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Blog Tasting Notes

Tea Ice Cream at Van Leeuwen

As I write, there are two flavors of tea ice cream at Van Leeuwen that I love.

Van Leeuwen is an ice cream chain that started in New York City. Now, you can find scoop shops across a large swatch of the United States and in Korea. According to their website, in the U.S. their name is pronounced “Van (like the car) Lou (like the name) Inn (like the hotel).”

Categories
Blog Tasting Notes

Hojicha Banana Smoothie

This recipe for a Hojicha Banana Smoothie is sweet and delicious without any added sugar. And, you can make it with only four ingredients! It’s a perfect summer treat–the frozen bananas give a luxurious texture and make it icy cold and refreshing.

The hojicha adds a delicious toastiness and complexity that compliments the natural sweetness from the ripe, frozen banana. Additionally, it provides that calm, steady energy from the caffeine and other compounds in tea.