An Illustrated Guide To Summer’s Classic Frozen Treats
The summer is already flying by, and with the 4th of July only a few days away, it’s crucial we get our fill of warm weather treats before the summer is over. Of course, we can eat ice cream and popsicles year round, but there is nothing better when it’s blazing hot out, than chomping into something cool. Below are some classic summer snacks that are sure to make you yearn for the jingle of an ice cream truck.
1. Chipwich
This is probably the biggest commitment you can go with from the ice cream truck, but a classic nonetheless. Cookie- ice cream– cookie. It’s a dessert brick. If you let it soften too much, it’s a mess. If you eat it too fast, you’ve got brain freeze. So what do you do? You try to get your timing just right in order to capture the perfect texture and flavor combo of savory and sweet. Chipwiches are also super fun and easy to make on your own. If you want to really do it up, try a donutwich. Yes, it’s for real.
2. Ice Cream Creatures with Gumball Eyes
First there was Mickey Mouse and the Baseball Mitt. Now, there are a zillion iterations of the ice cream shape with a gumball. I still don’t get it. Frozen gum just isn’t particularly good and if you eat one of the gumball eyes before you finish the ice cream, then you need to chew the gum the rest of the time you eat the ice cream. Why don’t you just eat gum and skip the ice cream? This dessert also frustrates me because I feel like I don’t know the cool characters anymore. Do they still have Tweety bird, Ninja Turtles and Powder Puff Girls? Probably not.
3. Choco Taco
I’m sorry, I know people like this dessert, but it’s the summer treat I trust the least. While it’s a totally tasty treat, and nothing against tacos, isn’t it just a really cleverly disguised drumstick? Who asked for that? I thought it was established that the most efficient way to eat melting dairy was in a cone? Choco Taco, you make me super anxious, but I guess I’m just overly paranoid about 90-degree weather, melting ice-cream and white pants.
4. Snow Cones
Strawberry, Lemon, Blue Razz. There was only one brand of snowcone that I was interested in: The Popsicle. That was the one you could get on the ice-cream truck. While freshly made snow cones can be amazing, the ice cream truck cones definitely remind me of growing up— hearing the sound of the ice cream truck after dinner and running out with the rest of the neighborhood kids to stand in line.
5. Creamsicle
Maybe you call this a Dreamsicle, I don’t know. The point is that this treat is an awesomely thoughtful combination of citrus and vanilla ice cream for the person that can’t decide between a popsicle or an ice cream pop on a hot summer’s day. It really is a dream-like creation with a flavor that really tastes like summer.
6 Strawberry Shortcake
You know the cake bits, sherbet, and ice cream combination? For some reason, if I picked this dessert it always made me feel like I had made a sophisticated choice. Now that I’m older and wiser, I know that Strawberry Shortcake bars are not sophisticated at all. Sure, they are named after an actual dessert, but it’s really just a foamy ice cream thing covered in cake pebbles. Still, I’m definitely a supporter.
7. Italian Ice
I know most italian ice is just ice shavings and a bunch of artificial dye, but that’s okay. There are a ton of things that are worse for you that don’t even taste as good. So the next time you have the opportunity, give it a try. I think it’s one of the most refreshing treats at the block party.
8. Push Pop
I don’t know about you, but Push Pops were a regular favorite at my house. I’m not sure what was so appealing about the push functionality of the pop, because it was basically just like travel deodorant, but they were still a delicious treat you wanted to eat everyday. Plus, they were Flintstone-themed. When you think about it, the Flintstones really had a monopoly on a kid’s daily routine. Our days started with a Flintstone vitamins and ended with these pops. It was Fred, Barney, Wilma and Betty all the time.
9. Bomb Pop
You can’t really talk about summer and cold treats without mentioning this one. Also known as the Firecracker, it is a treat that is especially perfect for the 4th. It’s the coolest way to be patriotic with the best flavor combination: cherry, lemon and blue raspberry. You’ve gotta be careful about the mouth-staining associated with this one, but I’m willing to say it’s worth it.
10. Lick-A-Color and Sherbet Cyclone Popsicles
The colors, dude, the colors. In case that’s not ringing a bell, you need to watch this commercial. Still some of the best work in advertising, timeless even. Watching that still makes me want to go to the store and buy a box of each. Both options were incredibly tasty and since they were advertised together, it was easier to convince your parents to buy you one of each.
(All illustrations by the author)
