Bucks County Taste » Sweets

Chubby’s ice cream to-go

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:23:17 +0000

Ice cream is good. Ice cream you can take home…well, that’s even better. And dangerous.

Chubby’s Dairy Barn, the popular ice cream hang-out in Plumsteadville, has kicked it up a notch, introducing this season, Chubby’s Reserve, a line of their own recipe, take-home ice cream.

If you’re a fan of Chubby’s you already know they serve Nelson’s Ice Cream, made from local dairy in Royersford (Montgomery County) since 1946. But for Chubby’s Reserve, owner Jesse Burdinka decided to work with Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream from Shady Brook Farm in Yardley.

“Nelson’s is great,” explains Jesse, “but they don’t have the ability to do smaller batch, more seasonal flavors. They don’t have the right machinery.” He wanted the ability to do some different things, but he didn’t really want to be in the back making ice cream. “I like being out front, with customers. I like the contact with people.”

Most ice cream places have a community-like feel just because everyone is hanging around on a summer evening licking cones. But Chubby’s goes further. Jesse supports just about every cause in Plumsteadville and nearby, be it soccer teams, veteran organizations or local parks. He also works to keep the ice cream affordable, something not easy with the cost of milk the last few years. Jesse seems to be happiest when he sees folks eating contentedly, sitting on the picnic benches outside, or when the local little league team arrives en masse, hot, tired and yearning for ice cream. He loves the community, and it certainly seems the feeling is mutual. It’s probably one of the reasons Chubby’s doesn’t have a web page – but does have a Facebook group. “I love the two-way interaction of Facebook,” Jesse admits.

But the ice cream is important too. “We focus on butterfat content,” says Jesse, “It’s the mark of high quality ice cream.” Nelson’s is 16% butterfat. (Or did you not really want to know that? Ignorance is bliss.) And lower “overrun,” a term I learned from Jesse. According to the International Dairy Foods Association overrun “is the amount of aeration the ice cream undergoes during its manufacture that keeps the mixture from becoming an inedible frozen mass.” All ice cream starts out as a liquid mix or base, and then air is incorporated as it is mixed. For instance, 100% aeration would make 2 gallons of ice cream from one gallon of liquid base. Supermarket ice cream is usually high overrun, maybe 300 or 400%, explains Jesse, with lower butterfat consequently. Premium ice cream is low overrun with higher butterfat content.

So, why again did Chubby’s feel the need to create this take-home line of premium ice cream? Lower overrun, higher butterfat content (17%) and unique, seasonal recipes. Since Uncle Dave’s in Yardley had the manufacturing ability and knowledge, a partnership was born.

What about the flavors? There’s Minister of Defense, a homage to the Eagles’ Reggie White made of white chocolate ice cream, with white chocolate chips and white chocolate crunchies mixed in. Dulce de Leche, made with caramelized sweet milk. “It’s kind of like caramel for grown-ups, with a slight coffee flavor,” says Jesse. Then there’s Strawberry Shortcake - strawberry ice cream with strawberry and vanilla crunchies. A very popular, summery flavor is Matcha Green Tea, with real matcha green tea infused into the ice cream. Joker, named after the famous character from Batman, is mint chocolate chip ice cream with red raspberry puree ribbons. This recipe came about when Chubby’s staff noticed that a favorite customer combination in the shop was a scoop of mint chocolate chip and a scoop of black raspberry ice cream. “It looks like the Joker!” Jesse laughs. Rounding out the selection is Pistachio and Butter Pecan (“They don’t always sell well in the case, but people want it.”), and a Dutch-processed cocoa chocolate (“The fudgiest chocolate ice cream I’ve ever had in my life,” says Jesse.)

Jesse says they are still working on more flavors, so look in the cold case at the store, especially as the seasons change. The quarts sell for $7.85 each. Grab a few and take ‘em to a picnic, like we did last Sunday.

Chubby’s Dairy Barn
Stump Road and Route 611, behind the Plumsteadville Inn
Plumsteadville, PA
215.766.7554

By the way, Jesse wants everyone to know that Chubby’s will be hosting a benefit on Saturday, July 24th to support the Plumsteadville Veterans Memorial. It will be a 1940′s style USO show, beginning at 6:30 pm. Donations will go towards the township’s future veterans’ memorial at a site across from the Plumstead Christian School on Easton Road.

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Welcome Half-Pint Kitchen Ice Cream & Sorbet

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:47:32 +0000

Yippee!! I know that’s not very professional, but that’s how I feel.

