Adam & Eats: Delicias Michoacanas

Editor’s note: Adam Brandt is a graduate from the Cobra Kai School of Culinary Callousness, where he received their highest award, the Red Apron of Merciless Eating. Aside from eating and talking about eating, he makes pots, paintings, prints, books, photographs, and generally, a big mess. He has been the studio assistant at Mudpuppy Pottery for almost nine years and is attending a local university in a desperate attempt to earn a biology degree.

Summer is here. I know it has felt like Spring in the past few weeks, but it is here. On these hot and humid Arkansas days, nothing is better than ice cream. Well, I can think of a few things that are better, but this is a family show, so I will not mention them here.

One of Fort Smith’s newest attractions is Delicias Michoacanas. It is a mouthful, I know. I like to call it the Ice Cream Factory, but do not let that name fool you. They are so much more than ice cream.

Located in the Ming Ngoc Jewelry Shopping Center across Rogers Avenue from Northside High is Delicias Michoacanas. This quaint little ice cream parlor has got all the charm of an old school ice cream shoppe with a little Latino twist thrown in for good measure. Here at the Ice Cream Factory, they make everything from scratch. Well, almost everything. All of the ice cream is made on site, all of the fruit bars and popsicles are made in house, and all of the fruit juice drinks are freshly squeezed. I mean, where else in town are you going to find fresh homemade pecan ice cream? (If you know of a place, let me know.)

The Ice Cream Factory does not stop at refreshing ice creams and fruity sweets. They also offer a few Latino savory favorites. I love sandwiches more than most people consider normal, so to discover that this ice creamery offers tortas (think of it has the Mexican equivalent of a hoagie) as well, was a very, very pleasant surprise. This is a lesson in “Be careful what you wish for” because they too offer a pulled pork sandwich.

Of all of the tortas that the Ice Cream Factory offers, there was only one that I avoided and that was the Queso de Puerco (aka headcheese) sandwich. All of the rest of the tortas are excellent. If I had to recommend one, I would say that the turkey pastrami is the best, although they are a little skimpy with the meat on that one. The pastrami’s smoky peppery-ness fits perfectly with the fresh made and grilled bread, veggies (tomato, onion, jalapeno, lettuce, and avocado), and mayonesa.

The turkey breast torta is a close second.

The pulled pork was good, but after last week’s run with the Pink Flamingo, the ICF’s came up a little short. I know, I know, it is not the same. Mexican style smoked pork and American style smoked pork are two different animals, or not actually, but you know what I mean. In addition to delicious sandwiches, they also offer corn cocktails (think Mexican street vendor food) and nachos (think Boys Club basketball game).

If you want refreshing, Delicias Michoacanas has got it. Imagine, if you will, taking a ripe watermelon, placing it in the fridge until it is ice cold, sticking a straw into it, and taking a big swig. That is what the watermelon fruit drink is like. It is cold, refreshing, and not overly powerful in the sugary department. The mixed fruit is also spectacular.

Overall, I really enjoyed this fresh, homemade ice cream shop. And is it just me, or did anyone else think papayas were smaller?

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When he’s not beating his eggs, Adam makes time to respond to e-mails that get past his hard-ass spam filter. You can try to reach him at [email protected]

Adam also has this thing called Sandwich Control.