The Breakfast Club: Back to Basics

Orange French Toast

Note: The Three will be taking a bite out of breakfast this month. We will be checking out a few restaurants that serve that usually-ignored meal of the day. Enjoy.

I love breakfast.

Among all the meals throughout the day, it is perhaps the most laid-back and the least pretentious. Maybe it's because breakfast-takers are still too bleary-eyed to put on airs, and breakfast-makers don't have the luxury of time to prepare something uber-fancy. The thing I probably like most about breakfast food is that it's simple, but it gets the job done.

Take for example Apartment 1B's Orange French Toast (P220). It's whole-wheat bread infused with a subtle citrus-y flavor, and topped with toasted almonds for good measure. The almonds provide an interesting contrast to the soft bread, and balance the sweetness of this standard breakfast offering. Totally unfussy, totally satisfying.

Three-Egg Omelet

And the Three-Egg Omelet (P340). You get to choose three fillings; I opted for Canadian ham, spinach, and Swiss cheese. Potatoes and onions accompany it, in place of the usual hash browns. And with three eggs, you can probably meet your protein requirement for the day!

My best friend and I enjoyed all these over an unhurried meal one Saturday morning. We caught up with each other, telling mundane stories of our lives over uncomplicated food. There was none of the excited, sometimes inebriated, chatter over dinner. None of the stress that comes with meeting up over lunch in the middle of a workday. There was just familiarity and comfort; we simply enjoyed each other's company--and the gratifying, if somewhat pricey, food--in a relaxed setting (with attentive waiters at the ready).

I love breakfast.

If only I could get up early enough for it every morning!

Apartment 1B
Unit 1B G/F One Lafayette Square
132 L.P. Leviste cor. Sedeno Sts.,
Salcedo Village, Makati City
Tel. (02) 843-4075

The Breakfast Club: Breakfast at Max's

Note: The Three will be taking a bite out of breakfast this month. We will be checking out a few restaurants that serve that usually-ignored meal of the day. Enjoy.

Filipinos love breakfast. How else can we explain the sheer number of establishments that offer "all-day breakfast" items on their menus? Case in point, Max's restaurant, best known for their fall-off-the-bone chicken (which is really good) offerings, in a little corner of their menu, a selection of Filipino breakfast favorites available any time of the day. Why is this?

Filipino breakfasts aren't for the weak. Particularly the uniquely Filipino creation of silog. I have not seen another country with a breakfast consisting of meat, eggs, and fried rice. These meals are by no means light, fluffy affairs. Instead, silog is geared towards providing the typical Filipino with plenty of protein and energy to be able to deal with the rest of the day.

With that in mind, my little brood and I decided to tackle a typical Filipino breakfast in what can be considered an iconic Filipino restaurant.

Who hasn't been to a Max's at least once in their life? The restaurant has been around since the 1950s, which they currently parade proudly on their walls, which are lined with old postcards and photographs of days past. I was particularly taken by a picture of their old menu, which offered chicken dinners for P 5.00 and had such offerings as bourbon and scotch on their beverage list. Times have changed, and yet Max's is still here. Too bad the bourbon did not make it.

Max's offers a small breakfast menu (we went to a branch that didn't offer the expanded breakfast menu; apparently not all the branches offer that selection) of tapsilog, longsilog, tocilog, adobo flakes-silog and boneless bangussilog. I decided to get the sirloin tapsi and my wife ordered the adobo flakes-silog. We also got a bowl of arroz caldo for my son.

The Tapsi was very good, with the traditional flavors of salt, sugar, and vinegar carrying through the sirloin. As expected, the sirloin was a bit tough; the expected result of the sugar marinade. I also found our sunny-side up eggs overdone, the yolks were cooked through, probably the result of pouring hot oil over it. That never really bothered me much, though. That was how most places did their eggs.

Beef Tapa

My wife's adobo flakes were also well cooked, as should be expected from a chicken place. The flakes were definitely cooked as adobo first, then fried to make them crisp, the wa. They were cooked well enough to be just crisp, not burned. Again, overdone eggs. But it was also a good breakfast fix.

