Ever since its invention in decades past, ice cream has stood as one of the most popular desserts or frozen treats in the United States. Since at least the 1920s, many flavors of this dessert have shown up, and ice cream might be eaten on an edible waffle cone or in fun dessert cups made of laminated paper. Ice cream can be served with tasting spoons, such as plastic, and tasting spoons might also be used for getting a free sample at an ice cream store. And today, ice cream has some related frozen desserts to share the market with, from the creamy gelato to frozen custard to sherbet. Ice cream itself is popular, and a lot is eaten and made every year. But equally important are all the supplies, which ice cream shops and stands alike should have in stock when they open to the public. What is there to know about ice cream and its products such as tasting spoons and waffle cones?
Ice Cream Today
This is a popular dessert, and that may not come as a surprise. In fact, the average American will eat it around 28.5 times in a single year, and about 90% of all American households indulge in sweet treats of one kind or another. Research by the NDP group has found that in any two-week period, nearly 40% of all Americans will eat ice cream, and this may be true especially in summer. Ice cream is cold, and it’s a popular dessert during warm months. Indeed, June stands as the most popular month for ice cream being produced, and plenty is being made. About 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream is manufactured in the United States every year, and around 9% of all milk produced at American dairies goes toward ice cream production. Related desserts such as gelato, sherbet, and frozen yogurt vary in their ingredients, and may have cream or even edible bacteria cultures in them for flavor and consistency. How can these treats be eaten? It’s not finger food; the right products should be on hand.
Ice Cream Accessories
A time-honored way to eat ice cream is the waffle cone, which in fact is an edible vessel for ice cream. This was popular in decades past and still is, and an ice cream cone is a classic summer image that’s also popular on Instagram. Many customers will like the mildly sweet, crunchy cone after the soft ice cream, making for a balanced dessert. Ice cream cones are known for being messy, though, and they can drip melting ice cream or even have ice cream scoops fall right off. For some customers, this potential for mess is undesirable, so other vessels can be used.
Other customers might want paper and plastic accessories for their ice cream, and an ice cream shop owner is advised to have them on hand at all times. Paper cups aren’t as stylish as cones, but they keep the ice cream and its mess contained, and they can be used for mixing flavors with a tasting spoon. Besides, these permanent containers are a fine way to store leftover ice cream at home in the fridge or freezer. A good ice cream parlor will also have tasting spoons on hand for giving out samples of a new flavor, and customers are bound to like that. Other desserts such as gelato or frozen custard are only served in cups and bowls with spoons, so a dessert shop should have plenty of those in stock, too. Small ice cream parlors might specialize in “regular” ice cream, but others may expand to include those other desserts and their products.
Aside from cups and spoons, a good ice cream shop will invest in enough ice cream machines to keep up with demand. These machines can blend and mix ice cream and keep it cool, but they have to be maintained. After each work day, they can be rinsed with water, then taken apart. Their parts can be washed in soapy water, allowed to dry, then re-assembled for the next work day. The owner’s manual might be consulted when assembling or taking apart these machines, as needed. New machines should have their manual kept nearby.