Dairy desserts have hot weather licked

Ice cream is a go to treat across the United States, especially in the summer heat. Wisconsin is no exception, which is believed to be home of Blue Moon ice cream, a popular flavor throughout the Midwest.

According to YouGovAmerica, chocolate was the most popular flavor of ice cream in the United States in 2020, followed by vanilla and then strawberry, mint chocolate chip, and butter pecan all tied for the third most popular flavors. The most popular topping for any ice cream dish is hot fudge. Sprinkles, caramel, oreos, and peanut butter cups are among other popular toppings nationwide.

Throughout Wisconsin and specifically Taylor County, there are a variety of options for ice cream lovers. Local shops each offer their own unique twist to how ice cream can be served.

The Midwest-centric fast food chain, Culver’s, recently opened up in Medford. Located on Casement Ct, Culver’s is Taylor County’s home for frozen custard. Unlike regular ice cream, frozen custard is made of at least 1.4% of pasteurized egg yolks, along with milk and cream, which is what ice cream is made of. Felicia Carter, assistant manager at Culver’s, explained all the varieties of options the restaurant has to offer when it comes to their frozen custard treats.

Culver’s frozen custard comes in chocolate and vanilla, but the vast amount of toppings allow for a lot of variety on the menu. Assistant manager, Felicia Carter, said that they offer a lot of fruits, candies, and sauces that she doesn’t see at many other ice cream places. Between cones, shakes, and sundaes, Culver’s offers a wide variety of options for customers. “People just get really creative. They come up with a lot of weird concoctions that I never would have thought to put together,” said Carter.

Culver’s very own concrete mixers are one of the most popular items on the menu. Carter said that butterfingers, cookie dough, and Oreos are some of the most popular toppings people order.

Besides frozen custard, people also enjoy classic handscooped hard ice cream. Mann Made, located on Mc Comb Ave. in Rib Lake, offers a number of ice cream flavors as well as pizza and other menu items. Chris Mann, the owner of the restaurant, said that the most popular flavors they see are chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter revel, and anything caramel. Cotton candy is a favorite among children. Mann said that the most popular topping for their sundaes and other ice cream dishes is hot fudge. She also said that vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups is a popular combination. Milkshakes and Storms, equivalent to Dairy Queen’s Blizzards, are the most popular ice cream orders. Mann said that because they serve hand-scooped hard ice cream, they are able to have a wider variety. “We can get 40 different flavors of ice cream,” said Mann. “The varieties are almost endless.” Similarly, Romig’s Hardware & Plumbing on Gilman’s Main St. also offers a variety of flavors of hard ice cream. Cheryl Romig, the manager there, said that they offer New York vanilla, chocolate peanut butter or chocolate, and maple nut everyday. Black raspberry, chocolate chip cookie dough, and strawberry cheesecake are other options they rotate throughout the ice cream bar. Bubble gum and cotton candy, Romig said, are popular with children.

While they can make sundaes with any flavor they have, the classic ice cream cone is the most popular order.

Another option for people is soft serve ice cream. Off of Highway 102 in Rib Lake, the Northside Cafe offers customers a variety of options with their soft serve ice cream. While they only offer vanilla and chocolate as flavors, they are able to put the ice cream into cones, malts, milkshakes, root beer floats and sundaes. Northside Twisters is another popular form of enjoying the ice cream. Linda Pittman, the cafe’s owner, described the twisters as being like McDonald’s McFlurries, but with more toppings.

In Medford, off of West Broadway Ave., Strama’s Cenex Beep’s Ice Cream is also home to soft serve ice cream. Their menu offers both chocolate and vanilla flavors with a wide variety of toppings. The owner, Mike Strama, said that their Blusters, which is similar to a Dairy Queen Blizzard, is their most popular item on the menu. Their turtle sundaes are also a very popular option. The turtle sundae includes candied pecans, caramel, and chocolate.

Strama emphasized the amount of varieties they offer. “I can put 32 different toppings into my ice throughout the machine,” said Strama. Some of these popular flavors and toppings include cheesecake, raspberry, blueberry, as well as cookies, M& Ms, and Heath bars.

— Shawna Konieczny, reporter