I guess you could say that ice cream is in my veins. Really. If they cut me open, I just might have a little pecan praline, or peanut butter cup mixed in there! From my earliest memories ice cream has played such a huge part in the story of my life. From my earliest remembrances straight up until today — ice cream just keeps on bringing me happiness!
As a child growing up in New Jersey, my dad would spontaneously spring from the couch during Sunday night episodes of Ed Sullivan asking “Who wants a sundae?”, to which we’d all cry out with joy and shout out our orders — his – butter pecan with hot fudge; my two sisters and mother – mint chip with hot fudge, and me? Well, I’ve always been a bit of a wild card. I can mix it up. Peppermint chip, peanut butter cup – whatever…as long as it’s not vanilla!
Cut to my adolescence when I had the fabulous idea one summer that driving a Good Humor ice cream truck would be a fun and profitable way to earn a living! Oh the lessons one learns! Yes, it was fun and sometimes even profitable, but while everyone else was at the beach bronzing to a shade that would put the “Tanning Mom” to shame, I was riding around the projects selling 25 cent grape bars. What I didn’t know? Newbies get the tough routes. Oh….and never put the product on the shelf until street-smart kids hand you the money lest you want to jump out of the truck and chase them 6 blocks to try and get your money!
And on to my adulthood, where ice cream continues to play a huge part! For instance — did you know that people eat ice cream in SIBERIA all year long? Yep. We’re talkin’ -20 degrees and there just might be a little line at one of the hundreds of elaborate ice cream vending machines that dot the streets all over Russia. How do I know this little factoid? Well, I traveled to Novosibirsk, Russia in 2007-8 three times with my husband and son when we adopted our sweet daughter (the only thing sweeter than ice cream!). And once again ice cream played a huge part in the screenplay of my life when I shared my first cone with her and saw that ear-to-ear grin that only that treat can bring on! She couldn’t speak a word of English, but we spoke the international language of ice cream!
And now….Bluebird. It just seemed natural to me to start this business. Ice cream is happiness personified. It’s one of life’s little pleasures and it truly sits at the helm of many memories — not just for me, but probably for you too, right?
Thanks so much for visiting!
xo Love and Sweet Cold Cream,
Valerie