Category Archives: Ice Cream

May 21 2013
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Ice Cream, We Eat Well

Vendors Announced for Opening Weekend at Barr Street Market

Opening day for Barr Street Market is this Saturday and we are so excited to be joining the following vendors to kick off the season:

Naturally Homegrown Farm
The Old Fort Soap Company
The Ginger Kitchen
Lincoln Ridge Farms
Buffalo Chip Creations
Hardy’s Farm Market
Sarahmics
Aunt Lora’s Caramel
Old World Fudge
Country Garden Farm & Market
Plough and Stars Farm
Garden of Ellen

Kernel Coladas Gourmet Popcorn
Knotty by Nature Hemp Designs
Cupcakes & Company
Body Alchemy Candles
Mike & Carol Miller (honey & beeswax)
Marcia Stauffer
Utopian Coffee
Graber Organic Farms

We will announce our flavors later this week, so check back for more information. We will be on hand with our $3 sample sizes and will take ice-cream-0f-the-month orders.

The Market will be open on Saturday from 9am to 1pm at the corner of Wayne and Barr Streets. RSVP on Facebook if you plan to attend. We hope to see you Saturday.

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May 17 2013
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Ice Cream

Ice Cream at the Barr Street Market

ylniWe are excited to announce that we will be a part of this year’s Barr Street Market!

Barr Street Market is organized by YLNI and takes place every Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM throughout the summer in the heart of downtown on the corner of Wayne and Berry Streets. It offers fresh and unique local produce, plants, meats, baked goods, and homemade crafts… and this year, Ginger Kitchen Ice Cream.

 

Those interested in receiving updates about available flavors for the Barr Street Market should follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. We will announce them during the week leading up to the market.

Opening weekend is just around the corner. We hope to see you!

May 25

June 1

July 20

August 17

 

 

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May 12 2013
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Ice Cream

Ginger Kitchen Ice Cream hits the streets!

This has been a big week for our ice cream business. We passed our health inspection with flying colors and all of our permits came through for our mobile unit. This means, we can fling open the doors to the general public. So far, our private ice-cream-of-the-month club has been booming, with over 75 members to date. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. Your positive feedback and encouragement have given us the courage to move forward and invest in this business.

So what now? We will launch our website soon where people can sign up for 3, 6, or 12 month ice-cream-of-the-month club memberships. If you are interested in learning more about this, please don’t hesitate to email us at thegingerkitchen@gmail.com, otherwise, keep checking back for the official launch of our new website at this web address.

This Friday, you can get your hands on some of our ice cream at two events. We will be out and about with our mobile bike unit, selling single servings of our Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Cayenne, Orange Lavender with Dark Chocolate flecks, and Strawberry for $3.

Here’s where we’ll be:

logo-circleThe Bike to Work After Party at Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot

5-7PM

Fort Wayne Outfitters & Bike Depot will host the Bike to Work Day After Party. There will be music, food, door prizes, and stand-up paddle boat demos… and ice cream, of course.

 

 

DJ MSG + Sankofa + You = Fun at Wunderkammerwunderkammer

7-9PM

Our friends Sankofa and Dan Swartz have invited us to join them for this all ages event where DJ MSG will spin some tunes, Sankofa will rap, and you will smile.

We can’t tell you how excited we are to bring our product to the masses. We hope you can stop by one or both of these events on Friday to say hello and sample some delicious ice cream.

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Dec 31 2012
6 Comments
Adventures in Baking, Asian Inspired, Ice Cream, Local Eateries, Recker-mendation, We Eat Well, We Live Well

The Best of 2012, a series of top five lists

2012 was another good food year for us in the Ginger Kitchen. Though we didn’t cook as much as we usually do because of hectic schedules, we still managed to create some winners.

Here are some stats from our year of blogging:

  • We blogged 77 times and had 16,000 views.
  • Facebook remains our top referrer, with Twitter and Pinterest coming in second and third respectively.
  • Folks from 107 countries visited our site.
  • Our top commenters were Sara, Andy, and Wendy.
  • The busiest day of the year was December 28, with 437 views.

Thanks for a great year. To ring in the New Year, here are our top five dishes, followed by our top five desserts, and top five Recker-mendations.

