more about ice cream

After reading the replies from last week's blemail about rocky road, et al, I've discovered that evidently more of you are ready and willing to talk about ice cream than your dog or cat. Or your children. I bet there are more people who know the location of the nearest Braum's drive-thru than the nearest drive-thru bank.

One of you said ice cream is your anti-depressant. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. As to claims that the sweet treat is addictive, I agree. No idea what's in it that makes it so, but evidently the industry knows our need and feels our pain because recently on the shelf at the local grocer I discovered: low sugar ice cream; no sugar ice cream; low fat content ice cream; lactose intolerant ice cream; Italian ice; and at least five different kinds of strawberry; all designed to continue our obsession with that frozen delight.

It's even worth the headache I get when it's too cold. Besides, I've never yet seen anybody pulled over for driving under the influence of raspberry cheesecake frozen yogurt. Or because they were drinking a lime sherbet 7-up float.

Some of you waxed rhapsodic about mint chocolate chip, cookies & cream, and anything Ben & Jerry's. Remember wavy gravy? Strange that no one mentioned plain chocolate.

Or peach. Oh, man, just the memories of turning that churn handle and adding more rock salt and turning that handle and then moving to the other side of the back steps so Daddy could take over when I got too tired, and then to sit and watch him carry on for me, even tho we both knew I'd eat the lion's share. And then to take off the cover and add the peaches Mom canned the previous summer, and then turning for the eternity of another ten minutes. I always saved the mason jar, and added the ice cream to the stray drops of juice as soon as it was declared ready to eat. Forget baseball and apple pie, but remember parents and peach ice cream.

But no, dear friend, ice cream does not qualify as a liquid diet. Unless it's plain vanilla.