Kendall Lowery ’22
For those of you who may have found yourself stumped, staring hopelessly at a menu board, faced with the eternal decision between dependability and intrigue, I am here to complete that leap of faith for you!
I began this mission with a trip to Á La Minute, an ice cream shop splitting a cool space and an enjoyable playlist with Augie’s Coffee in Claremont’s Packing House. They also possess a menu full of notoriously unusual flavors, and they lack the usual assuagement of a display case of ice cream: each batch is made to order with liquid nitrogen. However, those who are not dissuaded due to the differentiation from predictability are rewarded with some very tasty treats.
The Gold Rush
This flavor packs a lot into one bite. It’s an amalgamation of vanilla, caramel, and waffle cone bits, but it blends smoothly and is reminiscent of a creamier version of Ben and Jerry’s Americone Dream.
Brown Butter Pumpkin
Despite its temperature, this flavor made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. However, it diverges from the myriad of other pumpkin-flavored items that pop up during this time of year with its molasses coconut caramel topping, which complexifies both the flavor and texture of the scoop.
Butternut Squash Black Garlic (topped with Burnt Sugar Syrup)
This is probably Á La Minute’s most unconventional flavor, but should not be passed up. Its refreshing departure from the sweetness that seems inextricably linked to ice cream is deliciously executed, and the garlic (though initially threatening) rounds out each bite perfectly. I implore you to challenge your boundaries with this choice.
Orange Honey
Upon trying this flavor, I came to the realization that despite its more consumable name, I had never tried orange ice cream (outside of Dreamsicle form). The scoop was subtle and enjoyable in its simplicity. The generous amount of honey drizzle solidified like hardened caramel upon exposure to the ice cream and worked its way nicely into each bite, providing a graceful sweetness to the satisfying flavor.
Pursue the flavors that intrigue you to the point of intimidation– conquer the fear that surrounds unchartered territory, and be your own gustatory thrillseeker. Though you may have to sacrifice the comfort of that scoop of vanilla, the next time you stare at that menu board, you’ll be able to hold your head high knowing that one less flavor is part of the unknown.
Image Credit: A La Minute
