Broom's Bloom Dairy (AKA "The Ice Cream Farm")

This post takes us back to 2007 when we were new parents enjoying our first spring during our tour in Aberdeen, Maryland.  Since it was Kyla's first Mother's Day, I wanted to make sure I fixed something special for dinner that night, which involved an extensive search for good meat to grill and something sweet for dessert.  Based on a tip received from a coworker, I decided to head to a lonely stretch of road that housed a local dairy farm known as Brooms Bloom.  Advertised as providing "Harford County agricultural product as well as some specialty items in addition to our own old fashioned hand dipped ice cream made right on the farm," I thought this would be a great source for a special Mother's Day dinner - and was right!

Kyla and 8 enjoying the backyard flowers for their first Mother's Day

Just so you know, I do not posses the sweet tooth in our relationship, and was quite frankly more interested in the local meats than the ice cream when I arrived at Broom's Bloom.  There was a small selection of meat in the freezer, which yielded a couple of nice (albeit expensive) rib eyes for the grill, but the real treat was with the ice cream.  I always suspect that Kyla is really the alter ego for Betty Crocker so in addition to the meat, I decide to come home with a pint of graham cracker cake batter ice cream that was served with fresh blueberries after dinner.  My steaks were forgettable, as evidenced by what we both remember most from that first Mother's Day - the incredible ice cream!

The flavor and texture of the graham cracker cake batter ice cream was so mind blowing, we found ourselves heading back up Highway 543 early and often that summer, often as a Sunday treat after church services.  The various flavors of ice cream were the grand prize, but we were also pleasantly surprised by the quality of food offered for lunch in the afternoon.  There are a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, and quiches available for lunch, all of which are delicious.  If you find yourself in the area, we recommend going with one of the combos.  My personal favorite is the Cowman's Repast, which is a cup of soup, stew, chili, or mac n' cheese; sandwich; and ice cream.  I can't remember ever ordering anything else during the family's many trips to Broom's Bloom, and was particularly fond of the cream of crab soup with the pulled pork sandwich. Maryland crab soup is already a local delicacy, but the way Broom's Bloom fixes it with cream provides a special twist that is hard to beat with a sweet and tangy punch.  If I knew a trip to the ice cream farm was in the works for the weekend, I would always get antsy about getting the girls out of the house early since the cream of crab does sell out - and once you've tasted it, nothing else would suffice.  In fact, cream of crab soup is one of the things I miss most about Maryland.

As good at the lunches are, they were always a precursor to the ice cream.  Every time you walk into Broom's Bloom, you'll see a chalkboard that list the day's flavors.  There are some standards that you could expect to find just about every time (chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream, etc), but there are also specials that come and go with the seasons.  Kyla's personal favorite was the dirt ice cream, and we'd usually find ourselves going home with a pint of dirt after our lunch.  I tried to experiment with new ice creams to make up for the fact that I always ordered the same soup and sandwich for lunch. Some of the more memorable flavors were chocolate cake batter, cranberry walnut, cinnamon honey vanilla, and sweet corn.  I know, sweet corn sounds like a weird ice cream flavor, but they had it and I tried it.  As a matter of fact, you can try any flavors you want before committing to a full bowl, and I always took advantage of that opportunity.

In addition to the incredible lunch and ice cream, Broom's Bloom was a fantastic place for a family,or even a few families dining together, to hang out.  There is limited indoor seating, but plenty of room outside to eat at a picnic table, or even to set up your own picnic on the lawn.  Our church group's favorite meeting place was Broom's Bloom since the ample outdoor area allowed our toddlers room to burn off energy.  Even after we transferred two hours south to the Washington DC suburbs of Virginia, we would still find reasons to make a pilgrimage to Broom's Bloom for a picnic topped off with ice cream.  Kyla had even convinced our new church group to take a trip to Maryland for lunch and ice cream, with a few parishioners headed south with a pint sitting under some dry ice in a cooler.

Church group toddlers and moms enjoying the outdoor dining

If you're looking for a great dining experience in Harford County, Broom's Bloom Dairy fits the bill nicely.  The only drawback is the dining can be weather dependent with the limited indoor seating.  Even when the weather turns south, you can still pop in for a quick pint to go - and even pick up some locally produced meats, vegetables, and cheeses for your own meal at home.  Though don't be surprised if your own cooking prowess gets overshadowed by the pint sized frozen treat from what we affectionately call "the ice cream farm."