Top 5 Dishes

1- Sweet Potato Dijon Veggie Burgers with Avocado

Spotted first on Pinterest, this “burger” was a real crowd pleaser and we’ve made it several times since. Beef tends to sit like a rock in my stomach, so this lighter alternative was a welcome addition to our line up this year.

sweet-potato-burger

2- Salmon Bulgogi with Bok Choy and Kale

Every once in awhile, I throw together a simply scrumptious dish. I count this Salmon dish as one of my great successes in the kitchen this year. I especially love when a dish incorporates fresh veggies and herbs from our garden. This one uses chives and bok choy from out back.

salmon

3- Gouda Bacon Burger with Avocado

Jon whipped up this one from his own imagination while grocery shopping and it had fallen off my radar until now. I think I need to ask him to make this again soon! The combination of tangy dressing, crunchy onions and smooth avocado is simply heavenly.

gouda-bacon-burger

4- Thai Shrimp Curry

We tend to prepare many Asian inspired dishes, but this one is my favorite from this year. Packed with spices, this dish leaves nothing to be desired. It’s simply perfect in my book.

thai-shrimp-3-19-12

5- Creamed Chicken with Corn and Bacon over Polenta

Last but certainly not least, this comfort dish wowed me when Jon made it. Though it’s a bit labor intensive, it’s worth it in my opinion. The tender chicken and creamy polenta, coupled with the savory spices and bacon, give it an A+ rating.

polenta-3-18-12

Top 5 Desserts

1- Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies

My love/hate relationship with Jon’s baking continued this year. These were definitely hard to resist- soft, chewy, chocolatey… so, so, good.

brownie-cookies

2- Maple Ice Cream with Walnuts & Raisins

This is one of many ice creams we made this year as we experimented with different flavors. This is one of my faves. The sweet, creamy base is delicious, and the toasted walnuts and raisins complement it well.

maple-walnut-ice-cream1

3- Red Velvet Cake Truffles

I’ve long been fascinated by the rise in popularity of  cake pops and cake balls (I hate this name- that’s why I call them truffles). I assumed they’d be too difficult to make, but I tried my hand at them and absolutely love making them. They aren’t as difficult as they look and the result is always pleasing. I shared these with a handful of folks and received rave reviews.

red velvet cake truffles

4- Oatmeal Scotchies with Coconut and Orange

Jon took oatmeal scotchies to a new level when he added orange and coconut. You must try these. Really. You won’t regret it.

oatmeal scotchies

5- Cinnamon Raisin Stuffed Baked Apples

It’s amazing how simple some dishes can be. This one is no exception and the result is mouthwatering. Add this to your list of dishes to impress dinner guests.

baked apples

Top 5 Recker-mendations

1- Banh Mi Barista

2012 will be a memorable year if for no other reason than Banh Mi Barista opened. At first bite, I knew it would become a favorite, and not a week has gone by since that I haven’t stopped in. If you haven’t tried it yet, I encourage you to do so immediately. They are continually expanding their menu and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2013.

Banh Mi Barista viet-special

2- Dig IN- A Taste of Indiana (Recap)

Easily one of my favorite culinary experiences this year, Dig IN was so much fun. I was chosen to be a Gastronaut and gained early entrance into the event. Though it was hot and grew increasingly crowded as the day wore on, we managed to try most of the dishes we had our eye on. I can’t wait to do it again in 2013.

8-duck-pie

3- Cerulean

Because Cerulean is located at Winona Lake, we don’t get to enjoy it nearly enough. I am glad Jon and I made a trip there this summer. The place offers such a unique dining experience- the perfect place to spend an afternoon, sharing food and enjoying the company of friends.

cerulean

4- Friday Nights at Old Crown

Old Crown continued their Friday night dinners and we’ve gone several times. It’s definitely the best $15 meal you will find in town- and the menu changes every week, which is exciting. You never know what will be served, but there’s always something impressive and delicious. If you plan to go, call ahead for reservations- the place fills up quickly.

old crown halibut

5- Eddie Merlot’s- Dinner Menu and Lounge Menu

We enjoyed our experiences at Eddie’s so much, we blogged about it twice, featuring the Lounge Menu and the Dinner Menu. If you haven’t been to Eddie’s in awhile, we recommend you try it soon. If you think it’s a little too rich for your blood, check out the Lounge menu. It’s affordable and loaded with good food.

Eddie's Elk

Heading into 2013, our focus will turn towards our fledgling gourmet ice cream business and you’ll soon see more posts about that. The format for the blog will likely change as well. Stay tuned, and thanks for all of your support this year. Happy New Year foodies. Thanks so much for being a part of our year.

