Ice Cream and Charcuterie

There are many things that bring our family together in agreement but good food is definitely at the top of the list. I was raised in a home where we were encouraged to try everything and different cultures were experienced through food. Jacksonville, Florida is not exactly known for it's cultural diversity but one might be surprised by just how many different cuisines can be found in Jax. Maybe we can thank the US Navy and the many transplants from around the world that come through the two bases in town.

My parents love a good festival and I have the greatest memories of going to the Greek festival, the German-American festival and any other cultural festival that popped up on the calendar each year. My mom also loves recipes and cookbooks and was never afraid to make a new dish. This is also how Jeff and I have raised our girls. We remember when they were picky little toddlers but it wasn't very long before we were wishing we had not been so quick to share our grown-up food. Not only did it get expensive to go out with those two but they also became food snobs and were no longer satisfied with average fare. Honestly, Jeff and I could not be more thrilled that they love to eat and love good food. They have learned so much about other cultures through food and also experienced the common threads in culinary practices and enjoyment that make us more alike than different.

Here in Helen, with all of it's touristy Alpine charm, every restaurant offers some version of German and/or Bavarian food. From German beer on draft to Bratwurst and saurkraut - we are in heaven. What we were not expecting to find was a decent Thai restaurant. Spice 55 Thai and Sushi Bar is located in a plaza on the south side of town and their Basil Fried Rice and Pad Cashew were fantastic. The sushi was not the best but we were happy to find something a little different this far into the Georgia Mountains. Just down the plaza Ivy spied an ice cream shop and we headed there after dinner. Das Ice Cream Cafe seemed like it was going to be a typical ice cream shop in a tourist town. I expected the big cardboard tubs of mint chocolate chip and rainbow sherbert that can be found in any shop in the country. We were all thrilled and surprised to find freshly churned ice cream in a variety of interesting flavors that included alcohol-infused "adult" flavors and coconut-based, dairy-free flavors.

The shop itself was impressive with the menu displayed on clipboards hanging on the wall. The owner's artistic flair creates an expectation for flavor that is not disappointed in the tasting. Check it out when you are in town.

Jeff and I ran away last week when our work week was done and turned our errands into a little date. Between shopping for groceries and looking for a jacket for Lucy Pearl we found a #microbrewery, a wine and cheese shop, an old country general store and an outdoor trading post. It was a fantastic day that ended with a picnic supper next to the campfire.

Jeff and I shared a flight of different beers at Tantrum Brewing Company in Cleveland, Georgia. They have a beautiful, modern building with a large grassy area covered with picnic tables where we enjoyed our samples and the view of the growing hops. They have a different food truck there on busy days so we will be back.

On the way back to the RV we stopped by the Chattahoochee Cheese Market for a fromage and charcuterie board that we saw there earlier in the day. Ingles in Cleveland provided some additional items and we all enjoyed a fantastic friday night at our campsite.

Those little round things in the basket are Brazi Bites. We found them in the frozen food section at Ingles and Jeff almost did a backflip in the aisle. He fell in love with Brazilian Cheese Bread on his two mission trips to Brazil several years ago and was so excited. They are a naturally gluten free food that is made with tapioca flour so I got really excited too. Ivy and I stopped eating gluten (mostly) about 3 years ago. We both were having issues with our gut and after giving it up for about a month we saw a significant difference. It became easier over time and now we regret it when we cheat. These little bites of deliciousness were everything that Jeff remembered and made our day that much more perfect. So far, #dowdsizing has not minimized our ability to eat really well.