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A Complete Thanksgiving Meal — Rendered In Ice Cream Form

Turkey fat caramel ice cream with candied turkey skin brittle mixed in. I kid you not.

 

I just downed a scoop of turkey ice cream — and I loved it!

If you’re looking for a way to jazz up Thanksgiving, look no further than Salt & Straw.

The Portland-based ice creamery that has become a sensation with its highly unusual offerings has encapsulated the quintessential flavors of the Thanksgiving feast in its new holiday ice creams.

I had a chance to try samples of the five festive flavors, when pints were sent to my home.

I admit I opened a few of the cartons with trepidation, especially the Salted Caramel Thanksgiving Turkey one. But one taste had me convinced this indeed somehow does work. This rich ice cream tastes like what you get when you eat a forkful of roast turkey and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy — yet sweeter. Diestel turkey skin is turned into candied, crunchy brittle, bits of which are folded into this turkey fat caramel ice cream. It’s sweet-savory-salty — like everything you pile on your plate for the holiday. I know, I know, you are shaking your head. But trust, this concoction is actually rather genius.

Salt & Straw’s Roasted Peach & Sage Cornbread Stuffing ice cream.

What would sweet potatoes be without some marshmallow fluff?

What’s turkey without stuffing, right? Here, it takes the form of Roasted Peach & Sage Cornbread Stuffing. Swirls of roasted peach are visible in this sage-infused, woodsy ice cream. The peach is not cloying like jam, but slightly pickle-y and spicy tasting, slightly like how they would be in mostardo, owing to peach vinegar in the mix. Nuggets of cornbread brown sugar shortbread cookies do indeed add a cornbread-like taste with a jolt of crunchiness.

The Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecans tastes like butter brickle but with gobs of marshmallow fluff mixed in. A ribbon of maple syrup, along with chopped candied pecans, and plenty of cinnamon make this taste every bit like traditional sweet potatoes smothered with gooey, melty marshmallows.

A lovely Roasted Cranberry Sauce Sorbet.

After tasting Roasted Cranberry Sauce Sorbet, I now want to put cranberry sauce in sorbet all the time. It’s a beautiful deep wine color with a bright, slightly tart, very berry-forward taste. It’s made with roasted cranberries, cranberry juice and candied cranberry jam for an intense yet refreshing flavor.

Just like a slice of pumpkin cheesecake.

Lastly for “dessert,” there is Spice Goat Cheese & Pumpkin Pie. It has the tangy, autumnal taste of pumpkin cheesecake. It’s very cinnamon-y with streaks of baked pumpkin pie custard running through it.

You’ll want to gobble, gobble these Thanksgiving-inspired flavors.

Take a taste at any of the Salt & Straw locations in the Bay Area, where the new flavors are available by the scoop, flight or pint. (And look for the Palo Alto store to open any day now.) You can also mail-order a package of five pints of the flavors of your choice for $65, plus the cost of shipping. Best yet, for every pint purchased during November, Salt & Straw will donate a pint to a local anti-hunger organization in each city it operates.

Because, hey, if you don’t feel like cooking on Thanksgiving, this lets you enjoy all those delicious, nostalgic holiday flavors — in one surefire unforgettable way.

P.S. If turkey ice cream isn’t quite your cup of tea, you can enjoy Salt & Straw’s Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, and its Sightglass Coffee Cashew Praline with a mini churro from Tacolicious for only $2. The pop-up event is at Tacolicious’ Palo Alto location, 632 Emerson St., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 10-11 and Nov. 18.

All proceeds from the sales will benefit Palo Alto Partners in Education, a non-profit dedicated to raising funds to support Palo Alto Unified School District schools.