Meet and greet over the perfect treat

As the holidays draw nearer and finals come to an end, people are finding more and more reasons to celebrate.

And nothing says "celebrate" like ice cream.

The ice cream social is the ultimate way to bring people together, and, best of all for the college student, requires no cooking.

I recently read about a university's College Republicans and Young Democrats throwing a political ice cream social, in hopes of easing the tension between the two groups.

What resulted was a gathering of students who found common ground long enough to eat a bowl of ice cream, and hopefully interact a little in between bites.

Love is in the air.

Throwing an ice cream social is incredibly simple. Follow these steps and you can't go wrong:

1. Buy a few large buckets from your local grocery store. If you're supplying a lot of toppings, no need to get fancy. Stick to the basics like vanilla, chocolate, mint and maybe strawberry.

2. Pick out some toppings. Always include nuts, a couple syrups and sprinkles. Nothing says fun like sprinkles.

Other dry topping could be your favorite candy bar or sliced fruit. Hot toppings should be stored in a crock pot, because they harden pretty fast.

3. Line up the goodies with some bowls and spoons. Don't forget to put cherries on the end.

4. Butt whoever is in line in front of you.

That's really all there is to it.

So whether your having an office Christmas party, an end of finals bash or a New Year's fiesta, come together over the cream.

Trust me, it's the best way to chillax.

The Black Apples of my eye

As the semester comes to an end, ice cream topics are growing slim.

So this may be a stretch, but bear with me.

The Black Apples, a local band from Conifer, Colorado, make good music.

They also like good ice cream.

Coincidence? I think not.

The band includes Robert Shipton, Andrew and Campbell Scarborough, whose favorite ice cream flavors are vanilla, cookie dough and cookies and cream, in that order.

Drawing influence from bands like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Kinks and the Talking Heads, their classic sound mixed with a unique spin will get even you dancing.

Whether or not that's a good thing.

Although they've yet to be signed, the band has been drawing crowds to places like Hodi's Half Note since they formed in 2005.

The combination of their musical talent, charm on stage and 70s reminiscent good looks leaves one wondering what else a record label could possibly need.

They will be playing Dec. 7 at the Larimer Lounge in Denver, Colorado, and will make it worth the hour drive to any Fort Collins Resident.

Any music lover should try and make it, because who knows, next year, they could be playing the Pepsi Center.

And trust me, it will cost a lot more.

The ice cream of the crop

If money isn't an issue, than I've found the best dessert.

It has succulent looking cherries scattered throughout a giant scoop piled to the top of an enticing waffle cone.

And best of all, when it sells, hundreds of disadvantaged children will receive a million dollars.

Talk about more cream for your green.

Last June, Bruster's Ice Cream teamed up with Lazare Kaplan International Inc., a worldwide diamond distributor, to create the world's most expensive cone.

The 152.16 carat creation, unveiled in Las Vegas in June, was designed to look like Bruster's cherry vanilla ice cream. It was made using white and yellow gold and three types of diamonds.

Biting into this gem would cause a lot more damage than a brain freeze.

The idea behind the cone, besides, of course, to promote the two companies, was also to sell this shiny scoop for a million dollars to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), the oldest and largest youth mentoring program in the U.S.

It's a cone for a cause.

The diamond dessert is currently on tour, and will be shone in Philadelphia this weekend, its last U.S. stop. before going overseas.

According to their Web site, Bruster's, founded in 1989 in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, features over 140 different homemade ice cream recipes, and each of the 260 stores offers up to 40 at one time.

Sadly, Colorado isn't home to even one of them.

However, I have started saving for my own diamond cone.

And I am accepting donations.

Pie's best friend

Thanksgiving is almost here, and everything is ready.

You've got turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and enough gravy to cover any cooking mistakes.

But no matter how stuffed with stuffing every guest gets, you'll never satisfy them without pie.

And you'll never satisfy pie without ice cream.

"A la mode," translating to "in the current fashion" has come to mean "with ice cream" in the U.S.

So it's basically French for better.

According to What's Cooking America, the term was created in the 1890s when Professor Charles Watson Townsend ordered apple pie with a side of ice cream regularly at one of his favorite restaurants in Cambridge Hotel.

A fellow diner nicknamed his dessert "pie a la mode," and the name stuck.

However, when Townsend tried ordering it at Delmonicos in New York City, he was appalled to find they didn't have it. After speaking with the manager, the restaurant added it to the menu.

The run-in was soon publicized by the New York Sun and the rest is dessert history.

When the term is used by itself in France, a la mode can refer to a beef dish marinated in red wine and herbs, according to the Food Reference Web site.

Not exactly what you want on top of pastry.

So here are some hints for preparing pie "a la mode" a la right:

Serve the pie hot. The idea is for the ice cream to melt and blend with the pie, mixing the hot and cold to intensify both tastes.

