all the standard commercial fare, but they did not have a decent Louisiana or New Orleans brand to match the decadence of the food.

Fortunately for ice cream lovers this has changed in two important ways First there are two premium Louisiana made ice creams. One brand is from Kleinpeter Farms in Baton Rogue and the other from the New Orleans Ice Cream Company based in the Marigny section of New Orleans. Both brands of ice cream are worth eating,  but the New Orleans Ice Cream Company may be offered in our area soon.

But don’t expect to find the ordinary as the mainstay. What you’ll find are the rich fat intense flavors born of the New Orleans culinary traditions. Flavors with the special New Orleans flair include: coffee and chicory, Creole cream cheese, bananas foster, cherries jubilee, nectar soda and praline crunch.

Praline crunch deserves a special note since there are many praline ice creams on the market. This ice cream is special for two reasons. First, New Orleans pralines, reinforced with cream and using pecans, are world renowned, being an ever-popular treat among the locals as well as visitors since the 19th century. So it’s great to have a authentic New Orleans version of the ice cream. Second, it carries on the New Orleans tradition of decadent richness with a fat content of roughly 18 percent, enough to send the wellness mavens into a tail spin. Of course, moderation in consumption is the watch word. Remember the normal serving is a half cup. When’s the last time you ate one half cup of ice cream?

The downside of the ice cream for purists is that cream is not the first ingredient, it is second or third, and they use corn syrup as a sweetener. This should not drive you away from enjoying it. For more information, visit http://neworleansicecream.com.