Adobo Flakes

What was surprising was the arroz caldo. Where was the arroz? It was watery and thin, and despite the broth and chicken being generous, we were both wondering where the rice went. Arroz Caldo is supposed to be a type of porridge, which needs rice to give it that nice consistency. This definitely was not that. I'm not sure if it was because it was early in the morning and they did not have enough ready or if this was how they always did it. It was surpring, either way. My wife resorted to taking some rice from her order and adding them to the bowl. I know there's a rice crisis (isn't there?) but really. Just call the thing chicken soup if it's going to be that thin.

Arroz Caldo

I love breakfast, honestly. I'd survive on variations of silog for the rest of my life. Max does a decent job of it, to be fair. The sirloin tapa was as expected, and so were the adobo flakes. They can't seem to manage a good arroz caldo, though, which is a shame. But will I go back to Max's for breakfast? Maybe not. I feel as if they were being asked to stretch their expertise a bit and maybe they stretched a little too far.

Is it hopeless? Hardly, in fact, like I said, it's decent. But I'd go somewhere else for my silog fix, there are places that do it better (and cheaper). Or maybe I'd just whip up some myself, in the comforts of my home.

All day breakfasts are here to stay and Max is one of those who can do one to meet expectations. But don't expect much more than that.

Max's Restaurant
Multiple branches nationwide
Click here for the branch nearest you

The Travelling Table: A Few of My Favorite Things (New York Edition)

BLT Burger from BLT Burger

Here is a list of my new favorites in the city of New York:

The BLT Burger from BLT Burger - I love burgers. Call it one of those childhood fixations that I never grew out of. I do have an informal quest to find the ultimate hamburger experience--the moment of tucking in that leaves you forsaking all others and begging for more. So when in the country that may have perfected the hamburger, how could you not eat at least one during a visit?

Part of the growing restaurant empire of Chef Laurent Tourondel, BLT Burger is his homage to this icon of food Americana. The restaurant itself is pure American diner kitsch. An amazing facsimile of a hole-in-the-wall, old-style diner punctuated by a stuffed head of long-horn steer mounted on the far wall just in case, you forget what they serve at this restaurant. Vegans need not enter.

As for the burger, let me put it simply, it is heaven. It has the all classic fix-ins: the circular slices of onion and tomatoes, leaves of fresh iceberg lettuce and of course the crispy cuts of American bacon, stuffed into a sesame seed bun. But the star of this hamburger is a patty that combines ground beef sirloin, brisket, chuck, and short rib, grilled to char on the outside and a moist medium rare on the inside. Once you bite into it, the beef melts in your mouth, releasing its flavorful juices that would make a grown carnivore cry in beef ecstasy.

If that’s not enough, try their milkshakes. They have a few, non-alcoholic or otherwise. They are simply delicious - so much so that A and I fought over who would get the last sip. (For the record, I ordered the strawberry milkshake—the waiter memorably called it “strawberry flavored liquid crack”—and A kept wanting to 'share' after taking her first sip.)

Union Square Farmer's Market

The Union Square Farmer's Market - If being a foodie was a religion, the Union Square Farmer's Market would be our church. As any home cook or professional chef will tell you, a great dish always starts with best-quality and freshest ingredients. They don't get any better than what is available at this open-air market.

Heirloom tomatoes as small as walnuts to as large as a newborn's head. Varieties of apples more numerous than I thought possible. Fruits and vegetables of all sorts that I had only read about in cookbooks. Unusual meats like bison, ostrich and venison for the buying. Organically raised and grass-fed beef and lamb. Flowers, plants, cheeses and breads. Frankly, all this variety made this food lover a bit lightheaded with glee.

