top of page

The Four Ways The Pandemic COVID-19 Even Affects Our Celebration of National Ice Cream Month

July is National Ice Cream Month.   That makes sense.  July is the highlight month of the summer, with July 4th and summer vacations and celebrations.  This year with COVID-19 is different, but one thing is the same, the summer is the time we most crave ice cream, cold and creamy.  In a previous National Ice Cream Month post, I explored its creation and history.  See post, “July Is Ice Cream Month and What is New to Celebrate With Grandchildren Of All Ages.”


New recipes and new sales were a few then, and now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of ice cream making machines and new recipes for homemade ice cream have exploded as has the virus.


Yes, the pandemic has even affected our celebration of National Ice Cream Month.  In previous years, I would have searched for articles about “The 15 Tastiest Ice Cream Shops In The U.S.”This year we have to hope they are close to home and comply with requiring masks and social distancing, or deliver, as does Baskin Robbins below.  Home is where the heart is, where we are spending most of our time, and where we are enjoying National Ice Cream Month 2020.


I. ICE CREAM MACHINES AND TOOLS TO BUY HAVE EXPLODED IN NUMBER ON LINE

Here are the top National Ice Cream Month recommendations.  Look for a sale as there are many.


Best and Easy Automatic Ice Cream Machine

Ice Cream Making Machines have been in disfavor for years.  I have wanted to buy one for grandchildren since our oldest, now sixteen was a toddler, but read that they only take up valuable storage space and gather dust.  Each time the reviews were mediocre at best, with recommendations to go to the nearest ice cream store.  This year, it is different.

There is one ice cream machine that is recommended in several reviews, the Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-quart automatic frozen ice cream-yogurt-sorbet maker for under $100.  See, “Why This $80 Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Is the Best Ice Cream Maker for Families,” by Cambria Bold, July 14, 2020, Simply Recipes.  She answers the question and explains how it is “easy to use, inexpensive, compact, and makes the creamiest ice cream.”


Best Ice Cream Scoops and Spades

Other recommendations include new ice cream scoops and something called ice cream spades, which are now the newest and best way to scoop ice cream, especially since we are all eating home, even ice cream.


When did you last upgrade your home ice cream scoop? The best rated ice cream scoop comes from Sur La Table, the Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop.  What makes this special?  It has a self-defrosting fluid in the handle that responds to the warmth of a hand so the scoop cuts into even the hardest ice cream–and the ice cream will slide right off in a perfect round ball. The handle is made to be comfortable for both left handed and right handed people.  The only negative is that it is not dishwasher safe.


It is likely that you and your grandchildren do not own an ice cream spade.  We don’t, but now I will get one.  An ice cream spade is a tool that has a blade with a wide, flat top and a curved body for cutting into hard ice cream. It works great for mashing fruit or other mix-ins into ice cream or just scooping ice cream out of a container. This Grandma loves OXO products, and, of course, they make a spade.


II. BEST EXPERTS’ TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING YOUR OWN ICE CREAM ARE ON LINE

Now that we are spending more time at home, homemade is in. The best experts’ tips and tricks for using an ice cream machine can be found in one article, which by the way, also recommends the Cuisinart ice cream-yogurt-sorbet maker, in “How to make homemade ice cream in 2020, according to experts,” by Zoe Malin, July 17, 2020, NBC News.

The most fun article I found this year is making ice cream in a mason jar, no ice cream machine required, and you can add whatever flavors or mix-ins you want.  “This 4-ingredient mason jar ice cream is the coolest summer treat around,” by Guillermo Riveros, July 19, 2020, C/NET.


  1.     III. FAMOUS CHEFS SHARE ON LINE RECIPES IN HONOR OF NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH

I have never seen so many ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt and sorbet recipes on line from easy recipes to gourmet flavors.  Here are what I think are the best.

Gourmet

For 64 mostly gourmet ice cream recipes, so to Sur La Table.


Milkshakes

There are so many creative recipes.  With a blender, take advantage of the delicious gourmet ice cream milkshake recipes, such as Mud Pie Milkshake, Oatmeal Cookie Milkshake or Bananas Foster Milkshake,  in “How to Make the Best Shake: 3 Steps to Super Thick & Creamy Milkshakes,” by Jen Wheeler, July 13, 2020, Chowhound.

Celebrity Chefs Ice Cream and Sorbet Recipes, S’mores Ice Cream and More Grandchild Favorites


Famous Chef Ina Garten’s secret to intensifying the chocolate flavor in her sorbet and other well known chefs’ recipes for homemade ice cream and sorbet are in Food Networks’ “Here’s the Scoop on Homemade Frozen Treats: DIY Ice Cream, Sorbet and Sherbet,” by Christie Bok.


If you like Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis, try her latest frozen s’mores recipe.

For more grandchild favorite ice cream s’mores try No-Churn S’mores Ice Cream, one of “12 Ice Cream Desserts You Can Make At Home For A Sweet Treat,” by Ellen Schmidt, July 9, 2020, Romper.


IV. HOME DELIVERY IS IN AND FOR THOSE WHO JUST WANT TO HAVE THE BEST DELIVERED . . .

If you are a grandma like me who is an expert in making reservations, and frustrated in not being able to make them and use them now, just have the best delivered to you during the pandemic.  See “These Are the Only Ice Cream Bars I’ll Buy from Now On (and I’ve Tried Them All),” Danielle Centoni, July 19, 2020, The Kitchn.


If you want to try a new ice cream brand or try a new flavor from your favorite brand, add to your grocery delivery order one of the most popular flavors you have yet to try. “National Ice Cream Day 2020: Famous brands reveal most popular flavors,” by Janine Puhak, July 19, 2020, Fox News.


Whole Foods is giving Prime Members 35% off ice cream and other frozen treats from July 15 through July 28, 2020.


Baskin Robbins has a $0 Delivery Fee During National Ice Cream Month!

Get your favorite flavor delivered with a $0 delivery fee on orders $15+ through DoorDash all month long! Valid through July 31, 2020 for orders over $15 excluding taxes and fees.

ENJOYMENT IS NEEDED NOW!


Yum and Joy,


Mema






Comments


bottom of page