Dear friends, if you have followed these chronicles obsessively over the past several years, you know that I myself am a man obsessed, a man obsessed with creams. You will also know that I go funny crazy for pumpkin custard at Shake Shack. A search through the records reveals I've been singing its praises as far back as 2009.
The pumpkin custard is luscious and smooth, rich and bold, decadent and flirtatious. It is arguably the finest cream that Shake Shack makes, and arguably one of the finest creams period. However - and yes, I must say however - it's a cream that begs to be accompanied by a fine texture, a fine, supple crunch. In the past, this could be achieved by ordering shortbread cookies as a mix-in with your pumpkin custard. A search through the records reveals this could be done as recently as 2011.
Now here we are. I believe it's 2013. Shortbread cookies are no longer offered as a mix-in. Now there are two options for mix-ins which might provide a texture mechanism: brownie bites and cheesecake blondies. When it comes to the brownies: no, those are not acceptable for pumpkin custard. As for the cheesecake blondies: maybe, I will have to try.
Today I decided to just have the custard plain. It was as luxurious as ever. It was the first day of 2013 in which the pumpkin flavor was offered, and I look forward to many more of these, the Cadillac of creams.