My friend and fellow food blogger (extraordinaire), Robin Damstra, has launched her own artisanal ice cream business, Half Pint Kitchen Ice Cream and Sorbet. If you enjoy her exquisite blog, Caviar and Codfish, and photos, imagine what she’ll do with ice cream. Well, you don’t have to. Read her latest post all about her ice cream and see her beautiful photos (Oh dear. I’m gushing.) The post also includes a great recipe for Poached Apricots in Vanilla-Thyme Syrup with Crème Fraîche.

She’ll be selling soon at the Stockton Farmers’ Market. You can also find news about Half Pint Kitchen Ice Cream and Sorbet on their Facebook page.

Happy 1st Anniversary…sort of

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:21:54 +0000

Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar- the famous Goodnoe’s ice cream of Newtown – is celebrating their first anniversary since reopening last year. In case you missed the story, the next generation of Goodnoes, brother and sister Colin and Kendall, reopened this landmark last July 17th after a two-year break. The new store started with the 12 original flavors, and over the past year has expanded the offerings to include 22 homemade flavors. And…(drumroll)… a special surprise flavor is being created for the anniversary weekend.

Everyone is invited to stop by and join in the celebration. Purchase a cone, cup, sundae or other ice cream treat festively decorated with red and white sprinkles from noon to 10 p.m. at 4 S. Sycamore St. in Newtown, just a short lick down the street from the former location at Goodnoe Corner.

“It’s difficult to believe it’s been a whole year since we opened the new store. We’ve been truly embraced by the community—everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. It has been a wonderful first year, and we are looking forward to many more,” said Colin Goodnoe.

Since 1918, four generations of Goodnoes have made dairy products in a plant on the family farm in Newtown. Now the tradition continues.

Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar
4 S. Sycamore St.
Newtown, PA
www.goodnoe.com
215.968.3544

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Goodnoe's is back!

Bucks Food Calendar: May 21, 2010

Lynne Goldman — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:00:48 +0000

AAGGH. I have to admit, that’s what I’m feeling right now. We are fortunate to have my whole family in visiting this week – and have beautiful weather – from parts far and wide: England, California, Miami and…Newtown (that would be my parents). So I don’t have much time to blog this weekend. But there is a lot of fun stuff going on. I’ll just make the highlights short and sweet. And if none of this tickles your fancy, go pick some strawberries! See our post on where you can pick-your-own (PYO).

All on Saturday, May 22nd, when the weather should be lovely…

Carversville Day
Yardley Beer Fest
Newtown Uncorked
Farmers’ Markets – Wrightstown, Doylestown and Stockton
Wine Tasting for a Cure

And on Sunday, May 23rd when the weather may be a little wet, go inside to…

There’s more too. Check out the Food Events in Bucks County calendar for more details and events, this weekend and beyond!

Friday, May 21st:
Forecast – Sunny, 87°

Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [11 am - 7 pm]
Warrington Farmers’ Market @ Valley Square, Warrington [3 - 6 pm]
6th Annual Taste of the World Gala, Pearl S. Buck International, Perkasie [7–10pm]
Barbara Trent @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [7 - 11 pm]
Bob Egan @ Bowman’s Tavern, New Hope [8 pm-12 am]

Saturday, May 22nd:
Forecast – Sunny, 79°

Doylestown Farmers’ Market, Doylestown [7 am - 12 pm]
The Lucky Cupcake Grand Opening, Pipersville [7 am - 5 pm]
Wrightstown Farmers’ Market, Wrightstown [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [9 am - 3 pm]
Carversville Day, Carversville [10 am - 4 pm]
Newtown Uncorked, Newtown [12 - 5 pm]
Wine Tasting @ Phillips’ Fine Wines, Stockton, NJ [12-5 pm]
Foraging Farm Tour with Wildman Steve Brill, Horsham [1 - 3 pm]
2010 Yardley Beer Fest, Yardley [1 - 5 pm]
Wine Tasting for a Cure, Lambertville, NJ [6 - 9 pm]
What’s Hot on the Culinary Scene with Melanie Maloney, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]

Sunday, May 23rd:
Forecast – Rainy, 66°

Breakfast Buffet @ Plumsteadville Fire Co., Plumsteadville [7 am - 12 pm]
The Lucky Cupcake Grand Opening, Pipersville [7 am - 5 pm]
Breakfast Buffet @ Father Gallen Council 5494, Warrington [7:30 am - 11 am]
Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown [9 am - 1 pm]
Stockton Farmers’ Market, Stockton, NJ [10 am - 3 pm]
The 3rd Annual Bucks County Chocolate Show, New Hope [10 am - 4 pm]
CB Cares 3rd Annual Celebrity Chef & Waiter Gala 2010, Doylestown [6 - 10 pm]

Monday, May 24th:

