Summer Indulgences

Even though the warm weather is here you can still indulge (although it is bikini season). Just like in the cooler months you can treat yourself to something wonderful and rich. Let's face it although it's just bordering on the first day of summer you're probably tired of all that grilled chicken with everything and meager watermelon slices.

Every roadside stand and beach hut has some great sandwiches right now. Don't think twice about a chili dog with extra onions and cheese. Have it with a big cup of beer. whether it be the alcoholic, birch or root kind.(and whatever kind you have make sure it has a big, foamy head).Another summertime treat is a fresh off the grill burger smothered in a good sharp cheddar with a few strips of bacon or even Canadian bacon. Lobster roll is another foodie gift to oneself. It's just a meal of pure indulgence with a wicked blend of lobster and mayo on a buttered hot dog bun. If you want a food that's somewhere in between then go for barbecued wings. Yes, the chicken is good for you however that calorie rich barbecue isn't.

If you're dying for something sweet, then get one of those coffees that's more of a dessert than a drink.Anyplace from Starbucks to Dunkin Donuts is serving them with a vengeance this summer .Opt for a chocolate one with a huge puff of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Dunkin Donuts has its version of the famed frozen hot cocoa which tastes like a chocolate shake on steroids. Of course there's the old fashioned banana split that's easily made at home.Use flavor intense ice creams like vanilla, butter pecan, chocolate or strawberry and add two very ripe bananas. Finish up with your favorite topping and ,of course whipped cream. You can also make a luscious ice cream sundae too.

Even though this is the season for skinniness, treat yourself to some lush, calorie rich foods every now and then, It's fun and , yes, satisfying to sink your teeth into a juicy bacon cheese burger or an iced cream sundae. Forget that it's the start of bikini season. Treat yourself to something yummy!

Sundae Kind Of Love

Nothing beats an ice cream sundae even when the temps dip below freezing. There's something downright decadent about th e blend of ice cream, whipped cream and syrup. It may be good out but it's even better at home when you can customize with it all sorts of toppings too.

What sort of ice cream is the best base for a sundae? I prefer a gelato which is lighter than regular ice cream simply for that reason. You want something to be part of the treat,not overpower it. If you're still craving ice cream then stick with a basic vanilla or chocolate (you can try strawberry if you want however realize that you'll be limite d with toppings) You could also go with a chocolate chip or fudge swirl .These are always fun and provide the best foil for a choclate or fruit sundae.

As far as for syrups you can buy them or make your own. Purists may want to create their own which is easy to do these days. You can buy Droste baking powdered chocolate (you can also use Hershey's too) mix in with butter and sugar to create a fudgy, rich glaze. Also Fox's and U-Bet are pretty good and come close to creating that ice cream parlor taste. For whipped cream yes you can make your own going whole hog . I usually like the Cool Whip in a can because it's lighter and blends well with theother flavors. As for other toppings. go ahead and top it with a maraschino cherry or dust with chopped nuts. You can also layer chopped Spanish peanuts between the ice cream and syrup to create the famed Tin Roof sundae.

There's nothing like an ice cream sundae for the definitive treat. Make it as big or as little as you want. Start with a simple base, then add syrups along with fruit and nuts. As long as it tastes good to you and is as decadent as possible.

That Extinct Breed -The Ice Cream Parlor

Where have all the ice cream parlors gone to? If you're of a certain age, you'll remember like that (quick finger snap here). They were everywhere. Even some towns here in North Jersey had them. Now try to find one. Some do exist here in my state but they're down at the shore. I haven't seen any in this area since the late Nineties.

Don't get me wrong . I can still get a decent sundae in my neck of the woods. There are Friendlys all over here yet I classify them more as a restaurant than an ice cream parlor. They do make brilliant sundaes filled with the right amount of syrup and whipped cream. There's also Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins which serve the standard stuff like cones and banana splits. Yet there are really no family owned ones anymore. I'm sure there are a few left in Manhattan . Most of them are at the Jersey shore where the big seller's are just cones or cups. Luckily the ice cream is home made and some even have their own invented flavors.

Maybe entrepreneurs should bring back the old fashioned ice cream parlor. Look there are now a plethora of cupcake stores everywhere and this was a food that all but forgotten just a few years ago. It's time for old fashioned, brightly lit, long marble countered ice cream parlors to be revived.With them should come the ingenous and heavenly creations that not only we enjoyed but our parents and grandparents did as well. Who wouldn't want a melon or pineapple sundae made with fresh fruit and freshly churned vanilla ice cream? Or the bottomless banana split that can feed ten people? Or homemade malteds with real malt in them? There's nothing like getting a chocolate soda with friends or just spend a relaxing Saturday in a plush booth enjoying a simple chocolate syrup drenched sundae.

Ice cream parlors will be relegated to Americana soon enough. It's time to bring back these wonderful places. There's nothing like spending an afternoon in one enjoying freshly churned ice cream.