Garlic-Raspberry Ice Cream?

Walking down Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida, I spied a curious sign: an advertisement for garlic-raspberry ice cream. The ad, posted by Foxy's Ice Cream & Dessert Cafe, attempted to persuade the reader to try this ice cream by touting its unique ability to alienate other people. "Meeting with the ex and their lawyer? Eat this ice cream and cut that meeting time in half!"

I am always in favor of culinary exploration, but this seemed rather dubious to me. Nevertheless, I turned onto South East 5th Avenue and entered a homey, cheerful ice cream shop named after somebody's dog. "So what's this about garlic-raspberry ice cream?" I asked. "Is this for real?"

A man who must have been the owner offered proudly, "It was my idea! I originally came up with it a few years ago for the Garlic Festival."

I hesitated, and then decided to take the plunge and ask for a sample. I took the spoon, held it to my lips and...

...it was all wrong! The garlic flavor stuck out like a sore thumb. Raspberries and cream is a nice combination, as is garlic and warm cream, but not raspberries, sugar, garlic and cold cream. Trying to forget the taste, I made my exit as politely as I could. (In Foxy's defense, the other flavors seemed very appealing. They included Kahlua almond fudge, tiramisu, rum raisin and toasted coconut. But I recommend that you skip that garlic-raspberry!)

I still wanted some form of berry ice cream, minus superfluous herbs and spices, so I strolled further down Atlantic Avenue. To my left was a Ben & Jerry's. But to my right was a godsend: Nonna's Cafe, the year-old gelateria which makes everything fresh on an Italian gelatomaker. One bite of Nonna's frutti del bosco multi-berry sorbetto and I was on cloud nine. (They also have a rich-as-pudding chocolate gelato and a mango sorbetto accented with chunks of fresh sweet fruit.)

Nonna's Cafe: 1136 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL, (561) 279-9328. Foxy's Ice Cream & Dessert Cafe: 12 SE 5th Ave., Delray Beach, FL, (561) 276-9379.

The 2004 Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival

Here's a wonderful way to beat the November blahs this year.

Montreal: Hotel Gault

If you're looking for a gourmet escape, I highly recommend the superb Hotel Gault in Old Montreal. Picturesque, romantic Old Montreal has been experiencing a renaissance of late with the construction of several boutique hotels, of which Hotel Gault is one.

Breakfast is included in the cost of the room, and you can either enjoy it in the modern lobby or have it delivered to your room. I opted to eat in the lobby, as there is an all-you-can-eat buffet in addition to the regular menu. The buffet features a beautiful assortment of fresh fruit, viennoiseries (French pastries) and a changing array of soft-ripened Quebec cheeses like Brie Manoir and Mi-Careme. It is difficult to decide between a fresh herb three-egg omelette with a shredded potato rosti or a stack of buttermilk pancakes with real Canadian maple syrup and sausages. The strong, smooth coffee is fair-trade.

You'll probably want to dine at one of Montreal's excellent restaurants, but if you decide to stay in, you'll delight in the eclectic dinner menu at Hotel Gault, which includes specialties such as grilled salmon with fennel salad and caviar cream, duck-leg confit, honey-glazed quail, and partridge fir jelly garnished with celeriac puree.

Each night, complementary squares of Valrhona Guanaja chocolates will send you off to dreamland.

Hotel Gault: rue Sainte-Hélène, Montréal (Québec) Canada, 1-866-904-1616.