Fire up the grill South of the Border style! @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
Techniques of Cooking I: Knife skills and Vegetable Cookery, Doylestown [7 - 9 pm]

Wednesday, May 26th:

American Legion Meals on Wednesdays, Quakertown [11:30 am-9 pm]
Complimentary Beer Tasting @ the Copper Leaf Grill, Buckingham [5-9 pm]

Thursday, May 27th:

Lower Makefield Farmers’ Market, Yardley [3:30-6:30 pm]
New Hope Farmers’ Market, New Hope [3:30-7 pm]
Springtown Farmers’ Market, Springtown [4-7 pm]
Lobster Night @ The Centre Bridge Inn, New Hope [6-10 pm]
Fire up the grill South of the Border style! @ The Cooking Cottage, Sellersville [6:30 - 8:30 pm]
Doylestown Food Club Town Hall Meeting, Doylestown [7:30 - 9:30 pm]

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Bucks Food Calendar: May 14, 2010

Tidbit, or should I say “cupcake?”

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:00:18 +0000

The Lucky Cupcake Company, a new bakery in Plumsteadville, is finally fulled baked, you could say. We peered in the windows a couple of months ago after breakfast at Groveland’s Grill only to be disappointed. Jesse Berdinka at Chubby’s Dairy Barn had told me about the bakery right around the corner from his ice cream store. Well, we’ll have to check out the new place since this weekend, May 22nd & May 23rd is their Grand Opening, from 10 am – 3 pm. And they’re giving out FREE cupcakes (limit one per customer). They also make custom cakes, cookies and tarts, in case for some reason you don’t like cupcakes (???).

The Lucky Cupcake Company
Plumstead Crossing
6011 Kellers Church Rd (near Rt 611)
Pipersville, PA
267.362.5136

Tidbit: Town Crier Bakery

Lynne Goldman — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:30:15 +0000

Nice article in yesterday’s Intelligencer on Kerry and Roseann Burns, who own and run the Town Crier Bakery in Lahaska. Roseann and I have gotten to know each other through Facebook, of all places, where she insists on putting up delectable photos of the bakery’s creations that make me salivate.

Another good place to go for Easter goodies.

You can reach them by phone at 215.794.9910, online at www.towncrierbakery.com, or on Facebook.

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Tax season

Easter cookies

Lynne Goldman — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:00:52 +0000

Easter confections always look so good – so spring-like and colorful. I probably don’t need to tell you where to buy your candy and sweets, but Kim Laughlin, a.k.a. The Cookie Lady, recently reached out to tell me about her creations. I’ll have to do a post on her in the future, but this photo of Easter cookies on her web site demanded my attention now.

Park Avenue Pastries has been hand-baking, icing and decorating designer cookies for over eight years at their facility in Chalfont. You can order their cookies online or look for them at None Such Farm Market in Buckingham and The Larder in Doylestown. You can also reach them at 215.997.8466.

Happy Holiday!

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Ice cream and cake at Chubby’s

Lynne Goldman — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:00:45 +0000

Yum Alert. Beth Raynock, the wonderful cake decorator at Chubby’s Dairy Barn in Plumsteadville, will be holding a cake tasting this Sunday, March 28th between 1 – 4 pm to benefit charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations (100% of public donations directly fund their water projects).

The cost is $10 for cake and beverages.

Come try Beth’s non-ice cream desserts and help a great cause. Visit her facebook page or Web site to learn more. Beth is also pastry chef at Kome and creates custom cakes for The Ferndale Inn.

Tax season

Lynne Goldman — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:29:28 +0000

I feel a need to apologize for the lightness of my online presence these past few days. I’ve been pulling together our taxes. Ugh. Should be done today and I’ll send it off to the accountant. And I’m not posting this just to prove to the IRS that Bucks County Taste exists, and is worth some of those deductions! (But if you think it is, please feel free to comment on how much Bucks County Taste has enriched your life, and supported our local economy. You never know what might help in an audit.)

In the meantime, I’m off to do some errands, including a long overdue visit to the Town Crier Bakery in Lahaska which has just brought sticky buns out of the oven (sigh). They say if you whisper “HUMP DAY” to Sandy, you’ll receive a free sticky bun. Any excuse.

I’ll also be updating the Food Events in Bucks County calendar later today. Be sure to check in to plan your weekend.

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Tidbit: Town Crier Bakery

Feb 27: Chocolate Cake, Strawberries & Kalua

Lynne Goldman — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:00:24 +0000

I kid you not. Today is (supposedly) National Chocolate Cake Day, National Strawberry Day AND National Kahlua Day. That should cheer you up. And tomorrow? National Chocolate Souffle Day. Catch all the food holidays at Foodimentary.