Last week, during the First Grader’s school vacation, my dad took us out for some good, old-fashioned ice cream sundaes at Cabot’s in Newton. Because my dad was paying, I ordered the biggest thing on the menu: The Brazilian Combo.
The Brazilian Combo consists of four scoops of my favorite ice creams (coffee, butter pecan, maple walnut, and vanilla) topped with four different sauces (something chocolatey, something caramely, something mapley, and something with rum) and enough whipped cream to give several Brazilians a close shave.
The waitress warned me of its ridiculous size. I knew this—I’ve been there before—but, feeling a few pangs of guilt, I asked if they could make it smaller, maybe half the size, but with all the variety. She said they could, but they’d still have to charge me full price (just shy of $8!).So, what do you think, readers? You know me pretty well. Did I:
(a) Accept the half-sized, full-priced sundae because: 1) my dad was paying, so who cares; and 2) we should be mindful of not wasting our precious ice cream resources.
(b) Change my mind and get a small hot-fudge sundae instead. One that doesn’t cost as much as dinner for four in our house.(c) Demand to know what kind of a fool she thought I was, order the full-sized, full-priced sundae in all its glory, eat half of it, have the waitress wrap the remaining puddle to go, peel out onto Washington St. and rush home to put it in the freezer, then devour the rest of it standing at my counter at 10 o’clock at night despite its compromised refrozen texture and unappetizing appearance, feeling something akin to shame but I won’t admit it and you can’t make me.
(d) All of the above.
And, yes, you will be graded on this. Be sure to fill in the circles completely with a No. 2 pencil.
I haven't been to Cabot's in a couple of years, but when I lived over there we used to go for weekend breakfasts and then order ice cream for dessert. Now that it is in my head, all I can think of is COFFEEMILKSHAKE COFFEEMILKSHAKE COFFEEMILKSHAKE.
Posted by: Adrienne | April 28, 2010 at 10:42 AM
Hand waving, jumping up and down
I know, I know
It's CCCCCCCCC!
Posted by: Penny | April 28, 2010 at 11:00 AM
so when do we get to the HARD questions?
Posted by: Carolyn | April 28, 2010 at 11:59 AM
I'm going with C because it's so dramatic.
Posted by: April in CT | April 28, 2010 at 12:27 PM
I now need Cabot's NOW. That was hands-down my favorite thing about living in Newtonville.
Posted by: Susanna | April 28, 2010 at 12:55 PM
I'd choose C, personally. I hate to waste money, or food, and I love ice cream. Those flavors sound excellent, too. Some year, when I go on my New England vacation, I'll definitely stop at Cabot's.
Posted by: Sobaka | April 28, 2010 at 01:09 PM
So obviously, we should all get jobs scooping ice cream. If the money we fork over isn't for the volume purchased, it must go to salary (and fringe) for the time it takes to scoop 4 separate flavors. You know she'll have to rinse that scooper 4 times!
PS You know you could have offered to share with your dad.
Posted by: andrea | April 28, 2010 at 01:48 PM
I remember a place like this in DC growing up, but they served *8* scoops of ice cream. My mom let me get it once a year at the end of the school year. We never did finish it....
I vote for B. You seem like such a practical, waste-not-want-not kind of woman. No really, I'll guess C! :) It is ice cream we're talking about.
Posted by: Julia | April 28, 2010 at 03:55 PM
I would make fun of my daughter's gluttony save for the fact that I ate all my large sundae and half of Max's as well. I guess it runs in the family!
Posted by: Dad | April 28, 2010 at 05:24 PM
I would do C with no remorse and no shame.
Posted by: mara | April 28, 2010 at 05:45 PM
It's totally C. And I would have done the same thing...but only after berating them.
Posted by: Amy | April 28, 2010 at 10:26 PM
MAHAAAAHAHAHHAHAHAAH!!! That's not shame you are feeling, that is regret that you didn't eat the first one completely and take a second one home for "afters"!
Well now, here it is 9:30 am and all I want is a 4 scoop/topping sundae... It's going to be a long day.
Posted by: Annabelle B | April 29, 2010 at 09:40 AM
I think I could have guessed C even without the multiple choice =D
Posted by: melch | April 29, 2010 at 11:24 AM
I must say that I'm very disappointed in all of your answers. The correct answer was (d) All of the above. First, I would agree to the half-portion, full-priced sundae. Then, five minutes later, I'd have a change of heart and order a small hot fudge sundae. But then, while I'm waiting, I'll somehow manage to convince myself that, no, I DESERVE that gigantic $8 sundae and flag down a random waitress with my new order since my original waitress now hates me. And when all 3 sundaes arrive at the table at once due to some unforeseeable miscommunication, I'd stick a finger into each one so they can't take them back.
God, it's like we don't know each other anymore.
Posted by: Tammy | April 29, 2010 at 12:57 PM
You crack me up...Seriously love your site :)
Posted by: Alisa | May 02, 2010 at 01:45 PM