Bread Pudding from Grandaisy Bakery

Bread Pudding from Grandaisy Bakery - While shopping for yarn in SoHo (A is a devout knitter and obsessive yarn collector), I realized that we were on Sullivan Street. The same Sullivan Street where the aptly named Sullivan Street Bakery is located. This much loved, community based bakeshop is well known for creating some the best Italian breads and pastries in New York. But due some internal changes, what was once the Sullivan Street Bakery is now called Grandaisy Bakery. Owned and operated by one of the original owners of the Sullivan Street Bakery, Monica Von Thun Calderón and her talented bakers have worked hard to maintain the same standards that made the original bakeshop famous.

This unassuming bakeshop can be easy to miss. We got lost looking for it. But once we found it, it was like walking into a bread dreamland. Among the vast array of breads, pizzas, pies and pastries, what caught my eye was a modest-looking bread pudding sitting in a glass display. A baker tells us that it is very popular and her personal favorite. With a ringing endorsement like that, how could we resist? We order a slice.

Sitting at an unadorned counter, A and I dig in. Soft, moist and lusciously rich, the pudding is everything they say it is. Every bite is a deep custard flavor with a hint of sweet caramel. Every taste is unhurriedly savored as each forkful melts in my mouth.

Another slice please?

Gelati from Grom

Gelati from Grom - It is no secret that I have thing for ice creams and gelati. So it should be no surprise that trying the local frozen favorites was on top of my to-do list. I tried a my fair share of ice creams and frozen desserts during my visit but place I enjoyed the most was a gelatteria called Grom.

Grom prides itself for providing the very best by using unique and flavorful ingredients to create some of most delectable gelati and sorbettos I have ever had.

After a couple of disheartening tries, we finally made it to this delightful European import. We sat down and tried two flavors: a Carmello gelato – a bitter-sweet caramel sugar gelato made with pink Himalayan salt and the Lampone sorbetto – a sorbet mixture of rich heavy cream and tangy raspberry pulp from the valleys of Moncheni, Italy.

As A and I sat in this corner gelatteria, eating these cups of delectable delights, we looked out bustling streets of the East Village. We took pause and agreed. This was a moment to remember.

BLT Burger
470 Sixth Avenue
New York City, New York
Tel: (212) 242 8226

Union Square Farmer's Market
Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
From 8 am to 6 pm

Grandaisy Bakery
73 Sullivan Street
New York, New York
Tel: (212) 334 9435
Fax: (212) 334 9412
Email: info@grandaisybakery.com

Grom
2165 Broadway
New York, New York
Tel: (646) 290 7233

A Note to Manggy and Graeme

We know how hard it is to make a blog work.

It takes time, effort, money and more importantly a passion that borders on obsession. In that light, the Three would like to extend our very heartfelt congratulations to Manggy and Graeme of No Special Effects for winning the Best Blog Award in the Food and Beverage Category at the recently concluded Philippine Blog Awards 2008.

Keep up the good work. You both do the Pinoy food blogging community proud.

Table Recipes: Gnocchi with Herbed Cream Asparagus

Gnocchi with an Herbed Cream Asparagus

It was inevitable. I'm tired of eating.

... of eating out, anyway. And since I'm in a foreign land where ingredients that I could only dream about are readily available, I decide I should get cooking.

Gnocchi is one of those mystical ingredients that I have only tasted in restaurants and have longed to cook. Admittedly, you can make it at home. But honestly, I have a phobia of things that involve flour, kneading or any kind of baking procedure. I don't make my own pasta. I don't cookies or pies. I don't bake. Obviously, I don't make my own gnocchi.

Since I'm in a country famous for its need for immediate gratification--frozen this, instant that--cooking gnocchi is a breeze. Besides using prepared gnocchi, the editors at Olive Magazine makes this recipe even simpler (intensely more flavorful) by using a herbed cream cheese as a sauce base.

What could be easier than that?

Gnocchi with Herbed Cream Asparagus
Adapted from Olive Magazine

• 1 large bunch asparagus
• 500 g gnocchi
• 150g herbed cream cheese
• 1 lemon, zest
• 2 tbsp Parmesan, grated
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Bring two pans of salted water to the boil. Cut the asparagus into three cm lengths, keeping the tips separate. Put the cut asparagus into the boiling water and cook for two minutes. Remove and drain thoroughly.

