High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet, Atlanta

As someone who's seriously contemplated making gourmet ice cream for personal consumption, I'll stick with High Road. This frugal foodie deems it a deal due to the effort put into crafting their treats. High Road surpasses the mundane. Sure, it's on the pricey side, but not much more than "premium" grocery store offerings. I purchased mine on site and later discovered Whole Foods sells pints for a dollar less. On the downside, the grocer offers fewer flavors. On the upside, those pints list ingredients while the ones at the factory don’t.

If purchasing directly from the source, bring small bills or a credit card since this is not a traditional storefront. The staff was knowledgeable and courteous. They offered dry ice so my pints would stay cold in my cooler during transit. High Road is a small-scale operation, which lends to the attention to detail. Read the extensive product list on its web site. The descriptions explain the thought put into the company's ice cream and sorbet flavors.

I sampled Gin and Tonic, and Chocolate Crisp. Both were scrumptious. Spotted Trotter (bacon and pastrami) was an impulse buy. Meat in ice cream? I had to experience that! Since I'd skipped breakfast and lunch, I figured the savory treat might satisfy me until I ate an actual meal. It did. Spotted Trotter is sweet and salty. Continuing my pledge to try new things, I also purchased the Carrot and Mascarpone flavor.  A vegetable in ice cream? Definitely worth the try.

Sweet Potato Coconut Muffins

These breakfast muffins will keep you full much longer than boxed cereal:

You'll need approximately:

• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• .50 cup Arrowhead Mills Organic Rye Flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• .25 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• .5 cup milk
• .5 cup Trader Joe's Shredded Sweetened Coconut
• .5 cup Bruce's All-natural Sweet Potato Pie filling
• .5 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, including the coconut. Break apart larger clumps of sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg. Sir in the milk and oil. Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until halfway combined. Gently stir in sweet potatoes. Then do the same with the sour cream, using less than portioned if mix is too wet. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tins. Place tins in the oven and bake for 14 to 20 minutes. Will make at least six muffins depending on the amount portioned in each tin cup.

"Chasing Destiny" Book Review

Gritty and gripping, Eric Jerome Dickey's Chasing Destiny takes readers on a fast-paced ride. Two central characters, Billie and Destiny, drive most of the action. Chapters mainly revolve around their viewpoints. Additionally, the Los Angeles biker culture provides a backdrop. Dickey immerses readers in it as well as the ever-unfolding drama. Full of twist and turns, Chasing Destiny delves into romantic and familial relationships. Dickey unearths raw and unexpected realities while exploring both.