Today’s text isn’t completely mine. I worked on it with a classmate from my Master’s. However, this last version of it is more my style, more mine. Ande even when it has a lot of what I worked with Ana, I made it more my own.
Having a scoop of ice-cream while waking in the park may be an image of any given Sunday. I even close my eyes and remember my high school sweetheart and how we went every Friday afternoon to have one at a local soda shop. Oh, this was way before the Condesa district in Mexico City was hip.
Going to these places to eat artisanal ice-cream when my grand parents were young was very common. Freezers were not as common as they now are. This makes enjoying ice-cream, even when not artisanal, something we can do whenever we fancy. For Ana and myself, serving a scoop of ice-cream is the perfect moment to be paired with something on Netflix.
About the Packaging that Allowed Us to Take Ice-Cream Home
Ice-cream has been around us for more than 4,000 years, but their packaging only 90 or so. According to the specialists in ice-cream science, the packages originally used were squared. This made it easier to ‘box’ the product in the form of a cube. Then, in the 90s, cylindrical tubs became quite popular, for it allowed consumers to scoop it out more easily7. Currently, we can find both types of packaging. Each brand decides what suits them best.
However, the form of the ice-cream’s container has nowadays evolved once more. It is something ice-cream marketers have chosen to call sqround. I say it’s something not quite square or round, but something in-between. And even when the main material is cardboard, it’s got a special kind of waxed coating that makes it moist-resistant.
Also, let us not forget about sustainability, and how this has made manufacturers re-asses the materials they use in their packaging. For example, Ben & Jerry ‘s states it’s using 40% less plastic, making the tubs more recyclable. Other companies, such as Haagen Dazs, have planned to have fully recyclable or reusable containers by 2025.
How to Enjoy Ice-Cream at Home
There are many ways one can eat ice-cream at home. Some even have rituals or be personal obsessions. For examples, ice-cream can be “pimped” with a variety of ingredients such as granola, fruits, cookies, chocolate hips, dry fruits, sweet coulis or liquors. They may be scooped and served in sugar or waffle cones, in a glass tulip, or even in a small plastic bowl. It will all depend on the occasion and the age of the consumer. Some even prefer to enjoy them directly from the container with a metal spoon.
My Personal Ranking in Terms of Flavor and Brands
Some rank vanilla as the most popular flavor of 2021. Others say it’s chocolate. I’ll stick to vanilla as the winner. But other flavors I enjoy are: (Belgian) Chocolate, Matcha, Lime Sorbet, and Red Fruits Sorbet.
In terms of brands… well, many say Ben & Jerry’s, Haagen Dazs, Baskin Robins and Magnum Bars. Since I look at the amount of sugar each option has, I frequently like buying Bryers’ Smart Carb.
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