The Caffeinator!
Sometimes you just need ice cream for lunch
The ice cream counter at Frankie’s is where all the magic happens…
You know when you’ve had one of those weeks where it seems like one thing after another just keeps bowling you over? When you’ve only barely caught your breath after one bit of craziness, and something else totally unrelated shows up out of the blue and tumbles you breathlessly off in another topsy turvy direction? Parts of the whirlwind may even be good, and yet it’s hard to calm the reflexive spasms of your mind and settle into at least some sort of equilibrium… That’s how this past week has been for me.
So when I glanced at the calendar yesterday and saw that this coming Sunday was National Coffee Milkshake Day, I knew that a coffee milkshake was exactly what I needed. I looked over at Guy typing away at a zillion emails at his desk and announced that we needed to go to Frankie’s for lunch to get a Caffeinator. I would have added that this kind of lunch was necessary and that I would brook no argument, but my suspicion that his eternal sweet tooth would side with my very visceral need for ice cream was immediately confirmed when he responded with a resounding, “Yes! Let’s go!”
A simple little cup, filled to the brim with pure tastiness.
Now, for those of you who have not yet been introduced to the beauty of the Caffeinator, please allow me to explain. You know the lusciousness of Cowlicks ice cream? (If not, you seriously need to go get some ASAP!) And the wonder that is an iced coffee? Well, hold those two sensations in your mind. Savor them separately and drift away. Now marry those two distinct thoughts together, if you are gifted with such mental dexterity - and voila! Perfection! Revel in the wonder, the delight that we here in Mendocino call the Caffeinator.
Although the Caffeinator was probably originated by Cowlicks up in Fort Bragg, Frankie’s in Mendocino has taken to serving it as well, since they already offer several flavors of that most delectable Cowlicks ice cream. Since we had errands to run in Mendocino, we opted to hit up Frankie’s for our coffee milkshake fix. When our turn came to step up to the counter, we scanned the available ice cream flavors… Ooo… Coffee Heath Bar Crunch? And maybe Chocolate too? Yes please! We decided to stop counting the scoops after watching the attendant dig deep in the bucket again after two glorious balls of frozen delight had already made their way into the blender, turning aside our heads so we could plead ignorance as to exactly how much sugar we were going to be consuming in short order. Some things are just better not to know, right?
Paper straw = a compostable portal to bliss
Cold shakes in hand, we wandered outside into the sunshine and found a table in the additional outdoor seating Frankie’s has set up by their deck. We plopped into our chairs and took our first full sip of those Caffeinators… So creamy. So smooth. So soothing... We exhaled in happy satisfaction and nodded in agreement – sometimes you just need ice cream for lunch.
The Piadini filled with Pesto Chicken Salad was also a win!
We did actually order a little something savory to balance out our sugarfest – the Chicken Pesto Piadine. It was full of fresh veggies and bright flavors, the perfect tasty contrast to our indulgent Caffeinators. We would highly recommend it!
Want to exercise a little more moderation when going for your coffee and ice cream fix? Frankie’s also offers a stellar café affogato, with your choice of the available ice cream flavors. A little more simple, but just as wonderful.
Get your Caffeinator in Mendocino at Frankie’s, or in Fort Bragg at Cowlicks. Both are open for take away, and Frankie’s has some outdoor seating. Hours at both are mostly normal at the moment, but may vary due to COVID restrictions, so check when you’re in town!
Words and pictures by Laura Hockett