Ice Cream Profiling

“Dad…Old people eat Rum Raisin ice cream in a cup.”

Apparently one doesn’t need Google Analytics to figure out ice cream flavor preferences among the masses reaching for this iconic sweet. A few summers ago our daughter Margot started working at Spinnakers Cafe, a favorite harbor side eating establishment and ice cream hangout among locals and tourists. Now in her third season, she’s built up a strong scooping arm as well as a bent for ice cream profiling. After questioning Margot and three other Spinnakers employees, there was consensus on who likes what.

Here’s what the gals had to say:

Rum Raisin – “Old people…men”

Perhaps this is a carry over from baby boomer sailors drinking Mount Gay and Tonic?

Pistachio – “Older people.”

That would be me. For years Pistachio was my first choice.

Fro-Yo – “All moms like it…it’s frozen yogurt”

We moms are known to dispense yogurt snacks without question. Perhaps the propensity for Fro-Yo is a carry over from our jobs at home, choosing seemingly healthy frozen yogurt over calorie dense flavors like chocolate peanut butter cup?

Purple Cow – “Another mom flavor….its black raspberry frozen yogurt  with white and dark chocolate chunks.”

Need I explain the chocolate part?

Black Raspberry – “Universal flavor. Everyone likes it.”

No clue why Black Raspberry would be a crossover flavor.

Sorbet – “ It’s a mood thing…all kinds of people get it when they don’t feel like having full-on ice cream.”

Moose Tracks – “10 year old boys.”

Sounds like another back yard game; “hide and go seek”, “man hunt”, “moose tracks.”

Cotton Candy and Crunch-a-saurus – “Kids flavors. Cotton Candy is pink and blue. Crunch-a-saurus is blue vanilla with chocolate. Little kids like the colors.”

What 5 year old would reach for anything that comes in muted tones versus hot pink or bright blue?

Oreo or anything cookie related, Vanilla, Chocolate – “Hot guys pick plain flavors…they don’t take risks.”

The cookie part makes sense. Everyone loves cookies, while boys seem to have their hands in the proverbial cookie jar, more often than not. I still haven’t figured out the “risk” part. Any chance the future male entrepreneur can be spotted in his teens, reaching for outlier ice cream flavors?

Coffee Kahlua Brownie- – “Definitely a girlfriend flavor…girls with guys always order this one.”

“Let’s meet for coffee” is a common text among gal pals, while let’s meet for a “Kahlua and Coffee” does sound more like a date, especially with a chocolate brownie on the side.

Grape-Nut Custard – “More old people…mostly men. They also like Maple Walnut ”

                                        

Originally I found  Grape-Nut Custard perplexing. Why older “men” versus women? My research uncovered that C.W. Post created Grape-Nut breakfast cereal in 1897. It was lightweight and had a long shelf life, thus Grape-Nut Cereal was included in World War II “jungle rations” for US soldiers.  Even Edmond Hillary’s 1953 ascent to the top of Mount Everest included a supply of Grape-Nut cereal. No wonder older guys love Grape-Nut Custard so much. It harkens back to their youth, brimming with historic value and nostalgia, minus any real grapes or nuts. “Healthy ice cream?”

If I was out with my husband and ordered a Coffee Kahlua Brownie ice cream cone, I wonder if these young scoopers would consider me a “girl on a date” with “old man eating rum raisin in a cup?” Unfortunately I can’t hide my age behind an ice cream cone. One of my favorite flavors outside of the chocolate realm is Pistachio, another “older person” flavor according to the team of pros.

Although our  palettes may change over time, a propensity for ice cream is a clear case of “I Love You Always.”

Julie