Of all the national food holidays on the calendar, a person can surmise, with astounding accuracy, that National Ice Cream Day might summon the biggest guffaw from the general public.
Yes, we said "guffaw," for how else can one react to learning there's but a single day, and not an entire month, season, or even year, devoted to the consumption of the eternally popular sweet treat?
Real talk time: If the carton of Neapolitan in your freezer could communicate, would it reveal that you and your greedy spoon visit it daily? (Likely.)
But National Ice Cream Day is for sure a thing, and it comes right when it should, near-ish the end of July, on the 19th. That's a Sunday in 2015, the ideal ice-cream-devouring day, and parlors across Southern California will be filled with the mint chip/vanilla/peach good stuff. Will every shop have a special event on or discount or deal? Probably not, but call it a fine day to support your local scoopery. If you want to be benevolent about it. Honestly, though: You also want to eat ice cream.
Why not make for ...
The Free Ice Cream Truck: It's the big blue Random Acts of Helpfulness truck from SoCal Honda Dealers, and it is once again giving out free scoops around Southern California for several days this summer. On July 19, National Ice Cream Day, it'll be doing the free giveaways in Pasadena. Where will it be? Where is it going after that? Turn your mouse this way for more.
Barton G: You don't always need to take your ice cream on a cone or in a cup. Barton G, the offbeat 'n upscale eatery on La Cienega, has a new ice cream-centered dish with, you guessed it, a twist: It's the Baked Alaska Everglades, a "seven story red velvet ice cream cake, wrapped in toasted meringue" with a candy apple "cherry" on top. Whoa? Whoa.
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Quenelle: Perhaps you've heard of the Burbank ice cream-obsessed innovators who are putting a scoop between two discs of funnel cake? This is not a dream, this is reality, but it doesn't happen every day of the week. If you like your cold with a little crisp, best make for Magnolia at the right hour on the right day of the week. Worth it. (And it extends National Ice Cream Day past July 19, too.)
Salt & Straw: The from-Portland-to-Larchmont dessertists are known for bespoke-y bites with a local vibe, but the seasonal flavors of the summer of '15 might outdo all things that have been outdone before. Goat Cheese & Ginger Boysenberry Jam is one of the July seasonal flavors, but hang tight for August, when Garam Masala and Cinnamon Cauliflower debuts.