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Sep 17 2012
2 Comments
Ice Cream, We Eat Well

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

When the weather starts to cool down, I get inspired by the flavors of fall. One of my favorites is pumpkin, and the past few weeks, I’ve been on a pumpkin kick. Last week I made these Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Pecan Cookies, and this weekend, I whipped up this pumpkin pie ice cream, adapted from  a Jeni’s Splendid ice cream recipe. Blending all the traditional pumpkin pie flavors into a ice cream base, this recipe brings back warm memories of Thanksgiving. I am not a big pumpkin pie fan; I don’t like the texture, but the texture of this ice cream is fantastic. Creamy, smooth, and rich, my pumpkin pie ice cream is a welcome addition to the fall line up.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 1 cup half & half
  • 1 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice

Preparation:

Mix about 2 Tbsp. of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and the honey and whisk until smooth.

Comine the remaining milk, half & half, the cream, coconut milk, sugar, corn syrup, and pumpkin pie spice in a saucepan, bring to a rolling boil medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Cover and place in the coldest part of the freezer until cold. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.

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Sep 14 2012
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From the Garden, Ice Cream, We Eat Well

Jeni’s Splendid: Sweet Basil & Honeyed Pine Nut Ice Cream

It’s all rather serendipitous, actually. I had no intention of becoming ice cream obsessed; it just happened. First, I won an ice cream maker from Heather. I  started dabbling and sharing my creations with friends. Shortly after that I moderated a panel for McMillen Health about sustainable food economies, and one of the panelists mentioned Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. How I hadn’t heard of this company before is beyond me, but let’s just say it came at precisely the right time and created an ice cream monster. I want to be a world famous ice cream maker!

Earlier this week, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home arrived on my doorstep and it’s beautiful. Hard bound, covered in delicious pictures of brightly colored ice creams and treats, it’s the kind of recipe book you read from cover to cover, and I intend to. I’ve read every recipe title and after narrowing it down to five, Jon and I chose this one as our first, primarily because we had most of the ingredients on hand. Fresh basil from the garden- check. Pine nuts- check! And off we went.

The creamy base, infused with fresh basil, gives off just the right hint of basil smell before it hits your lips. The honeyed pine nuts add a salty sweet crunch that complements the sweet creamy base. It’s complex, yet simple. Jeni calls it a “straight-from-the-farmer’s market flavors that [she's] built [her] reputation on.” I can see why. I would never have dreamed of making ice cream with basil or pine nuts, but I gotta say, it simply works.

Sweet Basil and Honeyed Pine Nut Ice Cream

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 1/14 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • a large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup Honey Pine Nut Pralines (recipe below)

Preparation:

Mix about 2 Tbsp. mile with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.

Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Gradually whisk the hot milk into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the basil. Cover the mixture and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill.

Strain out the basil. Pour the ice cream base into the frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.

Pack the ice cream into a storage container, folding in the honey pine nut pralines as you go. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Honey Nut Pralines

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
  • pinch of sea salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the nuts with the remaining ingredients in a bowl, tossing to coat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the nuts on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Stir and bake for another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring twice; the nuts should look bubbly and somewhat dry. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, stirring the nuts every couple of minutes to break them up.

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Aug 06 2012
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Ice Cream, Vegetarian, We Eat Well

Vanilla Beet Ice Cream

Last week, I spotted a post on Waking Up Vegan for Beet Ice Cream. You may think that sounds crazy! I certainly had my doubts, but I was intrigued enough to try it. Since we aren’t vegans, I used a simple vanilla ice cream recipe made with milk and added beets to it. The result? Not only is the ice cream pretty, but it tastes pretty darn good. In fact, Jon said it’s one of the best I’ve made. Granted, I haven’t made that many, but still, a compliment from Jon is a compliment indeed. Beets are naturally sweet and earthy, so they lend a very unique flavor to the ice cream. It’s a little startling when it first hits your tongue, but it all just works.

Ingredients:

  • 1 beet, roasted
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

To roast the beet, wrap in foil and heat in the oven at 325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, cut off the top and bottom and peel (a very easy task once they are roasted). Allow to cool completely. Puree beet in a blender, then add milk, sugar and vanilla, and mix well. Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

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Jul 17 2012
2 Comments
Ice Cream, We Eat Well

Maple Ice Cream with Walnuts & Raisins

 

Our ice cream maker is going to ruin me. It’s a good thing I’ve been doing so much running or I would have gained 5 pounds just looking at this recipe. So sweet, creamy and buttery, Jon’s Maple Ice Cream kicks serious butt. The subtle hint of roasted walnuts and the chewy texture of the raisins take it over the top. Before serving, we sprinkled each bowl of ice cream with cinnamon. Absolute perfection!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup half & half
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup raisins

Preparation:

Combine the heavy cream, half & half and syrup in a bowl and whisk to combine. Place cream mixture into ice cream maker and follow the instructions for your machine.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts in a pie pan for approximately 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Five minutes before ice cream is done mixing, add walnuts and raisins.

 

 

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