What I ate and drank for the first time in 2023

[squirmelia]

Some of the more unusual ice-cream flavours I ate in 2023 (still unsure what is new and not, but at least now I have a spreadsheet!), and I've also listed their locations:

Meghli (London)
Date (London)
Celery (Venice)
Bussolà (Venice)
Crema del doge (Venice)
Opera (Venice)
Coconut and cardamom (London)
Saffron, rose and pistachio (London)
Sticky taffini (London)
Blackberry (London)
Blackpool rock (London)
Cut grass (London)
Milky orchid (London)
Melon (London)
Raspberry sorrel (Ramsgate)
Rice pudding (London)
Lemon curd (London)
Cloudberry and orange (Flam)
Brunost (Bergen)
Purple rain (Bergen)
Cornflake (London)
Everything but the bagel (London)
Dirty horchata (London)
Petits pois (London)
Crumpet (London)
Custard apple (London)
Chickoo (London)
Custard creme (Brighton)
Fenland melted onion and olive oil (Cambridge)
Raspberry, rose water and cardamom sorbet (London)
Spice (London)
Chelsea bun (Cambridge)

Food:
Kimbap
Espresso butter
Wheelcakes
Surely there were other things? Random things from Lidl, I suspect.

Drinks:
A cocktail in a light bulb
A cocktail from a hot air balloon

What did you eat and drink for the first time in 2022? (No animals please!)

Previous years:
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013

Comments

[nou]

Ooh I love kimbap. Coincidentally one of my new things this year was also Korean — I made tteokbokki for dinner last night (with cabbage).

[squirmelia]

Was it good? I've also not tried it.

[nou]

It was good! I used a packet of pre-made sauce (Bibigo brand) and I made the rice cakes using the rice paper hack. I was concerned it might end up a bit too sweet, but the chilli balanced that out so it was fine.

[squirmelia]

I think I might add it to my list of things to try next year. :) Thank you for mentioning it!

[nou]

You’re welcome — I hope you enjoy it!

I had another first this afternoon: kammun, a hot Syrian drink made with cumin. I used the 200ml water to 1 Tbsp ground cumin it specifies there, but only 1/8 tsp of salt and that was plenty. It was really interesting, a little bitter from all the cumin but also smooth/velvety and thicker than plain water, presumably because cumin seed does have some oil in it.

[laurenthemself]

I had some new-to-me ice cream flavours! I had:
Reese's peanut butter sandwich
Sara Lee hokey pokey
Hagen-Dazs salted caramel (I am in LOVE)
Frosty Fruits came out with a new triple sorbet stick - Apple, Orange and Strawberry Sorbet.

I basically lived off lemon sorbet while I had tonsillitis, which I've had before (both the sorbet and the tonsillitis).

I had chocolate malt frozen mochi, also cookies and cream frozen mochi. I'm debating trying the mocha frozen mochi in the same packet; I'm not much of a coffee person but I might try it just to say I have/to not waste food.

Drinks: I don't drink much alcohol, but I had a delightful strawberry daiquiri slushie last night.

Food: New-to-me recipes in 2023
Lemon cheesecake blondies (a riff on chocolate cheesecake brownies)
Strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting
Canteen-style apple cakes (they're pastry-based and domed with apple inside and white icing on top)
Coconut and cashew laddoo/laddu (spelling varies)
Raspberry ripple baked cheesecake with a white chocolate drizzle decoration. My first time making cheesecake, for Valentine's Day.

[squirmelia]

They all sound delicious!

I am not sure which of those I would want to eat first, but maybe the apple cakes, I really like apple.

[laurenthemself]

Do you bake? I've completely blanked on whether you do or not. The recipe is here if you feel like giving it a go. The pastry takes some patience but it's worth it.