These Are Carla Hall's Favorite Ice Cream Treats In The US - Exclusive
Unless your sweet tooth is totally absent, chances are you enjoy ice cream now and again. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Carla Hall shared her favorite scoops in the country. Hall explored the origins of the frozen treat in an episode of her latest series "Chasing Flavor," which led her to sample the dessert far beyond the U.S., notably in Turkey and Florence. While she was fascinated by the unique texture of Turkish ice cream and understandably wooed by sweet cream gelato in Florence, Hall has her go-to picks when she's back home.
"I'm partial to Jeni's," she shared with zero hesitation. Jeni's ice cream boasts a wide selection of flavors, taking inspiration from classic desserts and adding its own sweet spin. For Hall, the lemon variations — Lemon Bar and Lemon & Blueberries Parfait — are a top pick. The former features tangy lemon curd, shortbread chunks, and coconut cream, while the latter consists of blueberry jam swirled into lemon buttermilk ice cream.
Where does she go for a scoop?
Taking home a pint (or three) of Jeni's is a guaranteed way to elevate your mood, but there's nothing like peering through a glass display at the towering mounds of ice cream and making a selection. When she's in D.C., Hall's one-stop shop for ice cream is Moorenko's, which also has a location in Silver Springs, Maryland. "I used to share a kitchen with them when I was catering," she reminisced and added, "That's a local brand that I like where I learned about the slow churn of ice cream," a technique that creates a creamy and unctuous texture.
"Susan Soorenko the owner, she was the one who basically upped my game in ice cream," Hall shared, elaborating, "Just learning from her and the difference between the overrun and all of that." Overrun describes the ratio of air in the ice cream, which affects sensory qualities such as the density and creaminess of the product. While these details might seem like overkill to the average consumer, Hall pointed out, "She's the reason I can appreciate expensive ice cream. Because I will pay for good ice cream." At Moorenko's you'll find flavors like Cherry Stracciatella, Cinnamon Cappuccino, Honey Lavender, and Butter Pecan, along with plenty of other combinations to titillate your taste buds.
For more Carla Hall, check her out in "Chasing Flavor," currently streaming on Max.