I know I’m not the only one who feels this way…I mean, doesn’t everybody love the KitchenAid stand mixer? I feel like it’s the first thing that goes in your registry, many times your first big kitchen purchase, and choosing the perfect color can sometimes involve more thought than buying a new car! It’s a kitchen staple and one of my favorite tools.

I wasn’t surprised to find out that the stand mixer was the first KitchenAid product ever developed. It’s been nearly 100 years since then and it’s only got better and more popular. Now of course KitchenAid makes a bevy of tools, and I’m a big fan all around.  

Of course, if you’re searching for a mixer and your budget is a bit lower, or perhaps higher, there are always competitors.  One that I’ve seen pop-up time and time again–as the KitchenAid dupe, is the Hamilton Beach All-Metal Stand mixer.  It’s significantly less expensive at $199 and definitely gets the job done. Con: It’s smaller, doesn’t have nearly as many available attachments, and isn’t consistent with making dough…Long story short, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a workhorse. Simply a powerhouse tool that gets the job done each and every time, for a long time!

But like I said—there ‘s always competition and if I had all the money in the world, or if Ice Cream were my trade, I’d buy the Pacojet! Though it does much more than make ice cream, that’s certainly what it’s known for.  Claiming to be able to turn anything frozen into the smoothest and freshest ice cream (or mousse, sorbet, soup, etc.) possible! To my surprise, some have even turned frozen bacon and sardines into creamy ice cream just to see if claims match-up…and they did! Created was the creamiest bacon and sardine ice cream around! And though I doubt the flavor was appeasing, the capabilities of this machine are endless! 

I personally own the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer. It came with three attachments: the burnished metal flat beater, PowerKnead spiral dough hook, and a 6-wire whisk; all of which make mixing, kneading and whipping ingredients into culinary masterpieces as easy as flipping a switch and sitting back.

And for even more versatility, the power hub fits optional attachments from food grinders to pasta makers and more. My favorite being–the ice cream attachment! As I’m sure you’ve seen on my channel or in my posts, I use that ice cream attachment every chance I get!

The way it works is my placing the freezer bowl attachment into the freezer for at least 15 hours, or until it is completely frozen. When it’s ready you lock it onto your stand-mixer, add the ice cream batter, lock everything into place, flip the switch, and in 12-15 minutes you’ll have a soft serve ice cream that is killer! And if you like you’re ice cream on the more solid side, you can place the freezer container back into the freezer for additional time. It’s all up to how you like it!

 To date I’ve made: S’mores, Raspberry Tart, Mint Chip, Rainbow Sherbet, Mocha Almond Fudge, Rocky Road, and NUTELLA ice cream! All using this killer attachment and stand-mixer!

Now here’s where it gets good…KitchenAid and I have decided to give one of my lucky ByronTalbott.com subscribers a BRAND NEW KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (just like mine) and the Ice Cream Attachment for FREE!!!

This is by far the biggest giveaway I’ve ever hosted, and I want to do it a huge THANK YOU for your support and viewership throughout the years! I’m certain I have the raddest followers on the planet and I’m very grateful to have you be a part of my culinary journey!

  CONTEST CLOSED How to Enter:

Simple.  All you have to do to enter is be a subscriber to my website (top right or bottom of the post), and leave a comment on this post letting me know: “What would your first ice cream concoction be if you were the winner?”

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 I’ll be choosing a winner Monday July 6th, so I wish everyone GOOD LUCK and I can’t wait to see what you all come up with! 

UPDATE: Big Congrats to Paul Welsh! If anything could be sweeter than #IceCreamWeek, the story of Paul wanting to make a Spiced Chai Tea Ice Cream as a way to incorporate his girlfriend’s heritage and her two favorite things–ice cream and chai–takes the cake, or should I say “cone?” CONGRATS Paul, you won the KitchenAid Mixer and Ice Cream Attachment GIVEAWAY! It’s identical to the one that I use in my kitchen and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

#IceCreamWeek has my mind working overtime on unique ice-cream-takes on classic treats.  When I hit the web for a little inspiration I found a ton of unique, wacky, and downright bizarre flavors of ice cream! I wanted to share a few that struck a chord with me and ask…what is the most twisted ice cream you’ve ever tried?

Craft Beer Ice Cream—Atlanta, Georgia

Who would have thought that a frothy pint could be better served on spoon? Well according to Frozen Pints creators “Someone spilled a beer near the ice cream maker, and in a moment of slightly inebriated inspiration, we found our calling.” Regardless of how it happen, this seems to be one happy mistake! When it come to their Honey IPA Ice Cream—they say: “Hopheads rejoice! We start with a classic American IPA – grassy, piney, and hoppy notes of course. Then we add a floral honey to temper the true-to-style bitterness. The result is a full, well-balanced flavor that’s completely unique. Dig in and you’ll taste the honey first, then the hoppy deliciousness around the back.  Bitter sweet perfection.”

