Ruby Jewel: re-capture that summer feeling!

Dear Readers,

And so it is September. And so the summer seems to fade away like a distant memory of a rose-tinted time of wonder and glory. And so it is that a Whimsical girl in want of inspiration must attempt to re-capture that wonder through the medium of the memory of ice cream!

Portland, oh Portland! Land of promise, hand-crafted paper and the perfect ice-cream scoop.

Many local Stumptowners and visitors swear by Salt and Straw ice cream for its most bizarre and unexpected flavours, but for a simple old-fashioned girl like me who is never really in favour of mixing ch**se and ice cream together (http://saltandstraw.com/pear.php) Ruby Jewel make the most perfectly creamy and straightforwardly good ice cream.

The menu is tempting yet simple here with a host of 'Always Flavors' and then a series of 'Specials' depending on the parlour.

Always Flavors include:

• Caramel with Salted Dark Chocolate
• Oregon Strawberry
• Espresso
• Cookies & Cream
• Double Chocolate
• Singing Dog Vanilla Bean

Whilst some of the specials are:

• Honey Lavender
• Malted Milk Chocolate Cookie
• Banana Cream Pie
• Peanut Butter Dream
• - – - – Cow Free – - – -
• Pear Vanilla
• Pineapple Basil
• - – - – Soft Serve – - – -
• Malted Vanilla with Cherry
• Caramel Latte Fresh Mint with Chocolate Flake

Additionally, you can top your ice cream with delicious home-made sauces, or go for a legendary Ruby Jewel ice-cream sandwich if you're in the need of more than just the ice cream, and, like in any good ice-cream parlour, milkshakes are always available! (Of course, after HOT CAKES there was no way I could have a milkshake!)

I went for the simplest of all options - Singing Dog Vanilla Bean with hot chocolate sauce - and boy, oh boy, was it good! The Vanilla Bean came out strongly and the structure of the ice cream was amazing - super-thick and rich with that distinctively American ultra-fast whipping that leads to the extreme creamy goodness of a delicious and long-lasting ice cream. The thick ribbons of the chocolate sauce added the ultimate extra direction and lead to the ultimate late-night ice cream perfection in a bowl!

The SIBF was more adventurous... He went for a 'Special Flavor' of Chocolate with Rippled Raspberry Jam. We decided it looked a bit like a special effect from a horror film. It wasn't exactly my kind of ice cream, but if you like a raspberry covered chocolate goo mess, then this is the ice cream for you!

In super-cute style, the parlour is filled with pretty 'Flavor Suggestion' cards for you to fill in. I'm not sure what happens if they do make your flavour, but I'm hoping they give you a bell and invite you in for a free scoop! Maybe they'll make mine and go on to pay for my air fare back?

When you've made your suggestion, pop it in the pink post box and sit by that telephone waiting for the call! 

 So, Ruby Jewel: a perfect parlour for an ice cream pick up. Why isn't there one near me?

Until next time,
Silver Whimsy x

 PS SIBF made it to the end of the Monster SFX Chocolate and Blood Ice Cream Cone... but he's never been the same since...