NICRA 2008 Convention Review
Ice Cream Clinic Review
Each year, members of The National Ice Cream Retailers Association, who make their own ice cream, submit samples of their ice cream to a professor of dairy science and an independent laboratory, prior to the Annual Convention, to be analyzed and compared to ice cream standards. This year Dr. Ron Schmidt, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida analyzed samples of vanilla and chocolate ice cream submitted by members of the association. A total of 25 vanilla samples and 20 chocolate samples were submitted.
The ice cream is scored, according to color, texture, taste, bacterial count, and many other factors. Blue Ribbons are awarded to those scoring the highest marks, then Red Ribbons, and White Ribbons.
The following winners received their certificates at the Association’s 75th Annual Convention, held November 12-15, 2008 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Vanilla Ice Cream: Blue Ribbons
Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, Shelby Township, MI (Vanilla Bean)
Queen City Creamery & Deli, LLC, Cumberland, MD (Vanilla Frozen Custard)
Vanilla Ice Cream: Red Ribbons
Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, Shelby Townwhip, MI (Vanilla & French Vanilla)
Capannari’s Ice Cream, Mt. Prospect, IL
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI (Old Fashioned Vanilla)
Dolce Gourmet Gelateria & Café, Erie, PA (Vanilla Gelato)
Gifford’s Ice Cream, Skowhegan, ME
Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, Plano, TX
Lakeside Creamery, Oakland, MD
Maggie Moo’s, Norcross, GA (Vanilla Bean)
Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, LLC, Chilton, WI
Sno Top, Ltd., Manlius, NY (Vanilla Soft Serve)
Valley Dairy, Latrobe, PA
Woodside Farm Creamery, Hockessin, DE
Vanilla Ice Cream: White Ribbons
Anderson’s Frozen Custard, Buffalo, NY
Avondale Dairy Bar, Niagara on the Lake, ON, Canada (Vanilla & French Vanilla)
Cliff’s Dairy Maid, Ledgewood, NJ
Corn Hill Creamery, Rochester, NY (Vanilla Bean & Tahitian French Vanilla)
Maggie Moo’s, Norcross, GA
Mercurio’s Mulberry Creamery, Kittanning, PA (Vanilla Gelato)
Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream, St. Louis, MO
Chocolate Ice Cream: Blue Ribbons
Anderson’s Frozen Custard, Buffalo, NY (Dark Chocolate)
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison, WI
Gifford’s Dairy Inc., Skowhegan, ME
Maggie Moo’s, Norcross, GA (Chocolate & Dark Chocolate)
Chocolate Ice Cream: Red Ribbons
Anderson’s Frozen Custard, Williamsville, NY
Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, Shelby Township, MI
Capannari’s Ice Cream, Mt. Prospect, IL
Cliff’s Dairy Maid, Ledgewood, NJ
Corn Hill Creamery, Rochester, NY
Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, Plano, TX
Marble Slab Creamery, Norcross, GA (Chocolate Swiss)
Mercurio’s Mulberry Creamery, Kittanning, PA (Chocolate & Dark Chocolate Gelato)
Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, LLC, Chilton, WI
Serrendipity Homemade Ice Cream, St. Louis, MO (Old Fashioned Chocolate)
Sno Top, Ltd., Manlius, NY (Chocolate Soft Serve)
Chocolate Ice Cream: White Ribbons
Avondale Dairy Bar, Niagara on the Lake, ON, Canada
Dolce Gourmet Gelateria & Café, Erie, PA (Chocolate Gelato)
Valley Dairy, Latrobe, PA
Next year the Ice Cream Clinic Review will examine vanilla and strawberry ice cream.
“Bananas Foster” Frozen Custard Named Your Best New Flavor
“Bananas Foster” Frozen Custard was named your best new flavor at the National Ice Cream Retailers Association Annual Meeting recently held at the Hilton Bayfront, St. Petersburg, Florida, November 12-15, 2008. Your Best New Flavor contest is held each year in conjunction with the Ice Cream Clinic Review at the annual meeting.
The ice cream is formulated and produced by Queen City Creamery & Deli, LLC, Cumberland, Maryland. The company won the coveted First Place for its new flavor. A total of 25 new flavors were submitted by NICRA member companies. Each flavor is sampled by convention attendees and a vote is taken by ballot at the meeting. The winner was announced during the annual banquet at the end of the meeting. Dolce Gourmet Gelateria & Café, Erie, Penn. won second place for Key Lime Dream Gelato. Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, Shelby Twp., Mich. took third place for Kettle Crunch Ice Cream.
Honorable Mentions were given to Corn Hill Creamery, Rochester, N.Y. for Pumpkin with Sweet Pecan Crunch Ice Cream; and The Double Dip, Lebanon, Ohio for Concord Grape Gelato.
“Blow Pop” Ice Cream Named Best Candy Flavor
“Blow Pop” Ice Cream was named the best candy flavor at the National Ice Cream Retailers Association Annual Meeting recently held at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel, St. Petersburg, Florida, November 12-15, 2008. The Best Flavor contest is held each year in conjunction with the Ice Cream Clinic Review at the annual meeting.
The ice cream is formulated and produced by Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream, St. Louis, Missouri. The company won the coveted First Place for its flavor. A total of 21 new candy flavors were submitted by NICRA members. Each flavor is sampled by convention attendees and a vote is taken by ballot at the meeting. The winner was announced during the annual banquet at the end of the meeting. The Double Dip, Lebanon, Ohio took second place for Raspberry Cocoa Crunch Ice Cream and third place went to Queen City Creamery & Deli, LLC, Cumberland, Maryland for Milky Way Frozen Custard. Honorable Mentions went to Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, Shelby Twp., Michigan for Magic Cookie Ice Cream; and Woodside Farm Creamery, Hockessin, Delaware for Rocky Peppermint Road Ice Cream.
You can find National Award Winning Ashbys Sterling Ice Cream at Maceri’s Soup & Scoop, Pitas & Subs an Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream Parlor located in Shelby Township, Michigan on the nw corner of 21 Mile & Hayes. A Michigan Soup Company serving Ashbys Sterling Premium Ice Cream. www.soup-scoop.com
