Tag Archives: dessert

A-Z Challenge: Oob Organic Berry Farm & Ice Cream Stand in New Zealand

June 20, 2015 zaagitravel@gmail.com 1 Comment

More than two months in and I’m very ready to have this A-Z Challenge done with. So I can start blogging exciting things like… my upcoming trip to Hawaii!

But, in the meantime, what better way to pass the time than to tell you about one of my OTHER favorite ice cream spots in New Zealand!

It’s an ice cream kind of month, apparently. All months should be ice cream months, don’t you think?

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I visited the OOB Organic Berry Orchard Shop over the summer, when I was staying in Omaha Beach.

The farm is located in Omaha Flats, which is about an hour’s drive north of Auckland.

On the way back south I asked James if we could stop here to get a snack before our drive, as I’d heard so much about it from his family.

Johnny, his best friend, supported my request for ice cream so off we went.

After leaving the beach, passing smaller farms with clusters of grazing furry sheep, we eventually turned down a gravel road.

A couple turns later, the car bumping along the rough drive way, we eventually reached our destination.

With rows of blueberry plants on our right, we finally spotted the cafe building just past an area of covered tables and chairs.

After parking up we walked inside, immediately identifying the smell of fresh cream and berries.

Upon checking out our options, I chose a blend of frozen yogurt and mixed berries while James and Johnny went for ice cream and mixed berries.

The girl behind the counter went to work, scooping out berries and combining them in a big metal machine.

OOB is known for their blueberries but also offers strawberries in their cold creations as well.

I waited in anticipation for my waffle cone-filled deliciousness.

Flecks of the fresh fruit could be seen mixed in, giving the creamy concoctions a pale pink/purple color and a subtle berry flavor.

After paying, James, myself and our third wheel (just kidding J-honny!) walked out to the covered patio to lap up our melting sweet treats.

If you’re craving these like I am now… you’ll be happy to know that OOB ice creams can be purchased in grocery stores (including Countdown and New World) but fresh right out off the farm is my favorite way to enjoy them!

The orchard shop – at 89 Jones Road, Omaha – will re-open in summer 2016.

I think I can speak for all three of us when I say we can’t wait to go back.

Expat Life, New Zealand, Oceania

A-Z Challenge: Nom nom nom! Giapo Haute Ice Cream in Auckland, New Zealand

June 6, 2015 zaagitravel@gmail.com 2 Comments

If you read my blog regularly than you know I love ice cream.

And you could also assume that I’m on a hunt to find the best ice cream in Auckland.

Well, Giapo is definitely a contender.

I’ll admit that Giapo isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s so rich (for both the taste buds AND the wallet) that I honestly don’t think I can justify going more than a couple times a year.

James and I absolutely LOVED our concoctions, but were left clenching our stomachs after consuming them. The sweetness was just so powerful!

Nevertheless, visiting this shop is a unique and worthy ice cream experience.

Giapo was created by Giapo Grazioli in 2008.

On his website Grazioli – an ice cream genius – lays out his passion and theory: “I am committed to changing the way people experience, see, feel and eat ice cream. My approach comes down to transforming the most popular dessert in the world into something fashionable and artistic by paying attention to the smallest of details: textures, flavours, smells, and by applying highly laborious techniques and methods used in haute cuisine and in artistic set ups.

He adds: “Through my creations I aspire to get the world down to New Zealand so they can experience this beautiful country that I have the privilege to be living in.”

When ordering here, customers are not able to see the flavors in their case, because as the staff told us, they do not want everyone to order based on sight.

Every ice cream is treated like art, with various toppings added, so the final product is always different than what the base begins like.

After sampling 3-4 each, James went for the triple chocolate (I originally did also but changed my mind as to be able to eat some of his as well as mine too!).

His ice cream, a chocolate lovers’ heaven, had chocolate pieces and raspberry bits all adorned with a large chocolate half-moon.

I opted for the Giapo Buono – which doesn’t appear to be available anymore.

Their flavors are constantly changing based on season and the latest creative spark they have in the kitchen.

My ice cream was decorated with a thickly packed layer of very fine cookie crumble dust, marshmallow topping which was toasted with a torch, and a handful of glimmering gold-dipped hazelnuts. Can you say WHOA?!

It was great ice cream. There’s no denying it. It was beautiful and it tasted wonderful.

But it was SO SWEET. My stomach began aching before even digging in, and it aches now just thinking about that day.

