The Sweetest Detour of All

Way back in November, Megan and I embarked on a hilarious and fun-filled adventure together. We took the day off and planned to drive to Cincinnati to visit our great friend and former co-worker. Another friend who recently moved a few hours south of Cincinnati also arranged her schedule so she could meet us for the weekend. We couldn't wait, and, as it turns out, the weekend itself was nothing but a tremendous success.

But, as most of us have learned along the way at some point in our lives, sometimes the journey can be just as fantastic as the destination. That proved to be the case when Megan and I pulled off I-71 during the mid-point of our trip and ventured into an outpost of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.

This detour was suggested to us by my dad, who for the past nearly 40 years has traveled extensively for his job. His travel expertise comes in quite handy when you're curious about a good place for pizza in Boston, or have a hankering to sample the perfect burger in LA (In-N-Out, of course!!) This time, he recommended the best ice cream in Columbus, or indeed, in any place I have ever visited: Jeni's.

Ice cream lovers, and foodies of all kinds, be prepared to have your socks knocked off. One look at the Jeni's menu and you will immediately begin salivating and questioning your good fortune in happening upon such a truly magical place. Wildberry Lavender, anyone? Bourbon Buttered Pecan? Or how about Cayenne Ice Cream? Thai Chili? Or what about the most bizarrely harmonious combination of all, Mackenzie Creamery Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs?

Goat cheese ice cream, you say? Some readers might be wincing in abject horror right now, while others might be gazing off into the distance and thinking "That might just work....actually, that might just taste mind-blowingly amazing!" I was in the latter category, and was determined to sample the goat cheese and cognac fig ice cream, if for no other reason than I figured I might never have the chance to try something so uniquely whimsical ever again.

So, this knowledge in hand, Megan and I parked our car and waltzed into Jeni's. One of the many spectacular features of Jeni's is that they use local produce to create their ice creams. All of the fruit, cream and other enhancements are grown nearby in Columbus, or in other areas of the state. This is wonderful news for many reasons, among them being that it supports the local economy and helps create the freshest, most delightfully tasty ice cream around. Another lovely part of the Jeni's experience: you are encouraged to sample as many different flavors as you'd like before making your final selection. Rock on!

Megan and I sampled many interesting flavors and finally made our selections. I chose two scoops: one of Salty Carmel, and one of Mackenzie Creamery Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs. Megan selected one scoop of Salty Caramel and one of Bourbon Butter Pecan. We then took our ice cream and sat outside the store to eat, deftly ignoring the two young children running absolutely amok around the ice cream counter.

This is another example of how food can help to shape a memory. There we were, mid-way through a road trip visiting friends, sitting outside on a beautiful November day eating ice cream. We happened to stop at the Grandview Jeni's location, and it was ideal. This section of Columbus features a charming little street with restaurants, coffee shops and stores, almost all of them unique and one-of-a-kind. It was the weekend before Thanksgiving, which can sometimes be winter-coat weather in Ohio, but on this day it was sunny and fairly warm. I remember sitting outside the store window and eating ice cream with our feet up on the chairs. It was sublime, it was perfect, and the ice cream was unlike anything we've ever tasted!

The flavors at Jeni's are seemingly bizarre, of course, but what makes them work is that they're layered. So, my goat cheese and fig ice cream didn't taste like a true hunk of goat cheese, which would have been disgusting. Instead, I first tasted the sweet taste of cognac followed by the soft crunch of figs, and lastly my mouth detected a faint twang of goat cheese. It worked beautifully. The Salty Caramel, their signature flavor, was also quite phenomenal. You first taste a hint of dark caramel followed by a tiny wisp of salt.

After discussing this impending post with Megan, she reminded me of her Bourbon Butter Pecan and also emphatically told me that it was the best ice cream she'd ever had. I had a bite of hers, and I can confirm that it is absolutely out-of-this-world. I'm a big butter pecan lover as it is, but adding bourbon to it seems to make it an entirely different and decadent treat. Again, unlike what you might expect, the bourbon merely enhanced the ice cream rather than taking it over. You taste it after you taste the buttery pecan, rather than having an overwhelming taste of bourbon in your mouth. (hey...would that be a bad thing? Not so sure!)

We immediately became enamored of Jeni's and looked up the website once we returned from Cincinnati. We were excited to find out that they feature a rotating seasonal menu with as many intriguing flavors as their signature staples. When I discovered that they have an Ohio Sweet Corn and Berry ice cream, I promptly stated my desire to invent some bogus excuse for a trip to Columbus this summer so that I could swing by Jeni's try it. Megan's response? "I've actually had sweet corn ice cream before." This, ladies and gentleman, is how you know you've met your match in a spectacular friend! (That, and the fact that the two of you can sing all kinds of '80s music, word-for-word, for a combined round-trip total of 8 hours in a car! Who knew?)