Cook the gnocchi in the other pan in the boiling water. Once the gnocchi floats to the surface, drain it.

Place the cream cheese in a pan with eight tablespoons of water and the lemon zest. Stir together over medium heat until cream cheese melts in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine sauce with gnocchi and asparagus. Plate and scatter the parmesan and parsley over the dish.

Enjoy.

Thank you to W, the perfect host and a most appreciative dinner guest.

The Travelling Table: Lunch with a Mad Scientist

Wylie Dufresne's Eggs Benedict

I am endlessly fascinated with food.

The tastes, colors, textures, smells and even the sound of food can (and often does) transport me to wonderful (and sometimes unusual) places with a simple spoonful. My experiences with food have been mostly pleasant. I've also had my share of nightmares. But there have been moments, rare moments, that sitting down to a meal can be comparable to watching a perfectly executed pirouette or listening to an uplifting operatic performance. Savoring every bite. Experiencing every taste. Basking in the light of gastronomic genius. These moments are rare but they do happen.

And then there are restaurant experiences like Chef Wylie Dufresne's WD-50 that simply turn your understanding of food upside down, challenging your senses and your ideas of what is considered delicious in the most delightful ways.

One of the leading advocates of Molecular Gastronomy, Chef Dufresne and his team create dishes by using scientific, chemical and mechanical techniques that seem to test the bounds of what food should look, taste or even feel like. Early on, there were criticisms that Chef Dufrense was more concerned about 'playing with his food' than providing his guests with an experience that they could understand and appreciate as delicious. It has been five years since WD-50 opened. In my opinion, any traces of the early rebellious, uncompromising experimentation has now matured into a restaurant that still explores the bounds of gastronomy but now provides an amazing experience for their foodie guests.

I will admit two things. First, WD-50 is not for everybody. Some will find the food outrageous and inedible while others will find every mouthful beyond wonderful. And a few will be simply dumbfounded by the entire experience. My advice? Simply come with an open mind, a willing palate and the readiness to take it all in. Second, I don't have a complete grasp of how or why are these dishes are created. I imagine relatively few people do. But I understand what I enjoy. And I enjoyed this meal at WD-50.

from top left, clockwise
Foie Knot, Beef Tongue in Cherry-Miso Sauce,
Dessert Waldorf Salad, Salmon Amuse Bouche

During our tasting menu, there were dishes that were beautiful on the plate but too odd in flavor and texture to be completely appreciated. For example, the amusingly named Knot Foie, a dish of foie gras formed into a knotted rope and covered rice crisps. Others were not only elegantly plated but also echoed familiar flavors from home. For example, the Beef Tongue in a Cherry-Miso Sauce that reminded A and I of a lovely beef dish in deep, rich hoisin sauce. And there are other courses that were simply beyond words like Chef Dufresne's take on the brunch staple, Eggs Benedict. The Eggs Benedict was a challenge of form. The ham was cooked into thin wafer-like chips. The eggs were formed into yellow gelantious tubes that melted upon contact with our mouths. The hollandaise sauce was fried into crispy cubes that when cut oozed with a creamy velevet-like sauce. Taken together, these components created a dish so comforting in its familiarity and yet, an amusingly unusual sight to behold. Another dish that made us laugh with glee was the Waldorf Salad. It's not a salad but an amazingly creative dessert. It starts with a green apple ice cream accompanied by a sweet mayonnaise, slices of celery, twills of grape, nougats of brown sugar and walnuts and raisins. It is a plate that is not only gorgeous but also a delight to savor.

Works of a genius or madman? Like all things culinary, it is a matter of personal preference and choice. But one thing is for sure, Chef Dufresne and his creations will never be labeled uninteresting or uninspired.

If Chef Dufresne's mother ever told him never to play with his food, I'm glad he didn't listen.

