Be True to Your School

I didn't want to go to UCLA. It wasn't my first, second, or third choice, however I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. So as soon as it became clear I'd be attending I became fiercely loyal. UCLA is known as having more school spirit than any most other schools in the country. Just take a stroll through campus and you'll see more UCLA shirts/hats/sweats than a typical football game. And of course, its easy to be loyal to a great school. UCLA students have so much to be proud of! The sports, the academics, the students, and of course - Diddy Riese.

Diddy Riese is a UCLA institution. Sure some may discount it as "that cookie store" but for any UCLA student the mere mention of the name can cause a misty faroff look in the eyes. I have a friend who credits Diddy Riese with bringing together her and her now husband. It's powerful stuff. So powerful in fact, that students from "the other school" would venture out of their gated fortress, through gang territory, just to stand in line for 15-30 minutes (longer on a Saturday) just for "a cookie."

Diddy Riese had two specialties: the cookies, and the ice cream sandwiches. When I was at school there, cookies were $.25 each and sandwiches were $1.00. I believe the price has gone up to $.35 and $1.50 respectively, which is still nothing to knock at. The ice cream sandwiches were a floor favorite for me and my friends. Consisting of a giant scoop of ice cream between two fresh cookies, this was a mess to hold and eat, but worth the sticky hands. My personal favorite was strawberry ice cream between two white chocolate academia nut cookies.

It's been a couple months since my last trip up to Westwood, and I was craving some nostaliga. I had picked up some molasses cookies at the store and thought that I would recreate a favorite treat for Jon and I. I decided to make pumpkin ice cream, since it is pumpkin week after all. This was a very good idea. The ice cream was beyond excellent. Jon made two telling comments.
1) This tastes like its really good for me! It must be healthy.
2) This is the best pumpkin ice cream I've ever had.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup caramel
1 cinnamon stick
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp vanilla

1) Bring milk, cream, caramel, and cinnamon stick to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 30 minutes.
2) Return to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick.
3) Put yolks and sugar in bowl and beat with electric mixer using the whisk attachment on medium high speed for 4 minutes.
4) With machine running. Add hot milk mixture in slow, steady stream. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat till combined.
5) Put in ice cream maker according to directions.

Serves 8.
Each Serving has:

8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		132.3
Total Fat		8.9 g
Cholesterol		174.6 mg
Sodium		28.3 mg
Potassium		107.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate		9.9 g
Protein		3.5 g