PERUSING THE ICE CREAM ISLE FOR MY FAVORITE FLAVORS : Top 3 Monthly Contest - November, 2020

No matter the culture, almost everyone loves ice cream. This treat has been developed into unique versions to satisfy each culture's particular tastes. Whether by history or a more recent adventure into the sweet delight, each year countries consume massive amounts of this product. I remember when I was young hearing the term "iced cream."

For example, it's known that New Zealand and Australia are among the leading consumers in the world, eating up to 20 liters. Of course, my country, the U.S., is the leader. No surprise there. ¹

For November, we're asked to recommend our Top 3 favorite ice cream flavors. This is certainly a nice break from the the horror movies from last month. This sweet topic will be a delight to cover as mostly all individuals, young and old love to eat ice cream.

But first, let me try to explain exactly what ice cream is and how it's made. Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. No one can really pinpoint the origins of ice cream. We do know that it's "a colloidal emulsion made with water, ice, milk fat, milk protein, sugar, and air. Different flavorings are added.

The emulsion is turned into foam by incorporating air cells which are frozen to form dispersed ice cells." ¹ Don't really understand all that, but so glad there are others who figured it out so I can enjoy it's delicious result.

In the U.S., ice cream is eaten in a variety of ways with a spoon, served on top of other desserts, chewed, or licked from a cone. No matter which way you like it, here are several different ways Taste Atlas states we Americans love to prepare our ice cream numerous ways and some popular ones are listed below:

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• ice cream sandwich;
• ice cream cake;
• ice cream float;
• fried ice cream (wickedly delicious shown to the right);
• ice cream sundae;
• banana split; and
• frozen custard; ²

But no matter how you like it prepared, you have to admit ice cream is a delicious sweet treat. That is, if you're not allergic or or can't tolerate milk products.

Because of my current diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, plus I can't tolerate milk, I don't eat a lot of ice cream. However, in my younger days, I loved the ice cream combinations that paired well with bananas and strawberries to create my favorite ice cream dessert, "Banana Split."

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Although now there is actually an ice cream flavor by the name of banana split, I prefer to have it made fresh with all the ingredients and toppings, such as whipped cream and cherries.

To compile my banana split, I must have the following ice cream flavors, and here are my top 3 choices:

My Nominations are:

Nomination Number One

Strawberry Ice Cream

My Reasons for the Nomination

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My favorite flavor of ice cream is Strawberry. I love fresh strawberries as a delicious and healthy fruit. In strawberry ice cream, the fruit intensifies the flavor. The flavor is achieved by adding fresh strawberries or strawberry flavoring to the ice cream mixture. This turns the color of the ice cream a light red or pink.

When fresh strawberries are utilized, the result are chunks of the fruit mixed throughout. It freezes well also. I love strawberry ice cream as my second flavor when preparing my banana split.

A popular dessert treat that utilizes strawberry ice cream is the Neapolitan ice cream sandwich. This combination is achieved by combining it with two other flavors, vanilla and chocolate. The three flavors aren't mixed together; rather, it's kept separate so that you can see the distinct colors of each flavor. This makes the dessert visually appealing, and it extremely popular.

Nomination Number Two

Vanilla Ice Cream

My Reasons for the Nomination

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Vanilla is a flavoring I utilize in my baking. It's from the vanilla bean and is a deep, rich aroma that adds an extra sweet, nutty taste I think.

In North America, vanilla is used frequently to flavor ice cream. Vanilla comes in two types: pure vanilla extract, which gives your dishes a much stronger flavor; and, vanilla flavoring, which provides a lighter flavor. I have used both types and prefer to add pure vanilla flavoring to my cooking.

Vanilla ice cream is my second personal choice of ice cream flavors. However, it has grown to be the most popular flavor of ice cream in the U.S. ³ Perhaps due not only to its delicious flavor, but also it's simplicity and color.

Also, you can utilize it as a topping on other foods, such as my favorite, apple pie or a brownie. Or, you can use it to complement other desserts, such banana splits, sundaes, malts, and milkshakes. My favorite drink is a float I make using vanilla ice cream and a dark cola. Absolutely delicious.

Its white color has caused it to be labeled "plain vanilla ice cream." But the taste is nowhere near plain.

Nomination Number Three

Chocolate Ice Cream

My Reasons for the Nomination

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My third best flavor of ice cream is Chocolate. It is the final flavor that makes my banana split the most delicious dessert. An interesting fact is that chocolate was one of the first ice cream flavors, created before vanilla becoming popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century. ⁵

Chocolate ice cream is usually made by mixing cocoa powder with the ingredients used to create ice cream. The cocoa powder is what gives the ice cream is brown color. It's not unusual to also blend in chocolate liquor.

Chocolate flavor is extremely versatile. It can be used to make other chocolate desserts. Another of my favorite floats is chocolate. For this liquid drink, I use a light colored soda, such as Diet Sprite.