Wacky ideas in the ice cream world

The best sight on a hot summer day is a man selling ice cream. It could be a woman. But it doesn’t have to be in the park or a Saturday. And it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to guess that the most popular flavor is vanilla, followed by chocolate. And ultimately it isn’t clear whether rocket scientists know more about ice cream than say, artists – as in, it doesn’t take an artist to figure out that strawberry ice cream is pink. Anyway, as it turns out there are places where plain vanilla ice cream is too ordinary for their menu. Forget about giving the people what they want, in these places the mantra could be – give the people what we want. And while this may seem to be a recipe for a business meltdown, these are the places that get the buzz, ink and Twitter followers.

Such a place is Humphry Slocombe, an ice cream shop in San Francisco where the offerings include several meat flavored ice-creams. Among them is one with foie gras or fattened goose liver, which caused PETA to protest. Yet folks are flocking there for flavors with balsamic vinegar, curry, prosciutto and bourbon with corn flakes. At the Bombay Ice Creamery also in San Francisco, they offer a concoction which is topped with rose syrup and rice noodles. In Los Angeles there are ice-creams with wasabi, vodka and gorgonzola cheese among others. Possibly egg on the face of those who thought a successful business model depends on safe choices. But if it’s summer, ice cream is probably a safer bet than say – piping hot clam chowder. And just for the record, there is clam chowder ice cream in Boston. But it won’t win any ribbons because the Clamfest folks banned it from their annual competition for not being a true chowder.