“Savory” ice cream at Salt & Straw

[bcla]

We were at Downtown Disney in Anaheim last week on our weekend food tour of Southern California but got scared off by the line at Salt & Straw. But on the trip we did try Hans’ Homemade at the Anaheim Packing House (a former citrus packing warehouse), as well as Mashti Malone’s in Hollywood and Wanderlust Creamery in the Fairfax area of LA. While some of the flavors might have been someowhat exotic (like the saffron rosewater I got at Mashti Malone’s) they were still traditionally sweet like most would expect ice cream to be.

I’d heard about Salt & Straw before. I remember a Thanksgiving theme including turkey with cranberry, although that was done as turkey bacon bits.

But today it was fun. We were in San Francisco and they had two locations. The line was out the door but seemed manageable. And it was great that an employee would come out and offer samples while in line. They theoretically had no limit on samples too, but we tried to be reasonable. We ended up getting a prepacked pint of this and took it to a local park equipped with a scoop and sugar cones.

https://saltandstraw.com/products/charred-corn-curd-cotija-tajin

I remember the episode of The World According to a Jeff Goldblum on ice cream involved him picking out foraged ingredients from the forest near Portland and using those to make a special concoction that he shared with the crew of the amphibious assault ship, USS America, during their regular ice cream social.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I’m not familiar with any of the places you mentioned, but I’ve had corn ice cream at a Chinese restaurant in NYC, and it was delicious. Also had bacon ice cream once while traveling in Virginia. That was very good too.

 

[whiteness]

I had Salt and Straw’s coconut curry ice cream yesterday. It tasted just like a slightly spicy curr soup. Hardly sweat at all. I have diabetes and I have trained my palate to avoid overly sweet things, so this was the perfect level of sweetness for me. But I can see it isn’t for everyone.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have a local place here that serves bbq ice cream

Joe's BBQ & Burnt Ends (GF)
The perfect blend of sweet, spicy and savory! Joe's candied burnt ends and a BBQ caramel swirl.

It's pretty well loved.

 

[MillauFr]

Swensen's is the place to go for ice cream in San Francisco. Salt and Straw? What is that? A mixed drink concocted by some mixed up invader from Portland?

 

[bcla]

Swensen's is the place to go for ice cream in San Francisco. Salt and Straw? What is that? A mixed drink concocted by some mixed up invader from Portland?

I went to Swensen's a couple of weeks ago. Fun but certainly nothing like what I remember from its prime in the 70s and 80s. None of the big sundaes with names like The Earthquake nor any kind of grill. I also remember relatively cheap prices and prepacked half gallons.

I don't get the name of Salt & Straw. Obviously sounds a bit too precious. But they claim it's about how ice cream was made with rock salt to get ice below freezing and straw as an insulator. Could be worse. I heard of a pizza restaurant that used to be a shoe repair shop called Boot and Shoe Service.

https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2011/08/northeasts_portlands_salt_stra.html​

Can you explain what the name Salt & Straw means?​

We chose the name because our ice cream is handmade, in small batches, the way they used to make it back in the day. They used to use rock salt to make it freeze; then it was packed in straw to keep it cold. The first customer to know what it meant was someone who had toured Thomas Jefferson's property and seen how they made ice cream there. He was an ice cream fiend.​

 

[BrianL]

I love trying stuff like this. In fact, I am always defending Salt & Straw over on the news board and I am so happy that WDW now has one too.

 

[MillauFr]

I love trying stuff like this. In fact, I am always defending Salt & Straw over on the news board and I am so happy that WDW now has one too.

Defending it against who? The hoity toity crowd who would never stoop so low to step foot in a pedestrian ice cream place like Salt and Straw? Good riddins if that crowd doesn't show up. I would rather hang around plebiscites who frequent Salt and Straw.

 

[Christine]

Defending it against who? The hoity toity crowd who would never stoop so low to step foot in a pedestrian ice cream place like Salt and Straw? Good riddins if that crowd doesn't show up. I would rather hang around plebiscites who frequent Salt and Straw.

Oh I figured that Salt & Straw only attracted the hoity toity and the plebes would think it too high-brow for them!

 

[BrianL]

Defending it against who? The hoity toity crowd who would never stoop so low to step foot in a pedestrian ice cream place like Salt and Straw? Good riddins if that crowd doesn't show up. I would rather hang around plebiscites who frequent Salt and Straw.

No, it's nothing like that, it's just people who think the idea of a Chili-Lime or Bleu Cheese ice cream is gross. It's all very playful though. I've tasted Salt & Straw, and it's very good - far from pedestrian. If anything I might be the hoity-toity one.

 

[MillauFr]

No, it's nothing like that, it's just people who think the idea of a Chili-Lime or Bleu Cheese ice cream is gross. It's all very playful though. I've tasted Salt & Straw, and it's very good - far from pedestrian. If anything I might be the hoity-toity one.

By the time a brand has opened at Disney Springs it is mass market. Not hoity toity. Disney Springs is a hipster free zone. They wouldn't step foot in that place.

 

[BrianL]

By the time a brand has opened at Disney Springs it is mass market. Not hoity toity. Disney Springs is a hipster free zone. They wouldn't step foot in that place.

I'm not sure I agree with that. I mean - Gideons! It seems like plenty of foodie-hipster types love Disney and I think Salt & Straw is pretty much in their wheelhouse.

 

[bcla]

It was a bit strange in that I didn't see a single customer go straight in and get a pint while skipping the line. Everyone wanted samples, which they make part of the experience. But we probably could have done this when we were in Disneyland since it's a house rule for all their locations.

 

[Jennasis]

Defending it against who? The hoity toity crowd who would never stoop so low to step foot in a pedestrian ice cream place like Salt and Straw? Good riddins if that crowd doesn't show up. I would rather hang around plebiscites who frequent Salt and Straw.

Me. He's talking about me.

 

[BrianL]

Me. He's talking about me.

Well, not just you....

 

[DLgal]

Well, not just you....

Not JUST you two...

Salt & Straw might be the world's most overrated ice cream. It's always terribly inconsistent, unbalanced, and CHEWY for some godawful reason. There is no quality control there.

 

[MillauFr]

Me. He's talking about me.

Well when a Salt and Straw opens in Echo Park (LA) or Williamsburg (NYC) you know those neighborhoods have gone to pot.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Me. He's talking about me.

Me too. My SO and I read the monthly menu with relish and cackle over how disgusting it all sounds.

 

[Jennasis]

Me too. My SO and I read the monthly menu with relish and cackle over how disgusting it all sounds.

Its as If Bath & Body Works or Yankee Candle decided to open an ice cream store.

 

[bcla]

Had the caramelized turkey and cranberry sauce ice cream today at Downtown Disney. No line in the morning. Sampled all their Thanksgiving flavors. Didn’t like any of it other than the turkey.