WD-50

50 Clinton Street
New York City
New York 10002
Tel: (212) 477 2900

The Travelling Table: My Foodie Mecca

from top left, clockwise
Poached Eggs on Parma Ham, Soft Shell Crab Sandwich
Streamed Shiitake Buns, Momofuku Ramen

Greetings from New York!

There is Paris. There is Tokyo. There is Hong Kong. There is Italy or even Spain. You can debate with me on this. But for me, few places make this food lover's heart sing (and my stomach growl) like the city of New York. The confluence of vast amounts of wealth, a creative pool of culinary talent, access to a cornucopia of ingredients and a craving for good food has made this city what it is today. A birthplace of delectable gastronomic trends. A magnet for yearning foodies from around the world (including myself).

Day one in New York. Since it is our first morning in the Big Apple, A and I decide to sleep in a bit longer than usual (to recover from the horrendous airline journey), forgo the usual morning breakfast and instead indulge in that oh-so-New York institution called brunch. The plan? To find our way to the West Village and the little restaurant of the moment, Little Owl. Once at the doors, we were met with a sad sign, "closed for renovations." While we stand on a corner, lamenting our plight and trying to figure out our plan B, a man approaches us. Seeing our obvious disappointment, he suggests trying a restaurant a few blocks down called Market Table instead. A and I thank him as we hungrily make our way to plan B. (Later, I realize that our good samaritan was none other than Chef Joey Campanaro, chef/owner of the Little Owl. More on him later.)

Chef Camapnaro and his Little Owl's partner, Gabriel Stulman recently opened this charming eatery hoping to create a place that is equal parts restaurant and retail space. With the help of head chef, Mike Prince, Market Table services American comfort food at its best. The restaurant has a industrial loft-like feel to it. Dark walls, exposed high ceilings, large street-side windows, butcher block tables contribute to creating a light and comfortable atmosphere. One could not possible ask for a more ideal brunch venue.

After some discussion with our helpful, ever patient server, A and I settled on two dishes. I love Egg Benedict for brunch. And since I'm looking for something familiar, ordering the Poached Eggs with Parma Ham and Braised Spinach was a no-brainer. An oozing amber yolk, lightly salted slice of ham, warm crusty muffin base and topped with decadently smooth, custard-like hollandaise sauce, Market Table's version was exactly what I needed. From my traditional order to A's more whimsically delicious one, the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich was a complete surprise. We were expecting a variation on the crispy crab cake but what landed on our table beyond what we could have anticipated--a whole crab in a bun staring back at us. Legs, claws and shell are deep-fried to lovely golden brown, served on bed of lettuce and sliced tomatoes and squeezed into a crusty roll. This sandwich is a handful but once it reaches your mouth--it is crunchy, crab nirvana. The best way to describe it is like biting into a crab-flavored Mentos--light and crisp on the outside, sweet and succulent on the inside.

Sunday rolls around. As we struggle to overcome an annoying case of jet lag, A and I meet up with our New York-based friend, W. After quick tour local food markets in and around Union Square (W is writing a paper on organic food retail), we head off to do what Pinoys do when they get together. We eat.

W. recommends we try Momofuku Noodle Bar. One item of my New York to-do list is to visit at least one Chef David Chang restaurant (currently, there are three). After reading so much about this James Beard awardee, I have come to admire Chef Chang. Being the noodle fanatic that I am, it would be sacrilegious if I didn't dine at one of his restaurants on this trip. I enthusiastically agree.

Born out of a stint in a ramen house in Japan and his love for all things pork, Chef Chang created Momofuku Noodle Bar. Relatively small and simply adorned, the restaurant has become quite the culinary phenomenon for noodle-crazed New Yorkers. More often than not, this place is packed. They don't take reservations and the line sometimes stretches out their front door and down the road. But since we arrive early for the dinner service, we are able snag seats at the ramen bar without much of a fuss.

