I considered titling this blog post
"Compelling reasons to visit the best local ice cream shop even if you
don't do dairy–and even if you don't do ice cream" but that seemed a bit
unwieldy.
As we are in so many other ways, we are spoiled
for choice for local ice cream in the Valley.
There are soft serve ice cream stands open in summer, farm stores and
shops open year round, and local brands sold in grocery stores so you can pick
up a pint with your regular shopping. I
could write a post on each of them – and I just might. If blogging about ice cream paid the bills,
I'd definitely have my dream job.
I'm going to begin with Herrell's, for three reasons. One, they are the best and we might as
well start at the top! Two, they have
just completed a major renovation of their shop. There was a soft opening end of October and
the official grand reopening is coming up on Sunday, January 22, Noon-2:00pm. Third, they have sold wonderful baked goods since the 1980s, not just as an also-ran to
their ice cream, but delicious enough to stand on their own merits, and their
newly renovated shop gives them enough space to display their entire line of
baked treats at once and not have to rotate them. In fact, I should do two posts on Herrell's,
this one on their baked goods, and another featuring their unique ice cream.
Most ice cream shops have cookies,
brownies, sometimes pies, to serve à la mode. A few even bake
them themselves. But you probably wouldn't
think to go there, rather than a proper bakery, if you were craving a chocolate
chip cookie. With Herrell's, you should. For over 25 years, they have been putting as
much effort into perfecting yummy baked goods as they have into their ice
cream, with equally superior results.
Ice cream may be my favourite food, but
baked goods are a close second and, as an intrepid baker myself, I am extremely
picky and judgmental about every cookie and brownie I buy. I'm lucky not to have any food sensitivities
but it seems that everyone I know is either avoiding gluten or eggs or dairy
(or all three!). I have attempted to
bake to accommodate various dietary restrictions, and it is always a trial to
get the flavour, texture, and appearance up to par with the traditional
version. Herrell's has embraced this
challenge. Since 1993, they have sold
Herrell's No-Moo dairy-free cookies and brownies. Some products in their No-Moo line have eggs,
some are vegan, and some are gluten-free.
That may sound complicated outside of the Valley, but it is necessary to
cater to a variety of dietary restrictions and choices here. It also means that, whatever your personal
dietary needs, you can find a treat at Herrell's that you can enjoy, whether
you decide to top it with No-Moo ice cream or devour it on its own.
Over the years, I've tried all of Herrell's
baked goods, mostly à la mode at first, but I eventually found myself gravitating to
Herrell's when I was just after a cookie or brownie (or, better yet, for those
of us who don't want to have to choose, a brookie) because theirs were better
than the ones at other local bakeries.
If they were out of the traditional version, I've always been happy to
get the No-Moo version instead because they were just as tasty. That was noteworthy to me. There has been a tremendous improvement in
dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free products in recent years, but you still
wouldn't normally eat them unless you had to.
I truly shit you not when I say that at Herrell's, it doesn't make a
difference.
Purely in the interest of conscientious
research, of course, I ate my way through some of the Herrell's
First up, the classic chocolate chip
cookie. The No-Moo version is heavy and
dense – nothing worse than picking up a light cookie – and almost molten in the
centre. It's not overly sweet, which is
rare in a cookie I haven't made myself.
I don't think there is anyone on earth pickier about chocolate chip
cookies than I am and these meet my high standards.
One day, I decided to take a chance on the No
Moo potato chip cookie. I imagined any
cookie with potato chips in it would be crunchy and greasy and salty and I was
just sceptical about that. I was
wrong; it's nothing like that at
all. It is chocolatey, with lots of tiny
chips, not salty, and the potato chips are ground finely enough that they add
texture but not crunch. Just try it.
The final No Moo vegan cookie I tried was
the chocolate walnut flourless. It's
made with egg whites, like a meringue, so it's gluten-free but not vegan, but
it is delicious, with the slightly shiny exterior and rich interior
characteristic of flourless cookies.
The last No Moo vegan treat I've sampled is
the vegan black bean brownie. Using
black beans in vegan brownies to replicate texture normally created by the eggs
has been a thing for awhile. I've even
tried it, with minor success. But I was
never very enthused about it. After
tasting Herrell's version, I am officially a convert. They have great texture and flavour, with gooey
chocolate chips that melt in each bite.
You would never know they were vegan or black bean if no-one told you. Get one warmed up with ice cream on it and
you will be in heaven.
Herrell's was in the vanguard with
non-dairy ice cream, and also with non-dairy baked goods. Sounds a bit odd but it actually makes sense:
If you make delicious ice cream and baked goods, you want everyone to be able
to enjoy them. The taste and texture of
food products for people with various food intolerances has improved
exponentially, but Herrell's was doing it before it was cool, and they've put a
lot of research into achieving superior flavour and texture. If you live in the area, or are visiting, go
to Herrell's. I personally guarantee
your foodgasm—and no-one is paying me to say that, I speak from personal
experience and enthusiasm.
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