When the popular Curry Ford West patisserie Charlie’s Bakery was sold a few years ago, the new owner renamed it Charlie’s Bakery & Creamery to reflect an added line of gourmet ice creams. They were apparently serious about their new product line because Charlie’s won three ribbons – two blue and one red – at the recent Conecon, an ice cream convention in Las Vegas sponsored by the North American Ice Cream Association. Charlie’s won top honors for its vanilla and strawberry flavors and second for its chocolate. The bacreamery has been touting its ice cream throughout the district recently with signs that invite ice cream lovers to “eat less air.” Air, of course, is the ingredient that makes certain frozen desserts such as gelato fluffier.

Speaking of ice cream, the compact building on Orange Blossom Trail that for several decades was Goff’s Drive-In before an arsonist’s fire forced it to close, has reopened as Sweetie’s Ice Cream. Only in Florida would late fall seem like a nice time to open an ice cream stand.

 Outpost Kitchen Bar & Provisions, which had a prominent corner spot in the Maitland City Centre complex, has closed. More precisely, according to an order from the Clerk of the Orange County Court, it was evicted, apparently for being $64,000 behind on the rent for that plum corner location. A post of the restaurant’s Facebook page Friday said, “As you can imagine, we are currently trying to navigate the surprise of the events that occurred yesterday.” But when you’re behind in your rent, how much of a surprise can it be? That is the $64,000 question.

I mentioned recently that Tornatore’s Ristorante has reinstated lunch hours. They were suspended because of the staffing shortages that have plagued so many businesses, especially restaurants. Now comes word that Ava Mediterraegean on Park Avenue has added lunch hours, too, from Wednesday through Friday. Does that mean worker are coming back to restaurants? That’s the $8.98-per-hour-plus-tips question.