McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Samples – Black Coffee Chip, Peppermint Stick, Churros Con Leche, Sweet Cream and Cookies, Sea Salt Cream and Cookies, Salted Caramel Chip, Olive Oil and Salted Almonds
Sweet Corn Sugar Cookie / Sea Salt Cream and Cookies / Salted Caramel Chip / Chocolate Chunk and Sea Salt Cookie
Taking it easy at Wexler’s, but sticking around Grand Central to peruse the other purveyors and stalls, it was just moments before I was to set off for brunch at Ledlow that I realized nearby McConnell’s Ice Cream was ready to begin scooping and with three youngsters busy at work waffling cones and baking cookies it seemed quite obvious from the start that an order would be placed, such attention to detail hard to overlook while several flavors jumped out as at least warranting a taste.
Truly a story of California Dreamin’ come true, the McConnell’s company making hand packed ice creams out of Santa Barbara since 1949, it was admittedly a bit embarrassing that I had to admit to the clerk that this was my first encounter with the product when asked, but happy to guide me through some signatures before tasting a few samples of my own choosing the high quality of the base was unquestionable with a creamy sort of mouthfeel that ‘coated’ without becoming cloying, and flavors that came through with aplomb, though often trending quite sweet.
Admittedly remiss to skip on a “breakfast of champions” shake, despite my proclivity for the phrase, due to upcoming brunch plans it was only after much deliberation that I decided to partake in a small tasting and with requests for half-scoops accommodated $6 was forked over for an ice cream sandwich featuring two cookies and two flavors, the ‘special’ of Oreo cookies crushed into McConnell’s celebrated Sea Salt Cream showing great balance of textures and flavors while the Salted Caramel Chip offered chunks of sweetness amidst savory notes, the same to be said of two cookies including a sugar cookie made with polenta and whole chunks of sweet corn that reminisced of a childhood favorite served at a local Mexican restaurant, the sort of thing I’ll undoubtedly return for at a later date along with a few more samples and the aforementioned shake.
http://www.mcconnells.com/shops/