Throwback Friday

Okay, so I know that "Throwback Thursday" is more traditional, but I'm typically a day behind.  Plus, I happen to have today off, which made Kyla and I nostalgic over the Fridays we had together while I was in grad school in Monterey - when the girls were in school and we had the morning and early afternoon to ourselves.  Those Fridays typically resulted in some sort of gastronomical adventure in the Monterey area, often ending with us walking the kids home from school with wine on our breath.

This week's memory posting is one of our favorite little cafe's in Monterey, Louolu's Griddle in the Middle.  I say little because the restaurant is easy to miss being near other larger establishments, and the indoor seating could barely fit twenty people.  Despite the diminutive size, Loulou's is still a local favorite and a must visit for any closet foodie looking for a good meal in a quirky environment.  Part of the quirky charm is Lulu's location, which is right in the middle of the Municipal Wharf adjacent to Monterey City beach.  For newcomers and visitors to Monterey, do not confuse the Municipal Wharf with the Fisherman's Wharf.  The Municipal Wharf has working fish vendors at the end, and you could often see trawlers offloading their catch of calamari or sardines that will end up in markets or restaurants within the day. Fisherman's Wharf, on the other hand, is a tourist trap with a bunch of crappy, overpriced places to eat and souvenirs shops devoted to separating you from your money.

Loulou's Griddle in the Middle - Better than any tourist trap on Fisherman's Wharf

Most of our trips to Loulou's involved a wait for a table, owing to the restaurant's popularity and small size. With its location, we'd often walk along the wharf, watching people fish, or watch the numerous birds, harbor seals, sea lions, and sea otters play in the surf.  Since there isn't a whole lot of room to sit and wait at the Loulou's (have I mentioned it's a small cafe?) the staff will take down your cell number and text you when your table is ready, giving you plenty of latitude to walk on the pier or even get your toes wet on the beach while waiting for a table.  If you're not into waiting, I recommend going during an off peak time, but not to wait too long.  The restaurant is closed from the mid afternoon until the dinner service to allow the chef to prepare his nightly dinner special.  And if you plan on dinner at Loulou's you can call ahead for your table.

Sea otters near the pier

Once seated, you're in for a treat from chef Benito.  I highly recommend getting a seat at the counter where you can watch Benito work and interact with the kitchen staff, who are very friendly.  I don't think I ever ordered straight off the menu, since Benito's specials were always the most intriguing offer of the day.  On "normal" days, the special was often a specially prepared fish with salad, with the fish coming straight from the bay to the table.  Our favorite times to head to the pier were the special theme nights Loulou's would have, such as Buffalo Night, Crab Night, or Abalone Night - with the themed nights normally coming on a Thursday or Friday.  These evenings were definitely a treat, with generous portions of buffalo ribs and chili, steamed dungeness crab, or fried abalone sliders expertly prepared and filling my belly.  Our oldest child was a fan of Benito's specials, whereas our youngest was a bit pickier.  Even though Loulou's does not have a dedicated kids menu, Benito was more than happy to prepare a hot dog, grilled cheese sandwich, ladle a bowl of his award winning clam chowder soup, or make sure the kids mugs were always filled with the locally produced Sparky's Root Beer for children of more discerning taste (i.e., picky).  Aside from the adventurous cuisine, the breakfasts at Loulou's were also a hit with the kids, especially the pancakes that were as big as the plate.  Finishing the pancakes was always a team effort for the family, but well worth it.  

Oldest daughter with the dungeness crab special  - and yes, she finished it!

Loulou's isn't special for the great food, local ingredients, or generous portions though.  What kept us coming back was the welcoming atmosphere and friendly service.  We were always greeted by the same people, who were always happy to see us, and especially happy to see our girls.  When we were fortunate to get a seat inside, Benito would pay special attention to the girls and make sure that their dining experience was special.  We did eat outside fairly often since those would be the only tables available, and with the central California weather being what it is, the staff was always prepared with a blanket for patrons who hadn't figured out that sweaters and/or jeans were a necessity during  a Monterey summer.  If you happen to find yourself in the beautiful Monterey peninsula, there are a plethora of dining options available.  You would do yourself a favor by going slightly off the beaten path and taking a stroll to Loulou's Griddle in the Middle on the Municipal Pier.