I thought I’d take some time to review a couple of places that opened up recently: Oh Yeah! Ice Cream in Shadyside and Gluuteny, a gluten-free bakery in Squirrel Hill.

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream - 232 Highland Avenue, Shadyside
Hours: 7am - 11pm Monday - Saturday; 9am - 9pm Sunday

Although my friends from Tea Leaves and another Pittsburgh blogger, Pittsburgh Needs Eated, have already reviewed Oh Yeah!, once I heard that they serve Guinness ice cream, well, I just had to see this place for myself.

My impression of Oh Yeah! was very positive. The guys behind the counter (the owner and his friend) were friendly, engaging, and very eager to discuss all topics related to ice cream and their brand-new enterprise. This felt very welcoming, as it seems sadly rare these days to find people who are truly enthusiastic about their work. The basic premise of ordering at Oh Yeah! is not unfamiliar: pick an ice cream, pick a mix-in (or two, or three), and enjoy a cold and creamy concoction of your own design. The result is similar to Dairy Queen’s Blizzard, which I completely loved as a kid. Thanks to the high quality ice cream and unique add-ins, though, this would be a very upscale Blizzard indeed.

The idea of mix-ins might make you think of cold stones, marble slabs, and others of that ilk. However, the possibilities are pushed to the limit here with nearly 100 options, ranging from classics (caramel, peanuts, Kit Kat) to the more inspired (nutmeg, fresh ginger, thyme), to simply bizarre (salmon, seaweed). Yes, you can put salmon in your ice cream. I wonder how many requests they get for that one.

As others have mentioned, the ice cream is sourced from Pittsburgh ice-cream masters Dave and Andy’s as well as Ohio’s Woo City Creamery. I was told that the flavors change daily, and they have about 16 options, including standard ice cream and sorbets as well as Woo Fu, a vegan, soy-based product, and Doggy Peanut Butter, an ice cream that’s suitable to feed both you and your furry companion (Oh Yeah! is very dog-friendly, and the owner’s dog is mascot).

We tried the Guinness ice cream with cocoa and malt, and Chai Tea ice cream blended with fresh ginger. I must say, the Guinness was a revelation: rich, malty, and smooth. Put aside your preconceptions about beer ice cream and just get this. It’s not about the novelty of beer, but rather a surprising depth of flavor. Okay, maybe it is about the beer, but just try it already! The Chai seemed a bit lighter in comparison, and I would have preferred it to be a bit more powerfully spiced, but the addition of fresh ginger perked it up nicely, giving a pleasant and slightly-sharp bite.

One thing that the Oh Yeah! boys are keen on promoting is their ice cream breakfast concept. The store actually opens at 7am, serving espresso drinks and offering to mix granola in your ice cream. I don’t really buy this idea, but it’s definitely a clever way to get people talking about the place. I do think that if they genuinely want to get people in for breakfast, it might help to also carry more conservative breakfast foods so they can do the pitch after getting people in the door. Otherwise, I imagine it would be tricky to create a market for such an indulgence first thing in the morning. Oh Yeah! does carry a few varieties of Enrico’s biscotti, so even if you forgo the 7am ice cream, there’s something available to dip in your espresso. *Update 10/27: They are now carrying muffins, bagels, and a full cereal/granola bar for traditional breakfasting, as well as soups for lunch.

I think Oh Yeah! is a great complement to the always-excellent Dave and Andy’s shop in Oakland, as Pittsburgh is long overdue for more than one place to get delicious ice cream. The Shadyside location should give it a lot of exposure to food-loving foot traffic, as it’s situated near some popular, upscale restaurants (Typhoon, The Red Room, and Casbah) and it’s a very short walk from the Eastside shopping complex, home of Whole Foods. The decor is modern and shiny (we were particularly amused by the restroom door, which is a large two-way mirror), and the mood is organic and Earth-friendly without seeming too crunchy (countertops are recycled from old bowling alleys, and there’s a recycle bin for your plastic ice cream cups). In other words, an excellent fit to the area. I definitely hope they will last through the winter and beyond, as I’m already dreaming of my next concoction…

Gluuteny* - 1923 Murray Avenue, Squirrel Hill
*I’ve just been alerted that the name is spelled GLUUTENY, not GLUTTENY. My apologies!
Hours: Monday CLOSED; Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am - 8:00pm; Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Gluuteny - dontcha love the name? - is a local gluten- and casein-free bakery opened up just a week or so ago. It’s especially local to me, being just a couple of blocks from my place. Despite the closeness, I didn’t get to visit until yesterday because the handwritten sign said “Sold Out” in thick marker every time I walked by. Who knew, I thought, that there were so many people suffering from celiac disease in Pittsburgh? When I walked in, the friendly girl at the counter explained to me that people had been driving from far and wide to visit the bakery, some even staying at hotels. Although I don’t closely know anyone with celiac, as someone who can’t imagine life without bread and cookies, I would certainly be among those travelling for the promise of being able to enjoy those things again.

