The Scoop: Spring SCOOP '10

SPRING SCOOP

The rush of renewed spirit enters every sponge in nature and here at 1-1-6 Market Street, the kind cosmic boost is felt and appreciated! We have had, inside of the past few weeks, our most successful days in the history of our business. For many days moisture-vaulted clouds released their rains, but after the wetness subsided and the soils had a drink, frenzied onrushes of ice cream cravers bottlenecked at our door. We welcome the lines of tourists out our door, arrived from the curves of continents afar and the nearest nook in our neighborhood.

A few weeks ago we received in our shop two culinary celebrities: Mark Summers and "Duff" Goldman, of the Food Network's "Unwrapped" and "The Ace of Cakes". They arrived with cycloning passion to shoot a segment for "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", another Food Network staple. Each world-renowned foodie was there to endorse the best drink that they had ever drunk, and both were Franklin Fountain specialties. Evidently, Duff had been coming into the shop for years asking his favorite drink "The Egyptienne Egg Shake", and notified his producers of this personal fact. The Egyptienne Egg Shake, a Heinbach-Berley creation , was originally conceived to commemorate the King Tutankhamen exhibit at the Franklin Institute in 2007 and dually the discovery of the Pharoh's tomb by Howard Carter in 1921. The drink is a throwback to the raw egg drinks of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries - a forerunner for the protein shake. It consists of orange and rose syrups, an organic farm fresh beaten egg, tinctures of phosphoric acid and Angostura bitters, soda water, a bejeweling date garnish, and a sprinkling of dried Blue Nile lotus flower (known by the ancients for its euphoric lift.)

Duff was challanged by Mr. Summers, who felt that the best drink that he'd ever partaken of was an old fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream Soda, made with soda water, Brooklyn's own Fox's "U-Bet" chocolate syrup , and a scoop of our housemade chocolate ice cream floating on top. The drink is both straightforward and nostalgic. Which prevailed? You'll have to stay tuned for the broadcast. We'll let you know when it is due to premiere. In the meantime, enjoy both drinks and try to decide for yourselves.

Speaking of Food Network premiere dates, our segment on "Unwrapped" which we mentioned the shooting of in an earlier blogpost premiered on MAY 10th, 8:30 PM ET!

We have brought back "Banana" ice cream. We recommend it in the "Banana War" ice cream soda, a chocolate soda tinctured with vanilla and almond syrups, with a scoop of Banana ice cream floating on its surface. It commemorates the various "Banana Wars" conducted from 1898 until roughly 1925 between the United States and many Caribbean and South American Nations, fought, in part, over the exports of the bananas. The ice cream soda is a tropical, ripe treat, laced with an undertone of danger and intrigue.

On the subject of ice cream and banana wars, we have a separate anecdote to knot in here... The Berleys and other prominent staff members including our own Patrick O'Neill recently held an ice cream social onboard the USS Olympia, harbored at Penn's Landing (but not for much longer.) The Olympia was Commodore George Dewey's flagship cruiser at the Battle of Manilla Bay during the Spanish-American War in 1899 (The mother of all Banana Wars.) The crew and those on board all had a fantastic time and enjoyed our ice cream immensely.

For more news of flavor introductions and re-inclusions, we're announcing with pride that "Red Raspberry Sorbet" has made its triumphant return, and we have introduced "Orange-Pineapple Ice Cream" as a new flavor. Be sure to try these on your next stop by!