Boston MA – Local Police have a new weapon against the crime in Bostons neighborhoods – an Ice Cream truck where all of the frozen goodies are free.  The Boston Police supported by Hood Ice Cream mix, who donated the truck, are out in the burbs connecting with the locals.

Police acknowledge that in recent years the flow of information and intelligence from the community has been reduced to a trickle.  In this initiative,  Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis hopes to build relationships in stating “It’s a chance to engage youngsters and their families in a non-crisis setting and build partnerships with good people in the neighborhoods who want a safe environment for their kids”

It’s also a chance for police to spread the word about the “Text-a-Tip” program, a first-in-the-nation program. Details of “Text-a-Tip” are stenciled all over the ice cream truck.  

So if you are in the Boston Area, keep an “APB out for the caring cops.  The initative runs through to the 6th of September

On Tuesday, May 18, 2010, Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream turns the grand old age of 50. 

As “the first super premium ice cream” company, selected Haagen-Dazs stores are offering customers a free scoop if they verbally declare birthday greetings. 

Flavors are limited to Vanilla, Chocolate and Coffee, but hey – its free right?  These three flavors were the original offering back in 1960 which soon grew to multiple flavors or gourmet ice cream that spread to the four corners of the globe.

The offer is good between 4 and 8pm so pack up the family and get some ice cream into ya!!  For a list of participating stores – click here.

Missoula MT – There’s a different kind of character roaming the streets of Missoula beckoning customers with his ice cream songs. 

 Nate McEwen lost his arm in a grinding accident at the age of 19, however he hasn’t let that event quell his entrepreneurial spirit. 

Nate now plays the familiar ice cream truck songs around the city of Missoula and instead of frightening the kids, this Captain Hook brings ice cream and treats.  “All my friends call me Captain Hook. It’s kind of a nickname that I picked up about 10 years ago, after I lost my arm in Helena and it’s just kind of stuck with us. We thought it would be fun, kind of reminded us of almost a Peter Pan-type of thing for the kids,” explains Nate.

And the locals love it.  Captain Hook Ice Cream brings around new and traditional treats and has plans to grow his business into multiple trucks.   Watch the video here

Finland – A recent market research group has reported that the packing sizes in Finland are shrinking. 

The Euromonitor research group states that as a result of the recession, families and individuals are looking for better value in the luxury goods catagory of grocery items, and hence, manufacturers are coming to the party with smaller containers.

When purse strings started to tighten in Finland in the early 1990’s, impulse ice cream sales actually increased, and many say the smaller packaging was a contributor. 

No matter how small the packaging gets – when your Finnish, your Finnish!

Le Mars Iowa  – The Wells Dairy are throwing out the challenge for Ice Cream lovers everywhere to come up with America’s Top Ice Cream Flavor.  “It’s an exciting contest — people are very creative,” said Liz Croston, Wells’ Dairy spokeswoman. “We said, ‘We should do this in Le Mars for Ice Cream Days.’”

There are 2 age groups – 7-15 years and the 16 years and older.  The rules are simple.  You must pre register on June 16th at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and Museum on Business Highway 75 in Le Mars, IA.  The entry is $10 but with that comes 2 coupons to buy product at the store to use in your dessert.

“Anything can be added to enhance the dessert, but it must be edible,” the contest rules state.  “Kids have fun taking products they know, like an ice cream sandwich, and doing something creative with it,” Croston said.

The only other rules are it must contain Blue Bunny Ice Cream and it must be edible. There goes my idea for a Vegemite sundae.  As well as the acknowledgement that your are America’s next top flavor creator, prizes of $75, $50 and $25 respectively are available for 1st second and third place winners.  More prize money is available for the adult section.

And dont think that you may win without doing your homework. “At the Iowa State Fair, we’ve had flavors where people incorporate hot spices like chile pepper, and last year one had edible plants in it — a lavender lemon flavor,” Croston said. “And there are always those flavors Americans love, those ooey, gooey over the top flavors.”

