I Scream, You Scream
The Best Ice Cream I’ve Eaten This Summer
The days start early with bright sunlight flooding the bedroom, mocking me for not installing the blackout curtains lying forgotten on the stairs. I rouse myself out of my two-year-old’s bed where she remains snoring happily, unperturbed by the cascading light.
Downstairs, I start the electric kettle, comforted that coffee is imminent. I look out the window, but see nothing beyond the fogged up glass indicative of another humid Midwest morning. Welcome to Summer.
As the thermostat continues to rise, I find the frequency of my daydreams follow suit. Most recently, I’ve been ruminating on ice cream. It is the dessert most emblematic of the season. But in days continually weighed down by routine and responsibility, I find myself yearning for those glowing youthful summers of cream, sugar, and possibility.
In an effort to capture that feeling, I’ve been searching for the ultimate ice cream experience this summer: Must delight with bold flavors, feature luscious creaminess, and inspire childlike wonder.
Here are the top three contenders.
The Wildest Flavor
Green Curry Ice Cream Sundae
Proxi - Chicago, IL
A solo visit to Proxi in the West Loop of Chicago was near torture. Chef Andrew Zimmerman’s award-winning menu full of global small plates was so absurdly tantalizing that I was kicking myself at the bar for not having a greater appetite or large group to dine with.
Dramatics aside, I wanted everything on the menu, including dessert. I ordered what intrigued me the most: a green curry ice cream sundae. A mashup of Americana staples, Proxi’s ice cream sundae arrived with bananas, peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top. But nostalgia ended there.
Served in a goblet, the refreshing green curry ice cream had a mellow zing from the complex spice profile that complemented the natural sweetness of coconut cream and sugar. The bananas were halved and caramelized in fish sauce, which gave a slightly bitter brûléed exterior, adding texture and further balancing the sweet. An ornate wafer acted as a cone-replacement, giving the crunch and cookie-like element I often crave with ice cream. I found the whole dish perplexingly yummy and rather addicting. It wasn’t until I was left with an empty goblet that I realized the speed I was shoveling each spoonful of ice cream down my gullet. Like a summer afternoon, it was suddenly gone.
The Cone I Miss The Most
Abuelita Malted Crunch
Wanderlust Creamery - Irvine, CA
I grew up in a California suburb that constantly replaces satisfactory seasoned establishments with adequate new establishments. One açaí bowl shop goes out and a juice bar comes in (they also sell açaí bowls, don’t you worry). A perpetual cycle of suburban capitalism ensues. This is why I wasn’t surprised when the large Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt shop that I had frequented as a kid in the 90s was finally replaced by the newly opened Wanderlust Creamery. Seems about right.
I was introduced to Wanderlust Creamery by one of my 20-something coworkers who has a Gen-Z fueled spidey-sense for the trendy. She recommended checking out our neighborhood's newest ice cream shop, Wanderlust Creamery, which has opened seven SoCal locations since 2020. The bustling store proudly sells ice cream with familiar flavors, but global ingredients. Every option feels new and exciting. Standing at the display window, you can’t help but sample as many flavors as you find socially acceptable to ask for with those darling little tasting spoons. Everyone in front of us did. I, for one, tried the American-Filipino inspired, Ube Malted Crunch, the European-based Earl Grey Milk Chocolate, and the aptly-named Vietnamese Rocky Road.
My final pick was the Abuelita Malted Crunch, a modern take on Mexican hot chocolate. I ordered two scoops of Mexican stone ground Chocolate ice cream with ribbons of cinnamon and chile and crunchy malted milk balls. Served in a house-made brown butter vanilla waffle cone, this dessert satisfied every craving: chocolatey sweetness, a surprising kick of heat, and pops of crunchy texture.
This is the ice cream I dream of in the humid heat of an Indiana summer.
The Hometown Hero
Zoreo
Silver Dipper Ice Cream - West Lafayette, IN
It took us 18 days to stumble upon the best ice cream in our new hometown.
June 29, 2023: We moved to Indiana.
July 17, 2023: We ordered Silver Dipper Ice Cream for the first time.
It was love at first lick. Silver Dipper has been slinging scoops in West Lafayette, Indiana for the last 20 years. The Carlson family opened their first ice cream shop in 2001, sourcing more than 50 flavors from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream in Madison, Wisconsin where real cane sugar and Wisconsin milk reign supreme.
A year later and my first order still proves to be my favorite (although, trust me, I’ve eaten dozens of their other flavors since). Zoreo is like the final evolution of cookies and cream: The base is a thick fudge-like Zanzibar chocolate ice cream with gooey marshmallow and Oreo pieces swirled throughout. I usually indulge in a double scoop served in a plain white Styrofoam cup best suited for DoorDash delivery. It’s a decadent dessert that feels like an absolute indulgence no matter the season.
What a delight it has been to find so many unique and decadent offerings this summer. Every scoop brought a little more joy and levity into the dwindling days of the season, reminding me that fun still lies ahead. All too soon my dreams will turn brilliant shades of orange and red with pumpkins and apple cider aplenty, but not just yet. The sun hasn’t set on long humid days and waffle cones filled with happiness.
Stay cool out there, Substack! 🍦And leave a comment below with the best ice cream you’ve had this summer. Are you a traditionalist? A flavor maverick? I’m already dreaming of where the next great ice cream adventure could take me.
Nostalgia With A Twist.
Ergo Yum.
It all looks so devine and always. Now I'm hungry. Thanks for sharing your food adventures with us
In your food travels, have you ever seen banana ice cream, made with real bananas, not artificial banana? I’ve spent most of my adult life searching for banana ice cream. I found it once as a kid at a Coldstone, but they discontinued the flavor and I’ve not been able to find it since. 😞