A smooth and creamy operator

THE PATENT TRADER
(Original publication: July 29, 2004)

Cool and creamy, ice cream is the summertime treat on a hot and steamy day. That's not to say we don't enjoy our share at other times of the year — think hot fudge in winter. But to truly appreciate ice cream in all its forms and glory, it's best in the summer. July is National Ice Cream Month, so declared by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

The number of independent ice cream shops, and the flavors they offer, are a testament to how much northern Westchester residents love this favorite. From tried-and-true vanilla and chocolate (hard or soft-serve, take your pick) to outrageous flavors and taste combinations with all sorts of extras mixed in, we can't get enough of this stuff.

According to several sources, the United States consumes the most ice cream in the world. Our favorite flavor is vanilla, followed by chocolate, and the most popular topping is chocolate syrup.

Locally, there are shops that sell just ice cream, but there are also places that pair ice cream with other treats such as hamburgers, hot dogs, egg creams, candy and even sports memorabilia. Some places make their own, like the Blue Pig Ice Cream Factory, and zealously guard these recipes that have been pleasing palates for years. Others bring in the ice cream and offer it up with a twist or in a distinctive environment, like Fanda's retro-'50s soda shop or the Red Rooster's enduring roadside stand.

Like many other things that we are content to enjoy without thinking too hard about their origins, there are many different stories of how ice cream came to be. Some claim it was the invention of a resourceful French chef to England's Charles I, who allegedly tried to bribe said chef with a yearly stipend to keep the recipe a royal secret. Another popular legend says that Marco Polo brought a recipe back to Europe from the Far East for a concoction similar to sorbet. And supposedly Emperor Nero sent his minions to the mountains to fetch snow over which he drizzled honey and other sweets.

The ice cream cone, the handy and convenient invention that made the frozen delight more portable, debuted at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Millions of children have been trying to stay one lick ahead of complete meltdown since.

So go ahead and dish up a scoop or two. Take a spoonful and let it melt on your tongue. There's nothing like it on a hot summer's day.