Growers and Grocers

I’m a big fan of seasonally appropriate foods and flavors, so the other day when we were near one of our favorite ice cream places, we stopped because I wanted to have its homemade pumpkin ice cream. No dice. I was told by the owner, “It’s still September; we’ll probably have it later next week.” So much for my anticipation.

Enter Edy’s. In the past few years, this ice cream company has introduced special, limited edition flavors around the holidays. I remember one year I got hooked on apple pie. But my all-time fall ice cream favorite has to be pumpkin. I know I could make it myself — I have an ice cream maker — but making the purchase in the supermarket itself just signifies the change in seasons, which is satisfying. I feel the same way when I buy spiced wafers.

Right now, Edy’s is offering several fall/holiday flavors, which on its web site it classifies as “fun flavors.” Apple pie, which is a vanilla ice cream with chunks of apple pie in it, and Peppermint, which is a peppermint ice cream with peppermint candy pieces, are both available September-December. Pumpkin, however, is only available September-October. According to its web site, though, you can find the peppermint and pumpkin flavors in both its grand (regular) and slow churned (light) ice cream varieties, but the difference between the grand and slow churned selections in terms of fat is only about a gram or so.

The pumpkin flavor comes through, complemented nicely by a balance of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. I imagine it would make a great accompaniment to a slice of apple pie, a spiced fall cake, or, of course, all by its lonesome.