Memo from Mom
To: All Ice Cream Shops Across America
Re:A Sprinkle of Wisdom
Summertime is upon us and trips to the local ice cream joint are becoming much more frequent. My husband and I passed along our love of frozen dairy goodness to our son and my special contribution was passing along my passion for the sprinkle. My motto is, “Ice cream isn’t worth it without the sprinkles,” and I’m the proud mom of a sprinkle lover. I also have mad credentials in the field of ice cream. Let me share my resume.
My parents owned an ice cream store when I was in middle school. Which means, when I was 11 and 12, I had unlimited access to ice cream and sprinkles. Thankfully, those were the days when children actually got off their butts and rode their bikes around the neighborhood, played in the street until dark when the streetlights went on, and orchestrated block-wide hide and seek games. Had I been like “kids these days” sitting in a dark room with my iPad while listening to my iPod and texting my friend, I would have been considerably larger as a child.
Fast forward to turning 16. I started working at my brother-in-law's Baskin Robbins at a local mall. I worked there for four years. I can't tell you how many times I've said, "Cup or cone?" (and how many times a brilliant customer answered "Yes.") Again, thanks to dancing and cheerleading, my activity countered the large chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter cup I routinely spooned out of said flavor during every shift. That and Cookie Dough chunks.
But let's get back to the point of sprinkles. In my years working in the ice cream profession, I was a sprinkle lover's dream scooper. You asked for sprinkles? By God, you will get your $.25 extra worth (it was 1992, they were a lot less back then). It's your lucky day because I was taught THE RIGHT WAY in which to apply sprinkles. Let me explain.
The MOST important rule to sprinkle application is to ROLL the ice cream in the sprinkle container. The container should always be long enough to fit a cone with scoops on top. Make sure the scoops are pressed down into the cone, then ROLL the ice cream. This way, the ENTIRE surface area of the ice cream is covered. I cannot stress the rolling enough. If someone wants sprinkles, they want sprinkles all over their ice cream. Not 5 pieces strewn wildly about.
This same practice applies to a cup. Take the cup and roll the ice cream in the sprinkles. Bonus with the cup - some extra sprinkles always fall into the cup!
Having a vast knowledge of ice cream and sprinkles, as well as a deep love for the dairy delicacy and it's sugary decor, I am enraged when I order ice cream with sprinkles and my sprinkle request is taken almost as a joke. And in some places, it's a $1.00 extra joke!
Take the other night. We went out for ice cream and I ordered a cone with sprinkles and my son ordered a cup with sprinkles. Well, someone obviously did not go to the College of Proper Ice Cream Service which I attended. My son had about seven sad rainbow sprinkles laying on his mint chocolate chip scoop in a cup. A CUP! That child should have been loaded up! With all kinds of extra sprinkly goodness at the bottom ready to spoon with the soupy drippings at the end! He looked up at me with a look in his eye that said, "Really?" I felt his pain for I knew the injustice. Then it was my turn. My chocolate cone had about eight chocolate sprinkles gazing their lonely eyes at me wishing about 1,346 more of their friends had joined the party.
This was no time to sit and accept my inferior sprinkle application. I asked for a cup with extra sprinkles and the obviously new employee with no experience in the sprinkle application business got me a "cup" the size of a paper ketchup container at McDonald's. Which fit about five more sprinkles. (Insert my head exploding here).
Too many people obviously take the name literally. Sprinkles are not for sprinkling. They are for coating. Thick and often. It is time for all ice cream shops in America to adhere to the same practices and standards of sprinkle application. This inconsistency must stop.
Thank you for your time. Now load ‘em up and dump ‘em on!
Pam Melyan-Bratton is a nationally published freelance writer with a personal blog You Are Kidding Me!
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I am an ice cream enthusiast with a deep and firsthand knowledge of the subject. My experience in the world of frozen delights extends beyond mere appreciation to actual hands-on involvement. I come equipped with a wealth of expertise, having grown up with parents who owned an ice cream store during my middle school years. This period provided me with unlimited access to ice cream and, of course, sprinkles. Moreover, my teenage years were marked by working at a Baskin Robbins for four years, where I honed my skills as a skilled scooper and sprinkle aficionado.
During my time in the ice cream profession, I developed a profound understanding of the art of sprinkle application. I take pride in having been a sprinkle lover's dream scooper, ensuring that anyone who requested sprinkles got their money's worth—especially back in 1992 when it was only $.25 extra. The key to perfect sprinkle application, as I learned and practiced, is to roll the ice cream in the sprinkle container, covering the entire surface area. This technique applies whether it's a cone or a cup, ensuring a generous and even distribution of sprinkly goodness.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Passion for Sprinkles: The author expresses a strong passion for sprinkles, considering them an essential part of the ice cream experience.
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Personal Background: The author's credibility comes from her personal background, growing up with parents who owned an ice cream store and working at a Baskin Robbins for four years.
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Proper Sprinkle Application: The article emphasizes the importance of proper sprinkle application, advocating for a technique where the ice cream is rolled in the sprinkle container to ensure complete coverage.
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Inconsistency in Sprinkle Application: The author recounts a recent experience where the sprinkle application at an ice cream shop did not meet her expectations, highlighting the inconsistency in practices across different establishments.
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Call for Standardization: The article concludes with a call for all ice cream shops in America to adhere to the same practices and standards of sprinkle application to eliminate inconsistency.
In summary, my extensive background in the ice cream industry allows me to fully understand and appreciate the importance of sprinkles in the ice cream experience. If you have any questions or if you share my passion for this delightful treat, feel free to engage in a sprinkle-filled conversation!