First on the list to taste, the much talked about Steamed Buns. At Momofuku Noodle Bar, they offer three varieties: chicken, shiitake and pork. We settle on the chicken and mushrooms. Each variety prove to have its personal charms. The steamed buns are soft, light and easy to the bite. The pulled dark chicken meat, formed into a patty and fried to a golden-brown exterior, is crunchy, moist and flavorful. A perfect chicken sandwich. On the flipside, the shiitake were sublime. Thin cuts of soft, sauteed shiitakes are coated in fruity, yet slightly spicy sauce and stuffed in airy buns. Subtle in flavor but with just enough sweet-spiciness to keep things interesting. Personally, I enjoyed the Steamed Shiitake Buns more.

If you are going to noodle bar, you obviously have to order the noodles. We order two kinds. First, the Momofuku Ramen. A large steaming bowl of pork broth filled nearly to brim with delicious ingredients : thin ramen noodles, slices of succulent pork belly, shredded beef, a soft boiled egg, a generous sprinkling of spring onions and a piece of dried seaweed or nori for some contrast texture. This bowl of ramen is scrumptious and perfect for a cool, fall evening but I can't say I am completely bowled over by this signature dish. In contrast, I gush delicious over the Bibim Gooksu. Of late, I have been on a cold noodle fix (I'm tired of burnt tongue) so having this traditionally Korean dish was not a difficult decision. Somen noodles, coated in a sweet-spicy kimchi-like dressing, are topped with variety of delectables like slices of cucumber, a light fried egg, fine juliennes of nori and small bars of roasted sesame seeds. Uncomplicated, well-balanced in both flavor and texture and with an intriguing sugary-hot zing, this Bibim Gooksu is straightforward deliciousness in a bowl.

My food adventure is only the beginning. There is more to come.

Market Table
54 Carmine St at Bedford St
New York, NY 10014
Tel: (212) 255 2100

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 First Ave.
nor. 11th St
New York, NY 10003
Tel: (212) 777 7773

The Breakfast Club: Old Chinatown Kopitiam

From top left, clockwise
Jumbo Pork Siomai, A Trio of Morning Hawker Favorites,
Table Scene at Old Chinatown Kopitiam, Duck Noodle Soup.

Note: The Three will be taking a bite out of breakfast this month. We will be checking out a few restaurants that serve that usually-ignored meal of the day. Enjoy.

It’s a slow, sunny Sunday morning and we are hankering for some brunch.

But instead of the ho-hum morning of cold cereal or eggs and toast, A and I are thinking of something a little different. There has been a growing interest in Nonya hawker-style cuisine lately. Restaurants looking to bring to their guests the genuine hawker experience (or at least food) seem to steadily be growing in number. One of the newer additions, Old Chinatown Kopitiam (OCTK), is one of those restaurants.

As you approach the mecca of after-sale car parts, Banaue Avenue, be on the lookout. This Chinese-styled cafe is minute, to put it mildly. Nestled between an inn and chicken inasal grill house, this kopitiam tries to emulate the coffee shop of old it was named after. Worn wooden chairs and tables, antique wall decor and Chinese paper lanterns contribute to creating a comforting feeling, transporting guests to a Nonya coffee house of a by-gone time. The only thing missing is a group of craggy, old men sitting in a dark corner, drinking their steaming hot kopi and smoking their pipes as they exchange stories of years gone by.

This morning, OCTK is not full but there is a constant flow of people coming and going. Families, couples and a customers looking for some take-out, all keeping the waiting staff busy and on their toes. A warning: if you drop-by on Sunday, make sure you have time. This place is not about speed. Sit back, relax and enjoy a glass or two of the condensed milk sweetness of the Nai Cha or Milk Tea (P65). Your food will eventually show up.

First at our table, a plate of Kaya-Peanut Butter Toast (P68) along with an accompanying soft-boiled egg (P28). It doesn't get anymore typically Nonya than this. Kaya, a green custard-like jam, made with coconut milk and flavored with pandan is generously spread on buttered toast. Not stopping there, the kitchen added a dollop of thick, chunky peanut butter. Sweet and savory. Crunchy and creamy, this dish alone (eaten with a bowl of eggy goodness mixed in with a bit of soy sauce and white pepper) makes the long, mid-morning trip worth it.