But it was worth it. Oh, how it was worth it.

California, North America, United States

À La Minute Handcrafted Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream in Claremont, California

February 6, 2015 zaagitravel@gmail.com 1 Comment

I love my best friend Rhea and I love ice cream.

And tonight I got to combine those two loves when I met up with my bestie and her fiancé Manako at the new local ice cream shop, À La Minute, in Claremont, California.

The latest addition to the downtown Claremont scene has thrown a new spin on everyone’s favorite frozen treat.

They handcraft your individual serving of creamy goodness with the use of liquid nitrogen! Because science.

If, like me, you hear the words liquid nitrogen and have no clue what that actually means…

Here is a description from À La Minute about their special ingredient:

“Liquid nitrogen is simply nitrogen (which makes up 78% of our atmosphere) in a liquid state. It is -321 degrees [fahrenheit] and is obviously very cold. Using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream minimizes the size of ice crystals and results in a much creamier ice cream.”

On top of that, À La Minute also uses a 100% organic ice cream base and places a high priority on using local & seasonal ingredients.

Your order is literally as fresh as it gets. And on top of that, we also watched our waffle cones being made right in front of us!

The shop – which shares a space with Augie’s Coffee House – is located inside the Packing House (the largest historic building in The Village)!

If you’re looking to spend an entire evening in the Claremont Village, a scoop from ALM would make an extra special post-dinner treat after a drink/meal at Eureka Burger or The Back Abbey.

Back to our experience…

Staring at the board of flavors and making a decision took us quite awhile.

Finally we made our choices…

I ordered the Espresso Chip with added caramel sauce on top! Needless to say I was more than happy with my pick, and highly recommend it!

Rhea opted for the most unique flavor — Butternut Squash and Black Garlic with Burnt Sugar Syrup! She and I both liked it but Manako wasn’t a big fan of the frozen vegetable and garlic concept.

Manako (A.K.A Beast Mode) chose the classic Chocolate Chip! Let’s just say it was pretty much gone in a manner of seconds.

We all LOVED our super delicious indulgences. As we were leaving Manako exclaimed, “I’m going to be coming back here!”

I have to say that I completely agree.

If you’re curious about this liquid nitrogen ice cream you can grab a scoop (or two! or three!) from À La Minute at one of their three locations in Southern California: Claremont, Redlands and the city of Orange!

532 W. 1st Street Claremont, CA 91711

19 East Citrus Avenue #105 Redlands, CA 92373

117 N. Glassell Street Orange, CA 92866

If you still want to know more check out this video to learn how they use liquid nitrogen to form their extra delicious desserts!

North America, United States, Washington

5 Highlights of Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington

May 12, 2014 zaagitravel@gmail.com 1 Comment

Seattle. Land of rain, coffee, grunge, Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Costco and Amazon…

Also the closest major American city to my god son’s family.

A Very Brief History Lesson on Pike Place

Located on First Ave and Pike St, Pike Place Market is one of the oldest operating public farmers markets in the entire USA. The market, which opened in August 1907, was built on a steep hill overlooking Elliott Bay with the goal of offering regular consumers the chance to “meet the producer”.

With 10 million visitors a year it is one of the most visited attractions in the Pacific Northwest. It is filled with farmers and craftspeople looking to offer their produce and products to both locals and visitors.

TIP!: The best places to park are Western Ave., 1st Ave., and 2nd Ave.

These are my highlights from our morning at Pike Place Market. Feel free to add YOUR highlights in the comments below! I’d love to hear them!

1. THE ORIGINAL STARBUCKS You can’t start your day at Pike Place Market without first stopping at the original Starbucks.

Being a 23-year-old American female I am basically a religious follower of the coffee brand.

Okay… maybe that’s taking it a little far. But barely.

Starbucks is one of the largest business chains in the world – with nearly 21,000 stores across 64 different countries!

And it all started in Seattle in 1971. The actual very first location, which only sold coffee beans and not fresh brewed drinks, was closed down and then moved to this location in the mid-70s.

Even if you don’t like coffee, this is still a cool place to visit from a entrepreneurial/business frame of mind.

When I landed in Seattle my cousins and I headed from the airport straight to the mecca of caffeine addicts.

Can you tell I was excited?

I was surprised to learn that the original store has been kept in it’s most simple state – only serving certain drinks. And that’s all.