Gluuteny uses their own special mix of potato, rice, and tapioca flours for their baked goods. Options range from tender chocolate-chip and cranberry-walnut cookies, to cupcakes, birthday cakes, pound cake, cinnamon-raisin bread, and small loaves of bread. Although they were not yet available, I look forward to trying their muffins and scones.

Since this is my neighborhood, I’m happy to see bakeries of any kind opening up here, and Gluuteny is not just for people with celiac. These are not poor imitations of wheat-based treats - everything we tried (cookies, cupcakes, pound cake) was light, moist, and flavorful, and just as good if not better than its wheat-based counterpart. It’s worth noting that Gluuteny is a small, counter type operation, so there isn’t really anywhere to sit, although since it’s right in the heart of the main business district of Squirrel Hill, one could easily make it a stop on the way to the grocery store, or buy a few cookies to enjoy with your cappuccino at 61C or one of the other nearby coffee shops.

While I probably won’t be going here every day (because, let’s face it, gluten-free doesn’t mean calorie-free), it’s a welcome option for cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and other baked goods, and for me, the added plus of being only a short walk away. People with and without celiac will be very pleasantly surprised - Gluuteny can no doubt allow them to indulge in all the gluten-free gluttony they can manage!

Pittsburgh icons: Tyrannosaurus Rex and Steelers colors of black and gold

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It started because I have a good friend whose job occasionally gets him free tickets to local events. The tickets in question were to a polo match, yes, a bona fide polo match in Pittsburgh! How could I, who was once one of those typically horse-obsessed little girls, pass up the opportunity to see a 2000 year old example of horsemanship? Perhaps not as mind-boggling as certain types of unusual dressage, but I imagined frothing ponies, cursing riders, close calls, and dramatic injuries. Yes, a good time to be had by all. It was to occur at Hartwood Acres, an old estate-cum county park that hosts a number of outdoor events through the year.

(more…)

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Is brioche the new cupcake?
This is probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I seem to be noticing brioche making more appearances locally. One case in point: my favorite coffee shop, La Prima, is now selling plump brioches at the counter. They’re made by Enrico’s, a bakery down the street from them, which is famous for their great biscotti.

I prefer a slightly airier brioche, but this wasn’t bad. I’ve heard, though, that many places serve something they call brioche but which is really Challah (e.g. for brioche french toast). I think I’ve only had challah once, so I’m not the best critic, but my impression is that it’s similarly sweet and eggy, but more dense and less buttery than brioche - sort of like King’s Hawaiian. Anyone who is reading this and knows more, I welcome corrections or additional details.

Heirloomania, continued

On the left: Brandywine - sweet and rich-tasting, acidic. On the right: Nebraska wedding - lower acid, bright and lively flavor. Lunching with Greek mizithra and a tasty cave-aged Gouda I found at Whole Foods.

Rhubarb Raspberry Tartlets
Somehow I stumbled upon a local farmer who still had some rhubarb growing past its usual springtime prime. I hurriedly bought it and made these tartlets. Some are strictly rhubarb, others have rhubarb and raspberry, which is a really terrific combination. I used a crust recipe from the August 2004 issue of Cook’s magazine, although in the future I might use one with a little bit of shortening instead of all butter, since I would have liked it a bit flakier. One thing about these tarts - they’re best served warm and don’t reheat particularly well. It’s probably wise to only make what you need and freeze any extra pastry dough for a future use. I made eight tartlets, which was, let’s say, a wee bit ambitious for two eaters. :)

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Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato (with olives for eyes and flanked by some red hybrid cousins, whose names I didn’t catch), this week at Farmers @ Firehouse in the Strip District.

I need to remember to plant these when I have an actual yard.

Is this not one of the best snacks ever? Sliced fresh tomato, salt & pepper, bread, and olive oil. The Cherokee’s flesh is darker on the skin than inside, but it’s juicy, sweet, and rich, not unlike Brandywine tomatoes.

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