You might think turkey and ice cream don’t mix. Well, the minds behind Salt & Straw are here to disagree.
If you’re a dessert lover living on the West Coast, you’re probably already familiar with this Portland-based ice cream chain, whose original flavors mix sweet and salty to the perfect degree. Now until Thanksgiving Day, Salt & Straw is offering a seasonal menu with a five-course “dinner” that is sure to make you feel like the true American you are.
And to make it even better: Salt & Straw is now donating one Thanksgiving-themed pint for every one purchased to the L.A. Food Bank!
To make sure I got the full Thanksgiving experience, I sampled all five flavors.
1. Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan
A sweet yet spicy combination of roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized pecans, maple sugar and marshmallow— this flavor was, by far, my favorite.
2. Buttered Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Made with boiled potatoes and real gravy, this one really did taste like what it promises: the denseness, savoriness and saltiness of a mashed potato but the sweetness of an after-dinner treat.
3. Persimmon Walnut Stuffing
Made with actual homemade stuffing, walnuts, bourbon raisins, olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander and roasted persimmons. Like most Salt & Straw ingredients, everything in this stuffing was grown locally for that fresh, organic taste.
4. Salted Caramel Thanksgiving Turkey
The main course scoop had me really thrown at first, because I, like many others, was pretty sure it would be impossible to enjoy a meat-flavored ice cream.
However, those geniuses really pulled it off. Made from onions, turkey stock, crispy turkey skin and various spices, the main course is actually their best-seller right now.
Apparently, so many people are curious to try the result that they sample it and end up liking it so much they order a whole cone of it.
5. Spiced Goat Cheese & Pumpkin Pie
A mixture of mashed pumpkin, goat cheese and pumpkin pie spices, this one was a delicious, albeit confusing, note to end on. But, given the chance, I’d do it again.
All five L.A. locations are still offering this truly memorable dining experience until 11 p.m. daily.
Photos courtesy of Sarah Steuer; Gifs courtesy of Giphy.