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| - Shall we Dance? (*)
There's a huge difference between self-love and pity... So, if you ARE going to spend Valentine's Day by yourself eating ice cream directly from a pint - you might as well make those calories count with great ice cream. In which case, you can't go wrong picking Sweet Republic (consistently on the "best ice cream shops across America" lists) as your dance partner.
There's an art to selecting your partner in tango. You can't simply send a cheap "You up?" text message. That's a different game... In Argentina, the process is called Cabeceo (Spanish for 'head', again: your mind. gutter. Keep out of...). Respecting tradition, I followed the proper process on Valentine's Day: First, I surveyed my available options. Gingerbread (hmm: a flavor I usually love, but this one lacks boldness). Apple pie (better, but mainly due to Caskwerks Distilling Apple Pie liqueur than chunks of pie). Pumpkin Spice (Nice: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, cloves...). Huckleberry Swirl (Great: wild mountain berries from Oregon). But, the day demanded something extra special, and so my attention turned to the Coconut Cashew Curry.
But, before I made flirtatious eye contact, I quickly pondered whether my attraction was prompted simply by the exotic flavors that have been tempting me lately (Earl Grey Sriracha? Everything bagel?). So, was it just the charm of something very different from what I'm used to? Or, does the flavor itself have substantive merit. No other way to find out than a quick whirl. Ahh... like a sultry siren, there's a mystique and depth to the Coconut Cashew Curry. The curry felt more Japanese than Indian. There's enough cashew mixed in to unveil a sweet but nutty profile. The heat builds up slowly but doesn't burst into flames in your throat. Leading to a complex, sweet-heat finale that's both satisfying and yet leaves you gasping for more. More!
More ice cream... Every addict should consider whether he/she is spiraling downward to a situation where one needs a stronger dose just to get the same satisfaction. Well aware of my ice cream addiction and preference for complexity, I decided to mix things up, going with a flavor I haven't had in years (but highly recommended by co-owner, Helen Yung): Brown Butter Pecan. Personally, the desserts I like best, are the ones that make me both feel AND think. And they usually remind me of a pleasurable moment from the past (That Proust guy was on to something. But, poor guy only had Madeleine(s) to tempt him...). In my case, the Brown Butter ice cream reminded me of my favorite Indian dessert: Ras Malai (milk, corn flour, sugar, saffron, pistachio) - which is the highest compliment I can give Sweet Republic, given my impossibly high standards for the Indian dessert (there was a year when I tried Ras Malai at 100+ different shops and restaurants in NYC). But, the association was prompted by the elements: milk, cream, sugar, nuts (pecan in this case)... and mostly the texture. To me: a great Ras Malai straddles the borders of solid and liquid states of nature, and just surrenders completely to the tongue upon contact. Similarly, I think the best ice cream is also one which is slowly melting, and doesn't have to be coaxed to become one with your soul. Completely enraptured by the ice cream, the tango morphed over time to the meditative abandonment of the ego in the Semazen - performed by the whirling dervishes...
So, what I mean to say is: Yes. I got completely carried away and ate more than half a pint of the Brown Butter Pecan. But, dessert should never make you feel bad. Even if one gives of oneself completely on a first date. For, you can always walk away your guilt later - and be thankful, that it's no walk of shame...
(*) Sharu wi Dansu (Japanese, 1996) - not the pathetic 2004 remake with Richard Gere and J-Lo
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