Model Bites: Carmela Ice Cream Sandwiches

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. Y'all should know by now that I have a huge sweet tooth. I'm blaming this on my Southern upbringing and the fact that my mother loves to bake. For holidays she and my sister whip up tons of cakes, pies, and cookies like machines. If only my family knew how to make ice cream, then we could combine our desserts into one mega superhero sweet treat called the ice cream sandwich. Aah yes. I know this thing already exists, and one of LA's best, Carmela Ice Cream, does it oh so well.

These aren't the ice cream sandwiches like your parents grew up eating. No sir. These are so much better! When the ice cream sandwich was first invented at the beginning of the 20th century, it was probably just a block of vanilla ice cream stuck between two wafers. Boring. It was cheap and made eating the creamy, cold stuff on the run a little easier. But in modern times, we need a desert that has more flavor, premium ingredients, and packs extra za-zing. Enter Carmela Ice Cream.

I was first introduced to this creamery at the Hollywood Farmer's Market a couple of years ago. I'd wait in the hot sun just to get a scoop of Carmela's lavender honey ice cream. Oh my gracious. It's so heavenly. The right amount of sweet milk and honey with a touch of lavender... totally the bees knees. I'm a creature of habit, so it took me a while to graduate to the ice cream sandwich. When I did, there was no turning back.

The experts at Carmela make everything in house from the creams to the cookies using fresh ingredients, organic dairy, and seasonal fruits. I'm just amazed by how they bake the cookies so perfectly so that it's chewy enough for a sandwich but crisp enough for moisture in the ice cream. That's skill, my friends. These babies come in three signature flavors: Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean ice cream on a Chocolate Chip cookie -- Salted Caramel ice cream on a Dark Chocolate cookie--Fresh Mint with Cacao Nibs ice cream on a Dark Chocolate cookie. You can also get specialty seasonal varieties when available.

These sandwiches are amaze balls! When Taye said I'd be eating one on live television for KTLA's Summer Trends segment, I was beyond excited. I took model bites on air, but once the segment was over I went all in. I finished my original Fresh Mint one and refilled with the Vanilla Bean on chocolate chip for this pic. You shouldn't waste something so yummy just for a photo opp. Before I knew it, the sandwich disappeared...into my belly! You can grab your own Carmela Ice Cream sandwich at one of their shops or their Farmer's Market locations. Trust me, you'll want more than one. Nom-nom.

P.S. Thanks Taye for these fab photos! Everything looks so delicious.