Beware the Ides of March.
On Thursday, March 15, 2012, I patronized Cafe Luxembourg on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
"Hey there, sweetheart," I said to the hostess. "A table for two, myself and the ice cream sundae I am about to eat!"
I gave a hearty laugh, but she seemed unmoved. Anyway, humor is lost on some.
Enough small talk: the sundae at Luxembourg is wonderful. The hot fudge (which you pour on yourself) is velvety and luxurious. The whipped cream is capital. What places this sundae in the category of excellence, however, are the almonds. They are not just any almonds. They are sliced thin and candied, with a sweet, layered, crumbly complexity.
The sundae has 3 scoops of ice cream, and we were told the options were vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan or cookie dough. I rather awkwardly ordered 2 scoops of vanilla, and one of cookie dough. This seems like a bizarre combination, right? Anyhow, it does beg the question of what types of ice cream and in what combinations make the perfect sundae?
I shall explore this issue in future Chronicles.
I suppose we were feeling saucy, for we also ordered a Creme Brulee, which is a true delight for any lover of creams like myself. Cafe Luxembourg does a serviceable job with this classic. As I was eating this cream, though, I was starting to feel sick after my sundae and the other food I had earlier consumed for dinner.
In the end, I found myself at home, on my bed, moaning with equal parts pleasure and sickness.
Et tu, Creme?