Best Served Cold?
A pinch of sea salt. Two teaspoons of mustard. Three crisp, crumbled pieces of bacon. None of these ingredients seems strange if making bacon-encrusted mustard chicken, perhaps. But consider that these savory foods and seasonings are adding flavor to ice creams, gelatos and sorbets, and that’s when things appear more out of the ordinary.
“You really can try anything,” says Carlos Delgado, Smith Common’s chef de cuisine. “I’ve even done a chicken and lamb gelato.” Still, if beet ice cream seems a little too weird even for an adventurous palate, we’ve weeded out the wacky from the whack. We triple-dog-dare you to try.
Peanut Curry
The ice cream most liked in an office taste test, Ris’ peanut curry is a bold and unique blend of Half & Half, heavy cream, eggs yolks, sugar, roasted peanuts and Madras curry powder.
First Impression: It’s like butter pecan, only better.
A Few Bites Later: Can you buy this by the gallon?
Another Peculiar Pick: Butter Popcorn — we bet you can’t eat just one scoop.
($9 per scoop) Ris, 2275 L St. NW; 202-730-2500, Risdc.com. (Foggy Bottom)
Bacon
Brabo caters to the upscale crowd, so try to avoid licking the plate when you get down to the last drops of this savory and sweet combination of candied bacon bits, maple caramel and bacon ice cream.
First Impression: Maybe this is a little too decadent.
A Few Bites Later: Can this be super-sized?
Compliments from the Chef: Served as a dessert alongside a Belgian waffle, this rich and creamy creation can be a breakfast option as well.
($11) Brabo, 1600 King St., Alexandria; 703-894-3440, Braborestaurant.com. (King Street)
Ginger
At Smith Commons, chef Delgado first steeps ginger in milk. Next, the milk is stirred into a mixture of egg yolks, heavy cream and sugar. The result is a sweet gelato that tingles the palate.
First Impression: That’ll open up the ol’ sinuses.
A Few Bites Later: Ginger and sugar should mingle together on tongues more often.
Another Peculiar Pick: Jalapeno — the fiery flavor of the pepper is subdued by the coolness of the gelato; this is a good thing. ($6 per scoop)
Smith Commons, 1245 H St. NE; 202- 396-0038, Smithcommonsdc.com.
Mustard
Fresh cream, egg yolks and salt and pepper all take a back seat to the moutarde forte (a strong French mustard) that gives Poste’s mustard ice cream its powerful punch.
First Impression: Yep, tastes like mustard.
A Few Bites Later: Whoa, it REALLY tastes like mustard.
Compliments from the Chef: Served as part of a chilled heirloom tomato gazpacho, this ice cream is not to be eaten out of context.
($14) Poste Moderne Brasserie, 555 8th St. NW; 202-783-6060, Postebrasserie.com. (Gallery Place)
Raspberry Beet
Refined and earthy, 701 Restaurant’s raspberry-beet ice cream owes its sweetness to delicate touches of the fruit and a good amount of sugar, which help to counteract the more natural, robust flavor of the beet.
First Impression: Could use more texture.
A Few Bites Later: And less beets.
Compliments from the Chef: Served as part of the eatery’s chocolate dome dessert. Beet lovers probably won’t need the chocolate cake croutons that come with the ice cream; everyone else should ask for extra.
($9) 701 Restaurant, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-393-0701, 701restaurant.com. (Archives)
Mexican Corn Truffle
Minced black truffles and bits of Heath toffee mix with whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, dark chocolate and ground cinnamon to create Rosa Mexicano’s multi-textured ice cream.
First Impression: Truffles make everything better.
A Few Bites Later: What hunger pangs truffles can’t satisfy, chocolate can.
Another Peculiar Pick: Negra Modelo & Chocolate — or skip the ice cream and go straight for some chocolate-covered bacon.
($3.50 per scoop, available until Sep. 4) Rosa Mexicano, 575 7th St. NW; 202-783-5522, Rosamexicano.com. (Gallery Place)
Sea Salt
This best-selling gelato at Kushi (which actually comes from Georgetown’s Dolcezza) is a simple mix of milk, cream, sugar and Maldon sea salt, and it’s one of many reasons folks flock to the Mount Vernon Triangle hot spot.
First Impression: Brings back memories of vanilla frozen yogurts.
A Few Bites Later: A high kick to the salt receptors heightens the flavor from bland to refreshing and creamy.
Another Peculiar Pick: Black Sesame — it’s like chasing Reese’s Pieces with a glass of whole milk.
($3.75 per scoop) Kushi, 465 K St. NW; 202-682-3123, Eatkushi.tumblr.com. (Mt. Vernon Square)
Exotic Spice
For Birch and Barley’s fruity sorbet, passion fruit, apricot, coconut, banana, mango and lime juice are mixed with cinnamon, ginger, clove and pepper.
First Impression: It tastes like Christmas.
A Few Bites Later: The ice cream was no more.
Another Peculiar Pick: Sweet Corn (ice cream) — though binging is less likely with this sour oxymoron unless you get it as a part of the restaurant’s Popped Blueberry Tart dessert.
($10, $8.50 for a tasting of five sorbets) Birch and Barley, 1337 14th St. NW; 202-567-2576, Birchandbarley.com. (U St.-Cardozo)
Photos by Marge Ely/Express
