Crop Rapport: Sinplicity

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

 

So this is how the other half lives, I thought as I drove up for the first time to the City of Falls Church Farmers Market.

It is a Rolls Royce of a farmers market. (In fact, it is on Park Avenue). Its vendors wrap around corners. A couple of times. The market’s website estimates that “more than 40″ vendors attend the market in the summer months, but I would put the number closer to 50. Or more. Here, in addition to the usual market suspects, you will find wine for sale and tasting, baked dog treats, pickles, and made-to-order crepes.

And there was music. Rapturous, beautiful music. A classical violinist playing the likes of Massenet’s Thaïs Meditation.

As if that weren’t enough, this is a farmers market that also features a Chef Series. I was kicking myself that I arrived just as this week’s demonstration, by Rustico Chef Steve Mannino, was wrapping up. The series was created to educate the public about the use of locally grown seasonal foods in supporting both the local economy and the environment.

My disappointment over missing the Chef series didn’t last long. As I wandered the aisles overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices before me, the answer was clear. I needed something cool, refreshing and sweet. I needed Sinplicity.

 

Sinplicity is the love child of Sinnerman Chef Leland Atkinson, who started experimenting with ice cream recipes in an old school soft-serve yogurt machine. He had to add booze to get the right consistency. And he’s been spiking the ‘cream ever since.

Sinplicity salesman Andy was offering five flavors of ice cream (including Cappuccino Crunch and Strawberry Shortcake); four flavors of sorbet (Magical Mojito, Blackberry Cabernet, Lemon Ginger, and Mango), as well as whoopie pies (Oatmeal Cream with Amaretto!, Margarita with Tequila lime curd, and Black Forest with Cherries), red chili pecans, and bottles of port and vanilla glaze (to dress your sundaes right).

Sinplicity’s ice cream is wildly popular with both the very young (Andy, who also has a 9 to 5 during the week, particularly likes this weekend gig because he gets to “feed [kids] all the sugar and send them on their way”) and their parents (who I’m sure prefer the boozier flavors). People eagerly plunked down their $7 for the burgundy pint-sized containers (resembling Chinese food cartons without the metal handles) of their favorites.

Andy had already sold out of the Salty Caramel (along with the famed Chocolate Fleur de Sel cookies). The Cappuccino Crunch has its celebrity following. Andy told a customer that Tony Kornheiser had mentioned it on his radio show, explaining, “If he name drops us, we’ll name drop him.”

But the real stars for me today were the sorbets. Because it was so hot, a dairy-less option seemed like just the right treat to cool down. And this was one of the rare times when I didn’t feel as if sorbet was treated as an afterthought. As my moderate lactose intolerance has (regrettably) reared its head in later years, I appreciate standout sorbets like the Magical Mojito and the Blackberry Cabernet.

Yes, you’ve probably encountered many mojito-flavored desserts on menus these days, but the Magical Mojito brought me back to my first taste of the Cuban cocktail. The sorbet–the palest hue of sea foam green–sings with spearmint. The acidity (in the form of lime juice) is in equibalance with the sugar. Too many sorbets are one-note–sugary–and taste like melted down popsicles. Not the case with Sinplicity’s.

Flavors rotate according to what is seasonal and available. I was tantalized just hearing the words “watermelon prosecco” and “shiro plum sake,” and am hoping for these sorbets to make an appearance at either the market or in the Sinplicity truck soon.

Look for the Sinplicity Ice Cream Truck (some have nicknamed it the Sinmobile) in your neighborhood or catch Sinplicity at the Falls Church and Reston Farmers Markets. You can also finds its ice cream and sorbets in area Balducci’s and Whole Foods. For more ways to beat the heat, check out this month’s 31-day Freeze Jag.

 

-Johnisha M. Levi

Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets and Hours

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets

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