Pear and Blue Cheese Ice Cream—Portland, Oregon

Made by the Salt and Straw in Portland, Oregon: “The delicate, sweet flavor of Oregon Trail Northwest Bartlett Pears from Salem, OR with perfectly aged crumbles of Rogue Creamery’s Crater Lake Blue Cheese (recently named the best in the world at a fancy competition in France) mixed throughout.” I can only imagine that this is one rich, but sweet treat! Perhaps you’d give it a try?

Fish and Chips Ice Cream—London, England

Don’t be fooled by this savory…dessert? It’s not the traditional fish and chips you’re used to, and you certainly wouldn’t want to top this with tartar sauce and vinegar…It is actually creamed cod ice cream…” yes you read that right—creamed cod ice cream—“…coated with vanilla-pepper batter and then fried. The bed of “chips” are really made of potato ice cream and then shaped to look like fries.  Served at George’s Portobello Fish Bar in London, I say—try it if you dare!

 Breakfast of Champions: Biscuits and Jam Ice Cream—Columbus, Ohio

“Buttermilk ice cream, crumbled sweet cream shortcake biscuits, and swirls of sweet-tart jam made with peaches from Nashville’s Peach Truck.” Made of Jeni’s in Ohio, this is the epitome of why ice cream should be a breakfast food! Milk, Biscuits, and Jam…sounds like breakfast to me!

Earl Grey Sriracha Ice Cream—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Made by Little Babys Ice Cream in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—this is the “Flagship Weirdo flavor. Earl Gray tea (black tea with bergamot orange oil), and sriracha (Thai sweet chili hot sauce). Sort of like spicy fruit loops!” The one thing I can say for sure…cold milk is the best combatant of spice so perhaps there’s more sweet than heat in this bizarre ice cream combo! And if it’s simply not your thing, try their Sushi flavored ice cream instead!

 Lobster Ice Cream—Harbor, Maine

Made by Ben and Bill’s, this must be one of the most bizarre flavors yet!  Apparently this sweet treats shop wanted to prove that they make their ice cream from scratch…so what to do? Make one of the most unique flavored ice creams in the world! “Lobster Ice Cream is a butter-flavored ice cream. We buy cooked lobster meat from a local lobster pound, chop it up, butter it, and fold it into the ice cream.” Believe it or not, they say it’s their most sampled flavor—I believe it!

 People are natural thrill seekers.  They crave new experiences and yearn for a story to tell, and if anything is for sure, trying one of these flavors would definitely give you a story to tell. Fingers crossed that it will be a pleasant one!

So I get asked all the time: ‘Which types of fish can be eaten raw and do they have to be “sushi-grade?”‘ It’s a great question and I highly encourage doing your research any time it comes to preparing a new type of meat, fish, poultry, and so fourth. You can never be too safe—and in honor of #FishWeek I’m going to address the do’s and don’ts of buying and eating RAW fish.

The most common misconception is that only fish rated “sushi-grade” can be eaten raw and that’s not necessarily true. Starting with the most obvious question…

Photo Credit: Chow.com

What is Sushi-Grade?

Put simply, “sushi-grade” is just a phrase, among several, thrown around to express the freshness of a fish. It is not, however, a regulated title; hence theoretically anything could be labeled “sushi-grade.” Typically that’s not the case and the title should be reserved for the vendor’s freshest fish that has been properly prepared and stored, but it’s important that you trust your vendor, or fish monger, and that you know what to look for when buying fish intended for raw consumption.

 What to know?

Don’t be fooled by the freshness.  Yes, it is true that only fresh fish should be consumed raw, as fish is highly perishable, but there are other standards and practices that need to be abided by to ensure a safe meal. The most important being, proper preparation.

Proper food and safety measures must be taken to minimize the risk of food-borne illnesses from eating raw fish. Your first concern should be sanitation and avoiding cross contamination.  Ask you fish vendor how they avoid cross contamination.  Is there “sushi-grade” fish prepared and kept separate from the fish that must be cooked? As in some fish—like types of Tuna—can often be eaten straight from the ocean, but other fish—like Salmon—can not be eaten raw unless it’s been properly treated. Therefor, you want to make sure the fish intended for raw consumption and the fish intended to be cooked have been prepared and stored separately to avoid any parasitic transfer.

That’s also why it’s important to know your fish. Parasitic fish, like Salmon, must be frozen first (roughly 7 days), thawed, and then can be served for raw consumption. This process is regulated. Every fish vendor should be able to provide you with a log of when the fish was caught, if, when and how long it was frozen for, and when it hit the shelves. That leads to my next point: know your vendor.

Where to buy?

I would only buy fish I intend to eat raw from a very trusted vender or fish monger.  Only go somewhere that is reputable, has a high turn around—to guarantee freshness—and that comes with a knowledgable staff. Once you know where to shop, there are a plethora of unbelievably delicious RAW fish recipes.  Whether you enjoy sushi, ceviche, sashimi, what have you—there are endless possibilities.

Hope you enjoy #FishWeek!