7th Course: Tasting of Ice Creams

* Just Desserts of 2007 *
Read about this dish and the other 10 Best Desserts of 2007 on my blog.

Explore debut July, 2007 #86

Tasting of Ice Creams

Notes: I started the anarchy from the dessert on the tasting menu (which sounded very ho-hum: "Tasting of Chocolate" Dark Financier, White Mousse, and Milk Chocolate Sorbet) by asking for a tasting of ice creams instead (which I spied at another table and looked very good). My companions, both Frenchmen, jumped ship with me an opted for a cheese course.

Since I deviated from the dessert menu, the sommelier brought out a 10 year-aged Niepoort Tawny Port for all of us to sample. (The original dessert was paired with a Moscatel Sherry 'Emilin' Lustau). He also brought out a Joh. Jos. Prum Auslese 1996. As expected, the Auslese was very sweet - a little too sweet and was a little too much with the ice creams - although it probably paired better with the wines.

What I particularly enjoyed about the ice creams at Cru is that each flavor was distinct and identifiable. The flavors were bold, without being over-powering. I hate ice creams that are mostly cream and sugar with a slight perfume of whatever flavor it's billed as.

From left to right:

Yogurt: Very creamy and nice and yogurt-tangy. Exactly what I look for in a yogurt ice cream. Excellent.

Coconut Curry: This was my favorite of all the flavors in this tasting. It had the right amount of savoriness. The curry and coconut balaced well - neither trespassing on the other. What I particularly enjoyed was that this ice cream had a very faint bit of salinity - very faint. I don't know if that's because it did have a little salt added, or because my tastebuds and brain expected, and therefore built in, a savory component.

Basil: Pretty straightforward high-quality basil ice cream.

Strawberry: Like the basil, pretty straightforward high-quality strawberry ice cream.

Butter Pecan: Probably my least favorite, only because I'm not usually a butter pecan fan. That being said, I didn't have a problem finishing this scoop.

Read the review of his dinner at Cru on my blog.