Food: Where Are the Ice Cream Trucks?

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Where Are the Ice Cream Trucks?
Sunday, November 13, 2005

When I was a kid, one of  the greatest sounds I could ever hope to hear during a hot summer day was the musical jingle of the ice cream truck that showed up on my block from time to time.  The truck's arrival was always unpredictable and unexpected, which therefore made it all the more exciting for us when it did come by.  So as soon as my brother and I heard the first few notes of  the truck's jingle, we would rush to find mom or dad, beg for a dollar bill, and then dash outside waving at the driver to stop the truck.  We would of course be joined by a half a dozen other kids from the block who all had the same intentions of enjoying a cool and delicious ice cream treat.

Back then, the freezer section at our little local grocery store didn't have nearly the selection of ice cream and other frozen desserts that it does today.  Instead, it was pretty much limited to standard pint or gallon containers of run-of-the-mill ice cream flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.  Occasionally, there would be a special flavor such as Neapolitan, but nothing even came close to what we could get from the traveling Good Humor ice cream truck.

Although I don't remember this with certainty, I think there must have been a couple of different trucks that rotated through my neighborhood.  I don't remember any one driver in particular, which leads me to believe that they must have changed routes frequently.  In addition, there were times when my favorite flavors weren't available on some of the trucks.

At any rate, for the most part, the ice cream trucks had a wonderful selection of different ice cream treats that we could choose from.  I had many favorites, and it was sometimes a difficult decision to choose just one.  For example, one treat that I purchased quite often was something called a Screwball.  It consisted of cherry-flavored ice slush in a cone-shaped container.  But the best part was that at the bottom of the container there was a small gumball.  This was of course seen as an amazing bonus by my 8-year-old self.  Another great treat that I frequently purchased from the ice cream truck was a Drumstick cone.  This was a sugar cone containing vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate and peanuts.  Today, Drumsticks come in many more varieties and are widely available at grocery stores, but back then, I could only get them from the ice cream truck.

Today, even though I live in a quiet residential neighborhood surrounded by small side streets, I never notice any ice cream trucks driving through.  I don't know whether it's because there's just too much variety and competition in grocery stores or whether it's just not profitable enough to drive an ice cream truck.  All I know is that a whole new generation of children is missing out on the best summer afternoon pick-me-up that I have ever experienced!

9:25 PM Comments:

Lol..yes the ice cream trucks...By the way i have alot in common with this blog "food" the lemon honey cookies sound so delicious..yummy!!! Anyways..we had an ice cream truck this year go by11! Hooray i was in my glory of course. remember ing when i was a kid chasing the truck with my siblings down our dirt road in our barefeet..OUCH! Giggling and out of breath by the time we approached the truck..: ) Those were the days, but I tend to re live it by doing the same with my kids. I have actually chased a truck down with my kids this summer half way down our road..in my barefeet to get a ice cream..hehe, what fun it was. And by the way..pringles are one of the best chips...i have lots to say about your writings..so many comments to add. I agree because u are similar to me : ) This year we will be gathering at my moms for the first time since being on my own to make cookies..Loads of variety. Not just the sugar cookies...but toffee crunch..cherry choclate cookies..heaven bars..ect. I kind of dread it just a little for the fact my mom and I tend to go at it sometimes : ) Thanks for all of your wonderful ideas.."dreading" the shopping, and I do have to learn tips on saving money ..instead of grabbing something off the shelf without making sure there is some other product thats cheaper...tata, and thanks

# posted by Stacey Mose : 7:36 AM

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