This morning, I feel like slurping down some noodles. Scanning the menu, I am torn between the Beef or the Duck Noodle Soup (P168). I'm a sucker for most, if not all, duck dishes. The moment of conflict is brief. To keep things interesting, I request to forgo the usual stringy egg noodles and try the thick, white kwey teow noodles instead. Sadly, this bowl of noodles was a disappointment. This dish lacked a certain oomph in duck flavor. The duck broth was uninspiring. And what I thought was meat turned out to be mostly braised duck bones. Maybe I would have been better off ordering the bowl of beef instead.

Luckily, our meal finds redemption in a bamboo steamer of Jumbo Siomai (P98). Jumbo isn't a menu hyperbole. These steamed dumplings of mixed pork are significantly larger than the norm. It is so substantial in fact, that it was a bit of strain to lift them with chopsticks alone. But once handled and dipped in some light soy sauce, each mouthful makes one long for the next one and the next.

They say that breakfast is most important meal of the day. Most of the time, it can be a bit dull. But with the ever-growing variety of dining options available, breakfast doesn’t always have to be a repetitive bore.

Now, please excuse me while I make myself more of that Kaya-Peanut Butter Toast. Yum.

Old Chinatown Kopitiam
86 Maria Clara Street
Barangay Santo Domingo
Quezon City
Tel: (02) 415-1145
Cel: (0922) 889-7752
E-mail: oldchinatownkopitiam@yahoo.com

Table Recipes: White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake Ice Cream

I’m not a fan of white chocolate.

As a matter of preference, I like my chocolate dark. The darker, the better. However, my wife loves the white stuff, most especially the Toblerone version. While browsing an old issue of Bon Appetit, I came across a recipe for a White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake. I was intrigued. I thought to myself that this just might work as an ice cream and besides, I had been looking for a reason to experiment with the ‘other’ chocolate.

White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake Ice Cream
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

• 8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 20 chocolate sandwich (Oreo) cookies
• 2 limes, unsprayed

For White Chocolate and Lime Ice Cream

Place a metal bowl with the chopped white chocolate over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Stir constantly until melted and smooth.

In another saucepan, warm the milk, one cup of the cream, salt and sugar. Peel the lime zest into strips with a vegetable peeler directly into the milk mixture. Once warm, take mixture off the heat, cover and steep for one hour.

Place the remaining cream in a bowl and set a strainer over the top.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk mixture and slowly pour into the egg yolks through a mesh strainer, whisking constantly. Discard the captured lime strips. Then, pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon. Scrape the bottom of the saucepan as you stir. Once the custard easily coats the back of your spoon, pour itthrough the strainer and into the bowl of cream.

Pour the melted white chocolate into the custard. Stir until combined and cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture in the refrigerator. While waiting, make the cookie crust. Once custard is cool, freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For Chocolate Sandwich Cookie (Oreo) Crust

Line a square baking pan with foil, extending over all sides.

Remove the cream between the chocolate sandwich cookies. Grind the remaining chocolate cookies in food processor or in mortar and grind with a pestle.

Add 2 tablespoons of melted white chocolate and blend until mixture clumps together.

Press the mixture onto the bottom of foil lined pan. Firmly pressing it down with your hands. Chill in refrigerator.

Once the crust firms up remove it from the pan and cut it into two-inch squares.

To Combine

As you remove the freshly churned ice cream from the machine, layer the squares of chocolate cookie crust between layers of ice cream.

Freeze the ice cream for two hours or overnight.

The white chocolate ice cream is velvet-like creamy but a little sweet. But the tangy sour of the lime zest solves that issue, cutting the chocolate’s sweetness and balancing it out. The squares of cookie crust lend a fudgey contrast to the smooth ice cream and the chocolate helps highlight all the flavors.

I’m not a fan of white chocolate. But of some reason, I love this ice cream.

Enjoy.