It’s kind of refreshing to enter a vintage version of the mega-coffee-maker. I’m all about bringing things back to basics.
Fun STARBUCKS facts and a tip:

— The brand was first going to be called Pequod, after a whaling ship from the book Moby Dick. Instead, it was named after the chief mate on the Pequod, Starbuck.

— The first Starbucks location outside of the U.S. opened in Tokyo, Japan in 1996.

— If you normally order a latte… stop. Order a cafe misto. It’s very similar to a latte but less expensive (and tastier in my opinion). You can have it plain or add pumps of your favorite flavoring.

2. The Fish Market

The fish guys are world famous for their fish-throwing ways.

It apparently all started when the workers grew tired of walking back and forth to retrieve a fish a customer ordered. They decided to keep a worker in the back with all the fish who would toss the order up to the front, saving time and energy.

I particularly liked this sign – “We sell only wild salmon caught by wild fisherman”.

The other fish and produce market’s around Pike Place are impressive also!

3. Flowers at the market

Thousands of flowers line the hallways of the upper street level. Flowers of every color and shape. The tulips here are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen!

And when do you NOT need flowers in your life?

Flowers are always a good idea.

4. The Market Theater Gum Wall in Post Alley

The infamous gum wall is located in Post Alley, just around the corner from Pike Place Market.

The tradition began back in 1993 when patrons would place coins in blobs of gum and stick them against the alley wall. It caught on, and by 1999 the wall was deemed an official tourist attraction.
My cousins and I couldn’t pass up the chance to make our mark on one of the “germiest” attractions in the world.

We each popped a piece of gum and started chewing away while we scoped out where we wanted to place our sticky artwork. This is me placing my piece of gum on the wall as my little cousin Sidney looks on.

How “Seattle” is this picture? Starbucks in hand, scarf around my neck, placing my gum on the gum wall…. That’s my piece in the very center above. That long stretched-out sort-of white piece. Ain’t she a beaut?

5. Food Highlights

A: The ConfectionalMini peanut butter cheesecake and cheesecake-on-a-stick from The Confectional. No description necessary.

B: Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

I HIGHLY recommend the mac n cheese from Beecher’s! It’s just phenomenal. Big penne-style pasta and creamy flavorful cheese sauce. It’s addicting. I warned you.

C: La Buona Tavola

Leek and potato soup (with a few drops of truffle oil)

So while I didn’t order an entire bowl of this awesomeness, I should have…

The sample I was given was TO DIE FOR – clearly, I downed it all before I could even get a photo. If/when I go back to Seattle I’m coming back here and getting a big steaming bowl of it!

So… those are my Pike Place Market (+ surrounding area) highlights.

What are yours?! Comment below and tell me!

North America, Tennessee, United States

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

March 24, 2014 zaagitravel@gmail.com

Menu & cones at Jeni's Ice Creams via ZaagiTravel.com — Modified from source: salisasaki Flickr

While in Music City for the KEEN Digital Summit last year, Kristin Luna and I hit up Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in East Nashville. This was my first experience with what is often referred to as “artisanal” ice cream.

Two words. Blown away.

The genius behind the delicious, Jeni Britton Bauer, quit school in 1996 to open her first ice cream shop in Columbus, Ohio. She has since been recognized in publications like Time, Cooking Light, Saveur, and Food & Wine.

I was impressed to learn that Jeni’s ice cream begins with grass-grazed Ohio milk and Fair Trade certification. #Winning!

So, as it goes, I sampled many of their flavors. Salty Caramel. Askinosie Dark Milk Chocolate. Brambleberry Crisp. The Milkiest Chocolate in the World — yes, that’s an actual flavor.

The one that stole my heart… the one I literally have dreams about… The Buckeye State.

It is described on their website as “rich and salty peanut butter [that] yields to the crunch of exceptional dark chocolate for perfect balance“.

I can’t say enough about this ice cream. It’s creamy, it’s got fun texture with the tiniest chocolate shavings, it’s lick-the-bowl good. And-then-have-a-temper-tantrum-because-it’s-all-gone good.

If, like me, you don’t live in Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, or Georgia (where Jeni’s shops are located), you can order online or find pints at a variety of stores, including Whole Foods.

Jeni's Ice Creams via ZaagiTravel.com/House of Hall Flickr — Modified from source: House of Hall Flickr

I really need to get my hands on a pint. And soon! This post definitely didn’t help my insane cravings for a scoop (or two. or three.) of that Buckeye State ice cream!

Have you tried Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams? Which flavor is your favorite?

Zaagi Travel