altivo

My Dad used to occasionally mention blue moon ice cream as a thing that you could no longer get and that he remembered from his own childhood as a special treat. He couldn't explain what the flavor was, exactly. His older brother had been a pharmacist for a time in the 20s and 30s, and had a drug store with a soda fountain in it. Uncle Guy's abilities as a pharmacist were remembered for one kind of liniment that he made from a secret recipe, long lost. His abilities as a soda-jerk were remembered for fresh strawberry ice cream sodas (which I did experience once, and they were undeniably exceptional) and a blue moon sundae that apparently consisted of blue moon ice cream with tutti-frutti topping and the requisite whipped cream and cherry.

My uncle lost his pharmacy during the Depression, and eventually became a cash-register salesman. Blue moon ice cream, at least according to my Dad, became extinct after World War 2. Well, maybe not quite. In our local grocery, which is not generally very exotic (f'rinstance, they don't stock spicy foods because no one around here eats them, supposedly) I noticed that they did have blue moon ice cream. Made by Schoeps, a Wisconsin dairy firm, it alone of all their flavors is offered only in huge five quart tubs. The others can be had in more normal half gallon quantities.

At eight dollars for a huge quantity, I was reluctant to buy it but curious. I asked what it was flavored with. No one knew. I went on the web and searched, only to find long arguments and discussions over that very topic. It seemed no one was sure. Some descriptions made it apparent that the version of blue moon being described had the tutti-frutti syrup blended right in (tutti-frutti is a sweet concoction of primarily crushed pineapple and maraschino cherry) but it was also clear that the real, pure blue moon was blue in color and tasted of something not quite identifiable.

At last, a sale! For three dollars, I hauled home a huge plastic tub of the stuff and managed to cram it into my freezer. I let it resolidify before sampling. Hmmm...

It is certainly blue. Perfect sky blue. That's artificial, of course, but lends it a traditional distinction. Schoeps makes good ice cream, and it is rich, creamy, and not too sweet. But the flavor? Oddly enough, my suspicions after reading the web discussions were confirmed. Despite various arguments, it contains no lime, nor white chocolate, nor blueberry, nor various other oddities suggested by many people. The flavoring comes from an aromatic oil used by bakers, usually in rich coffee cake type creations. I know it as "Fiori di Sicilia" or Flowers of Sicily. The components I am confident of are vanilla and citrus, probably a blossom extract rather than the stronger oils from the fruit peel. Perhaps vanilla and lemon or orange blossom. It is delicate but distinct, and quite delicious in my opinion. The closest thing I can think of that you may recognize (not a perfect match by any means, too heavy on the orange) is the flavor of the ice cream center of a "Creamsicle" ice cream bar.

Anyway, I like it. Getting rid of the five quarts won't be difficult, and I'll probably buy some more at least if it goes on sale again. And (see previous post) it isn't chocolate, so what's not to like? [very big horse-grin]