I scream, You scream, We all scream for Ice Cream!

A few weeks back, The Bottom Line was all about the Banana Split.  It was invented back in 1904, 1906 and 1907.  Back when news didn’t travel around as fast, you could get these independent instances of unrelated invention and discovery.   It wouldn’t happen now, it would get spread as far and as fast as the internet could take it. 

The 1904 has been confirmed as the earliest know banana split.  It was created by David Evans Strickler, a 23-year-old apprentice pharmacist.  The treat did start to spread as he shared it at professional conventions for pharmacists. 

In 1906,  a Boston ice cream entrepreneur came up with the idea as well.  His didn’t work out so well at first.  He didn’t peal the banana before splitting it.  So people were trying to scrape banana out of the peal.  It fared better with men than with women.  Once he started to peal the banana first, it picked up with the women.

In 1907, a restaurant owner, Ernest Hazard, in yet another city and state ( Willmington, OH) was trying to come up with a desert to get the college students to come in more during the slower winter spell.  He held a contest but the employees didn’t come up with anything he liked.  So he came up with the banana split.  They hold a festival every summer to honor this even.  Despite the fact it was winter when it happened.  I’m thinking frozen treats just go over better in the hot summer months.

Today, The Bottom Line was all about ice cream again.  What I find somewhat amazing is that, once again, vanilla tops the chart as the number one favorite flavor.  If you based it on books, TV, movies, or people in general, it always seems like people want chocolate.  Chocolate comes in at second place, Strawberry is third, and Mint Chocolate Chip is fourth.  (that one is my favorite)

I wonder if there is a difference in Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, and French Vanilla.  I go through phases of each.  I suspect one reason this flavor comes out on top so often is that is has a simple, clean, crisp taste that is good on its own and is perfect for a base for other toppings.  Chocolate can hide or overwhelm some flavors of toppings and strawberry doesn’t taste good with all flavors. 

 

Personally, I would rather have sorbet.  I love the stuff.  Or soft-serve frozen yogurt, but you can’t find that much anymore.  For a while you could find a low-carb ice-cream.  That stuff was amazing.  It reminded why I used to like ice cream.  Today, they take too much fat out of it and replace it with too much sugar.  It isn’t the same ice cream as when I was little.  I just don’t usually feel like having ice cream anymore.  It isn’t at all satisfying.  Sorbet I can enjoy.  Frozen yogurt I can enjoy, especially Red Mango; the store not the flavor.  My favorite flavor there is summer melon, covered in strawberry and kiwi slices.

It’s still going to be hot for a while.  Maybe after payday, I’ll go to the only Red Mango shop that has the Summer Melon and treat myself to a dish of it.

Food Poisoning and Alcohol

I’ve gotten a bit busy and behind in writing.  Ive got a list of topic ideas and a few sentences here and there started.  In the mentime, I will leave you with this litlte story.

One day I went to a bohemian restaraunt that did a nice hot beef sandwich.  I knew people who didn’t care for their gravy.  Sometimes it had too much paprika in it.  One day I didn’t like the gravy.  So I was scrapping it off.  I got half way through and it was too terrible.  I didn’t finish it and I didn’t get a to go box.  I told them that I didn’t like the gravy that day.  This was lunch time.  By dinner time I was having uncontrollable, projectile vomiting.  It wasn’t just over seasoned, it was totally off.

A friend called and said I should meet up with them at BWW.  I said I had food poisoning and didn’t want to be around food or alcohol.  She told me that what I really needed was a shot or two and it would make me feel better.  The alcohol would kill the bacteria causing food poisoning.  So I went out, had a shot of something called Wedding Cake.  It was amazing.  In a short time I was feeling much better. 

In fact, anytime I start to get the odd stomach sensation and I suspect food poisoning, I have a shot of scotch or rum or vodka.  It works like a charm every time.  Alcohol really is the cure for food poisoning if you are reacting to it before it gets to the intestinal tract. 

So if you are at that picnic this summer and are a bit concerned about that potato salad then chase it with a beer or two, or a shot of something, or a margarita.  Alcohol IS good for something!