“I only caught a glimpse between the billows of nitrous oxide, but I think I just saw Willy Wonka” whispered the teenager to her mother after receiving her butter pecan ice cream. “I’m in LOVE!!!” texted the young woman to her friend. “Oh yeah?!? When are you seeing him again?” was the instantaneous response. “Oh, he was kind of boring, but the Chocolate Cabernet ice cream won my heart!” As she sat on bustling steps and basked in the sunshine, a tall, suited acquaintance approached; the dapper couple made plans to spend the rest of the day together. Roman Holiday or Forsyth Boulevard?
ST. LOUIS’ ICE CREAM REVOLUTION Written by Johnny Fugitt / Photography by Carmen Troesser
Given the ice cream cone’s debut at the 1904 World’s Fair and St. Louis’ sweltering summers, it’s no surprise the city delights in frozen treats. From famous frozen custard to beloved burger and shake shops, variety abounds to satiate our collective sweet tooth. Ice cream is in the midst of a revolution and three St. Louis women are leading the way. “Third Wave Coffee” is a term used to describe the artisanal trend in coffee production. The first wave was the ubiquitous office pot of Folgers. Starbucks spearheaded the second wave and the likes of Sump and Comet Coffee represent the third wave in St. Louis. Similarly, the supermarket box of vanilla, chocolate, or, if the family was feeling frisky, mint chocolate chip ice cream, was the go-to a few decades ago (that or a swirling, drive-through frozen concoction on a cone). Then, big brands like Ben & Jerry’s made their way into storefronts from coast to coast, introducing richer tastes and bolder flavors. Today, sweet treats from Ices Plain & Fancy, Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery, and Pastaria beg the question of why we ever settled for less. Ices Plain & Fancy in the historic Shaw Neighborhood of St. Louis, is best known for using liquid nitrogen, which creates a more theatrical experience than the simple scoop. Liquid nitrogen was first used to create ice cream by Agnes Marshall, a food writer and entrepreneur in late-19th Century England. Her inaugural book, Ices Plain and Fancy: The Book of Ices, influenced the future of ice cream – remember that Southern Illinois product called Dippin’ Dots?
12 slmag.net