Good Luck, and may the fudge be with you.  For mor details click here

Delanco NJ – When Sue Compton crafted a recipe for delicious Ice Cream Cupcakes, she would never have dreamed the recipe was worth a cool million dollars.

Sue entered the recipe in the Pillsbury Bake Off Competition which was judged in Orlando in Monday and the winners were announced on the Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday.  The announcement was not without controversy though.  As soon as the winning entry was announced, the world wide web was teaming with comments and reactions such as “What a Joke – A Million bucks for an overdose of sugar” and  “She opened a jar, ripped open a bag of chips, cut open a roll of ready-made cookie dough and slapped them together”

There were even suggestions that the recipe was ripped off.  Reglardless, the winner stands and all of those negative comments may simply amount to sore loserhood.

The full recipe and all details of the competition can be found on www.pillsbury.com

Atlanta GO – Maggie Moos Creamery’s across the country are getting ready for a  rush on Tax Day – April 15. 

No –  its not because they havent’ prepred their returns yet. The Atlanta GA based company is giving away free slices of its Maggiemia Ice Cream Pizza slices to reward the citizens of the US for being diligent tax payers.

The free ice cream is on offer between 3pm to 7pm and not all locations are participating.  See www.maggiemoos.com for more details

Coimbatore India -  In an effort to cool down the residents at the Coimbatore Zoo from a heat wave sweeping the nation, Ice Cream has been served up as a regular menu item.

www.dailyindia.com also reports that watermelon, fruits and other unusual foods also adorn the animals diet which also includes an hourly spray down with a hose.  Sounds like a good human recipe for beating the heat also

“We are facing so many problems regarding heat stroke”  the Zoo Director has said.

Visitors to the zoo are pleased that the animals are getting special treatment in the very hot conditions.  Radha, a vistor to the zoo said “This is something new and this is for the first time I am witnessing here”  The cool down initiative is planned to run all summer long.

Mission Beach, San Diego CA  -  Its not that I dont like soft serve – I really do.  However its hard to build a theme or an entertaining atmosphere around it.  A nice low overrun, higher butterfat soft serve can do great things for your tastebuds; Unfortunately Beach Treats do not offer such a product…BUT.  What Beach Treats lacks in flavor, it certainly makes up for in location and presentation. 

Perched right on the Mission Beach boardwalk in San Diego, its thatched hut decor and monstrous soft serve cones draws lines of bike riders, skake boarders, beach goers and practically anyone else who strolls past.  Beach Treats will never be known for its diverse menu or quality of product.  Hot Dogs, Cotton candy, Shaved Ice and other State Fair-esque treats adorn the sandwich board menu. 

And you cant say much for the show either.  On the day I was there, a Scandinavian foreign exchange  student dressed as “The Flash” in a head to toe red velvet track suit and wrap around sunglasses mumbled orders through a small window in the hut, and low and behold, a naked hand passes through the merchandise from the dark beyond.  No pomp or ceremony, No ice cream show - just a hand.

But when the product is presented to you by The Flash – Its Incredible!!  Children gasp oohs and aahhs as they are handed possibly the largest soft serve waffle cone they will ever see in their mortal lives.  They don’t call this the Monster Cone for nothing.  And at nearly $5.00 for a waffle cone of Soft Serve dipped in chocolate and nuts, you are not going to be down here every Saturday buying for your 5 hungry children. 

Still, the Beach Treats experience is definately worth a try once and will take pride of place on The Ice Cream Bloke Store finder list. 

If you have an ice cream stores thats worth a review or a visit from the Bloke, give us a holla – steve@theicecreambloke.com

Peoria IL – Vice President Joe Biden has had an ice cream flavor named after him.  The Spotted Cow, an independently owned ice cream store in Peoira IL was visited by the VP last Wednesday, hence the bestowal of the honor.  “A Chip off the old Biden” is the new favor.

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