Sweet scoops Sweet scoops Sweet scoops

Ah, glorious July – school is out, the sun is out (finally), it’s baseball season and grilling season. Better still: It’s National Ice Cream Month.

This July marks the 40th anniversary of the delicious declaration President Ronald Reagan made in 1984 to give a boost to the dairy industry (which is big in our home state of Washington). It also gave federal recognition to our obsession with ice cream. We Americans consume 23 gallons of the stuff every year.

In addition to making July National Ice Cream Month, the president also anointed July 21 as National Ice Cream Day. I think that means we should eat one gallon from July 1-20, a gallon from July 22-31, and another gallon on July 21. Good, huh?

It should come as no surprise that the UW community has its hands all over National Ice Cream Month. Here you go:

Irv Robbins brought 21 flavor ideas together with Burt Baskin’s 10 to create the 31 flavor dynasty we know and love. Photo by Boris Spremo / Toronto Star.

Baskin-Robbins

Established 1945 in Glendale, California

Founder: Irv Robbins, ’40

Locations: 7,800+ globally, including one in Northgate

By now, I am certain everyone in Husky Land knows that Robbins of Baskin-Robbins is a UW grad. That would be Irvine (Irv) Robbins, ’40, holder of a bachelor’s degree in political science from the UW and co-founder of the famous ice cream brand. Teaming up with his brother-in-law and business partner Burton Baskin in 1948, they opened six stores. Known as Baskin-Robbins, their motto was “We sell fun, not just ice cream.” They were also known for a tasty bit of innovation: creating new flavors and being the first ice cream purveyor to offer 31 flavors in thousands of shops in 34 countries. Things have contracted a bit, but we are still fortunate to have Baskin-Robbins around. Irv Robbins, who died in 2008 at the age of 90, had a swimming pool at his Southern California home in the shape of an ice cream cone. Wow. My favorite flavor: German Chocolate Cake.

A tantalizing blackberry ice cream in a waffle cone at Husky Deli. Photo courtesy of Husky Deli.

Husky Deli

Established 1932 in West Seattle

Owner: Jack Miller, former UW student

Location: 4721 California Ave. SW, Seattle, 98116

Jump on I-5, take the West Seattle Bridge exit and do not stop until you have reached the charming and popular Junction neighborhood, the beating heart of West Seattle’s business district. There, on the main drag, California Avenue SW, you will find Jack Miller’s venerable, lovable Husky Deli, home to fabulous sandwiches, groceries from all over the world, and most importantly, a counter offering homemade ice cream that is created in the back of the shop. Nearly 50 flavors are offered, including Husky Flake, Almond Joy, Strawberry and Dollar Mint. Miller, who spent a quarter as a student at the UW in the 1970s before going into the family business, oversees a family operation that has been making ice cream the same way for 90 years. (His family has owned the shop since 1932.) The biggest challenge is deciding which flavor to enjoy.

Lois Ko loves her alma mater so much she created the Husky Sundae (lavender shortbread, honey ice cream, blueberry lemon compote and an ube whipped cream) to celebrate it. Photo courtesy of Sweet Alchemy.

Sweet Alchemy

Established 2016 in Seattle’s U District

Founder: Lois Ko, ’04

Location: U District, Ballard, Capitol Hill and Bellevue, plus pint pickup locations

Are you craving some homemade, artisan ice cream made with ingredients sourced from local farms, most of which are no more than 100 miles away? This is the place. Sweet Alchemy, located in the heart of the Ave, dishes up some of the best ice cream on the planet, thanks to founder Lois Ko, ’04, who is putting to excellent use her UW degree in interdisciplinary arts. Everything you taste – the ice cream base, sauces, toppings, flavor mix-ins and waffle cones – is made from scratch in this small shop. And you will feel great every time you dig into Sweet Alchemy’s delicious flavors (such as Chocolate Earl Grey or Dough or Die) because you are supporting a local woman-owned business dedicated to sustainability, educating its community, lessening food waste, supporting organic practices and taking excellent care of our environment.

What goes with a red velvet cupcake? Red velvet ice cream, naturally. Photo courtesy of @cupcakeroyale on Instagram.

Cupcake Royale

Established 2003 in Seattle; ice cream offered beginning in 2013

Founder: Jody Hall, ’10

Locations: Burien, Capitol Hill Pop-up, Madrona, West Seattle

Founder and CEO Jody Hall was wowed when she visited a cupcake shop in New York City. The Seattle-based 2010 graduate of the UW’s Foster School’s Business Executive Development Program decided she had to bring that magic back to the Emerald City. After creating the first cupcake shop outside of NYC and the first in Seattle in 2003, she didn’t dare leave well enough alone. No, she wanted to make it even better. So, in 2013, she teamed up with the now-famous creators of Salt & Straw Ice Cream to bring ice cream into her Seattle-area shops. Today, you can dig into Dance Party Cupcake Ice Cream, Triple Threat Cupcake Ice Cream, Red Velvet Cupcake Ice Cream, Triple Vanilla, Strawberry 66 Cupcake Ice Cream, The Gay Cupcake Ice Cream (most popular choice) and Salted Caramel Cupcake Ice Cream. Of course, new seasons bring new flavors, so good luck making up your mind. Just don’t hold up the line, OK?

Next time you’re grabbing a burger, don’t forget dessert. Original photo by Anil Kapahi, with accoutrements courtesy of Dick’s customers.

Dick’s Drive-In

Established 1954 in Seattle’s Walllingford neighborhood

Former president & CEO: Jim Spady, ’83

Locations: Wallingford, Capitol Hill, Greenwood, Lake City, Queen Anne, Edmonds, Kent, Bellevue and Federal Way

Ice cream isn’t the first thing you think of when you mention this beloved Seattle-area landmark. Burgers and fries are. And milkshakes. But milkshakes are made with ice cream, and Dick’s also sells ice cream. This burger empire once run by UW law school graduate Jim Spady, ’83, sells six flavors: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, rocky road, chocolate chip mint, Kona coffee and for a limited time, cookies and cream. Cones, sundaes and root beer floats are available. Just don’t drool when you see the employees scooping your ice cream out of the old-fashioned bucket into your cone.

All right, who did we miss? Let us know in the comments.