"I Scream. You Scream. We all Scream For ice Cream..."

I've always thought that food and love go hand in hand. Whether it’s chocolates and champagne, or steak and lobster, most of us celebrate love with food.

For me, it’s ice cream. I rarely had ice cream while growing up, though. My dad was more of a Mallomar and donuts lover, so that was what we had in the house. Maybe a scoop at Baskin-Robbins every now and then, but it wasn’t at the top of my list.

That is, until I started dating my husband.

Disco dancing was very big when we started dating, so we would all work up an appetite dancing.  And, although Cincinnati is known for it’s late night chili parlors, we found a restaurant atop the Stouffer’s hotel that served dessert all night.

Trying to be “healthy”, I ordered a single scoop of vanilla ice cream, but he ordered a sundae called the “Georgian Chocolate Monkey” that changed everything I thought about ice cream!

Layered in a parfait glass were several scoops of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream, banana slices, hot fudge sauce, peanut butter sauce, peanuts and of course, whipped cream and a cherry!

He politely asked me if I wanted to taste it. I took one bite and kept "tasting" until it was almost halfway gone. I then looked up to see everyone at the table laughing since I had practically finished his whole sundae. 

After that, ice cream was our go-to dessert. I learned the joys of Graeter’s French pot ice cream with chunks of chocolate the size of a candy bar.

When we moved to Columbus, Swensen’s was our favorite after-movie gathering place. We were there so much that our kids were on a first-name basis with the owner, Mr. Knight.

And we've spent many a summer night in St. Louis lined up outside the windows at Ted Drewe's, waiting for the ice creamy, custardy concrete.

Before bedtime bowls of ice cream became a ritual in our house and our kids were part of it too. Watching TGIF, or Friends, or even the news, it became a family tradition! Whenever we visit Cincinnati, we can't leave without having a few scoops of Graeter's Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip.

And even though we’ve “downsized” to Skinny Cow bars and Weight Watcher single serving cups, ice cream time is still our special time to relax and unwind from the day. I rarely order dessert when I go out to dinner. I wait until I'm home in my PJs and eat my ice cream on the couch!

To me, ice cream is love!!  What food makes you the happiest?

Happy Valentine’s Day!