Here’s a scoop about truth in packaging
My hat’s off to local milk monarch Byrne Dairy.
Having bottled and delivered milk here since 1933, this well-established Syracuse firm believes in honest packaging. My friend and fellow cinephile Eddie Higgins, who lives in Liverpool, pointed this out to me.
“Here’s the deal,” Eddie said. “When you buy a half-gallon of Byrne ice cream, you get a half-gallon of ice cream. That’s 64 ounces.”
On the other hand, he said, whenever you buy a purported half-gallon of one of those expensive, trendy brands, you often get just 48 ounces. Those fancy-pants ice-cream makers are shorting you a whole pint of ice cream!
But not Byrne!
The local milkmen and -women spike their ice cream with a minimum of 11.2 percent butter fat and — of course — they use only the freshest milk.
How fresh? Well, the diary cows who produce it live right here in Central NY.
Farms that deliver fresh milk to Byrne include Silver Spring Farm owned by the Luchsinger family at 4349 Bussey Road, right here in Syracuse; Memory Lane Farms in Marietta; Hourigan’s Dairy Farm south of Elbridge; The Elmer Richards and Sons Farm in Skaneateles; and Rohe Farms in Marcellus.
Midnight Madness
Byrne Dairy stores are now stocking the 2009 Ice-Cream Contest winning flavor — Midnight Madness.
It’s a cool and creamy concoction of chocolate with a rich fudge swirl finished off with chunks of white chocolate.
Byrne’s Web site promises that Midnight Madness is “perfect to comfort you from life’s ‘madness.'”
And, because June is National Dairy Month, Byrne stores are celebrating with 99-cent pints of ice cream and occasional giveaways. For instance, last Saturday, June 19, they handed out free single-serve bottles of milk. Might fine, indeed!
B’ville gas station planned
Here’s more Byrne Dairy news care of Baldwinsville Messenger Editor Erin Wisneski: Byrne Dairy has proposed building a gas station at the former site of Wacky Wyatts and current site of Liquor Express, at 85 East Genesee St. Byrne needs approval to install gas pumps on the property.
B’ville officials have referred the matter to the Syracuse Onondaga County Planning Association for further review. If the village receives a positive recommendation from SOCPA, a public hearing will be scheduled.
Dynamic duo at 407 Friday
A different distaff duo featuring Maria DeSantis and Kelly Birtch perform all kinds of music from Fleetwood Mac to flamenco guitar.
DeSantis and Birtch perform at 7 p.m. Friday, June 25, at the Caf (c) at 407 at Ophelia’s Place, 407 Tulip St., right next door to Pizza Villa.
A Syracuse Area Music Awards Lifetime Achiever, Maria entertains by coolly crooning ballads such as Linda Ronstadt’s “I Think I’m Gonna Love You” and belting out classic rock numbers by the Beatles, Bonnie Raitt, ELP, Fleetwood Mac and the Zombies. Meanwhile, Kelly accompanies her flawlessly, ably embellishing the vibrant vocals with all manner of clever chording.
Then the talented guitar gal from Binghamton turns up the heat with some fancy flamenco-style fretwork on tunes such as her own “Spanish Cutaway.”
Take it from me, the place to be this Friday night is Liverpool’s own Caf (c) at 407.
Admission ifs free at Caf (c) at 407; opheliasplace.org; 451-5544.
Welcome back, Lisa!
Longtime daytime bartender Lisa Kelly has returned to her post behind the taps at The Retreat. With her nagging backaches behind her, Lisa’s shaking and stirring with gusto again on Thursday and Sunday afternoons; retreatrestaurant.com; 457-6358.
