I Scream For Ice Cream

Ice cream is a delicious treat at any time of the year, especially during a hot summer day. This decadent dairy delight is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide daily. Numerous flavors and several styles afford the consumer several options making them even more appealing. When I was young I lived on the smooth creamy treats. Thrifty Drug Store was just down the street from where I grew up and their flavors and prices were especially good. Five cents for a single, ten cents for a double, and fifteen cents for a triple scoop. For me, it was a triple with bing cherry, butter brickle, and pistachio. The stores are long gone but the ice cream lives on at ice cream shops throughout the west. These are 5 flavors "I scream" for.

Peppermint is especially popular during Christmas but I love it year-round. I especially enjoy the holiday version with the bits of candy cane blended in, but it can be hard to find the rest of the year. Mint chocolate chip is a great substitute once the holidays are over. The later version actually has a historic past. In 1973 it was created by Marilynn Ricketts, a student who was participating in a competition to provide a dessert for Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips wedding at Westminster Abbey. Currently, it is ranked as the 4th most popular flavor in the states. I enjoy a scoop smashed between 2 chocolate cookies for a refreshing ice cream sandwich.

Butter Brickle ice cream is a rich guilty pleasure loaded with a sweet caramelized sugar otherwise known as toffee. Here in the states toffee was first sold in 1924 by candymaker John G. Woodward in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Shortly after The Fenn Brothers Ice Cream Co. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota added toffee to vanilla ice cream and viola, Butter Brickle was created. In the 70s Leaf Inc. bought out the Fenn Brothers and the toffee acquired its new and current name, the Heath Bar. Most Butter Brickle is now sold under the name Heath Bar Crunch. One of my favorite sundaes was the Gold Digger sold at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. Scoops of Butter Brickle, butterscotch sauce, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. Sweeeet!

Pralines and Cream is a recent newcomer to the ice cream scene. The now infamous Baskin Robbins debuted this flavor in 1970. Although it is a newer flavor it has a long background. Pralines originated in New Orleans in the 19th century when French Settlers there substituted pecans for almonds to make the scrumptious morsels. Unfortunately, Baskin Robbins has exclusive rights to the real deal so unless you live near one good luck finding it. I have yet to see anything close to the original. Butter Pecan with caramel topping is a so-so substitute if you're really craving the Southern dessert staple.

Fresh Peach ice cream is another southern-inspired ice cream classic. The peach industry is one of the South's major agricultural products with Georgia and South Carolina leading the way. It has become one of the more popular home-made, hand-churned favorites here in the U.S. Unfortunately fresh peach season is pretty short so get them when you can and get cranking. The process and ingredients are simple. Peel, slice, or dice your fresh peaches and add them to a custard-like mixture made of heavy cream, milk, sugar, and eggs. I really enjoy this on its own, if you want to add a little crunch top it with some crumbled granola.

Rum Raisin is by far my favorite ice cream flavor. It also is one of the oldest ice cream flavors created by the Chinese in the 16th century. I fell in love with this frozen delight in the 1980s when Haagen-Dazs first released it in the U.S. Sadly, it became hard to find since it had real rum in it. Traveling in Europe starting in the 2000s, I was delighted to see that it was very popular throughout the continent. Italian gelaterias knocked it out of the park and a renewed love affair began. Recently Haagen-Dazs is stocking frozen-food shelves along with some other spirit-laced flavors. Other companies along with authentic dessert parlors. For me, this is best eaten right out of the pint-sized carton.

As I mentioned earlier, ice cream is loved throughout the world with many variations of ingredients and preparation. In the U.K. it is known as frozen custard, Turkey calls it dondurma, kulfi in India, and of course gelato in Italy. Although it wasn't invented in the U.S., we do have bragging rights to a major edible accessory for its consumption. The ice cream cone was in the 19th century and gained momentum in 1904 during the St. Louis World's Fair where waffles were rolled into conic shapes and enjoyed by the throngs of visitors. I believe I just convinced myself to grab another pint. Enjoy!