Scoop the ice cream only after cutting the pie slices and putting on warm plates. When served, the ice cream should be in scoop rather than puddle form, so make sure guests are ready before the scooping begins.

Using ice cream with a strong vanilla flavor, like vanilla bean, is best so that you can still taste it over the pie flavor.

To spice things up, try using Dreyer's Grand cinnamon ice cream. It pairs great with both apple and pumpkin pie.

If time is tight, and no pie has been prepared, Baskin Robbins also offers pumpkin ice cream pies.

They're overpriced and hard to cut, but taste pretty good.

Keep in mind, when the stress of entertaining starts getting to you, that as long as you keep glasses and stomachs full, everyone will be happy.

Or drunk. Or happy and drunk.

You really can't go wrong either way.

Ice cream royalty

Its time to bow down and pay our respects to one of the biggest and most successful ice cream companies in the entire world.

So successful, in fact, that it deserves its own blog.

Dairy Queen has been keeping Americans fat and happy since the first store opened in 1940, and has created a soft serve legacy that not just any hot fudge can fill.

It all started, according to DQ's Web site, with a father and son from Greenville, Illinois and a 10 cent all-you-can-eat ice cream sale, in hopes of promoting their new dairy invention.

Over 1500 stomach aches later, it was obvious their product was a hit, and so was born an ice cream company that would take the nation by storm.

The first store opened in Joliet, Illinois, and grew from 10 stores in 1941 to almost 6000 in the U.S. and 20 other countries. The "we treat you right" slogan has since become a household phrase.

Their signature blizzards, introduced in 1957, are still perhaps the most popular item.

And with a small at $2.30 and 675 calories, according to Nutrition Data, you get more than twice what you pay for.

Dennis the Menace became Dairy Queen's spokesman when the two joined forces in 1972, bringing Dennis' face to milkshake cups everywhere.

Dairy Queen also joined forces with Orange Julius, buying the orange smoothie makers out.

Corporate America has never tasted so good.

DQ also offers what they call "hot eats," or a variety of crappy fast food options from chicken fingers to hot dogs.

Personally, however, I'd stick to the soft serve.

Unless, of course, you like the taste of rubber.

Ice cream imposters

Not everyone's freezer is fruitful.

When your Ben and Jerry's tastes like half baked freezer burn, but you still need to get your fix, stay calm.

There are ice cream alternatives that just may temporarily suffice.

Everyday Joe's, a freezer challenged coffee shop on Mason Street, has had to get creative when it comes to frozen treats. Besides the standard blended coffee beverages, they also offer the "you wont believe it's not a root beer float," a drink that tastes so much like the original, you'll wonder why they put ice cream in floats in the first place.

The $2.50 beverage is made with a combination of IBC or Jones root beer, half and half and vanilla syrup. Poured over ice, it tastes just like a melted version of the real thing.

A similar drink can be purchased at most bars, made with Baileys and root beer liqueur, according to Daryle Dickens, Joe's director.

When you're limited to gas station supplements, there's also the slushy route. Whether you call them icees, slurpees or Mr. Mistys, these blended frozen drinks make for a tasty alternative when ice cream is scarce.

I have a friend who likes freezing Cool Whip and eating it like ice cream, sometimes with chocolate syrup on top.

In my opionion, this doesn't even come close to the real thing.

But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

Custard's last fan

If the term 'frozen custard' makes you think of your grandparents, then its time to welcome dentures and wrinkles with open arms.

Combine the richness of gelato with the creaminess of frosting, and you'll be somewhere in frozen custard's ball park.

Made using most of ice cream's standard ingredients, but with a higher concentration of butterfat and/or egg yolk, custard is denser and more flavorful than most in the frozen family.

Recipes can be traced back to the 1900s, according to Wisegeek.com, but the invention of commercial custard making machines didn't happen until somewhere around the 1920s.

These 'custard machines' work their magic by folding the ingredients and air together in a process called "overrun." They work much slower than ice cream makers, adding in much less air than standard ice cream, resulting in a richer, more flavorful dessert.

Custard, be definition, also must include at least 10 percent butterfat. It used to be made with egg yolks, but that practice has decreased due to health concerns.

Some things, in my opinion, are worth salmonella poisoning.

Custard is hard to store and therefore usually made fresh daily, making it hard to find in stores. This limits most custard creaters to less than three flavors, generally chocolate, vanilla and a 'flavor of the day.'

Goodtimes fast food restaurant offers affordable frozen custard and fun weekend and seasonal flavors, including pumpkin pie and the upcoming December's eggnog.

They also have a variety of sundaes and "spoon benders" to rival any DQ Blizzard.

This gem of a drive thru also has daily custard specials. My favorite is Wednesday's New York cheesecake.

It's almost beats the real thing. Almost.

Culver's is another fast food custard option. Their flavor of the day options put 31 Flavors to shame, and the custard shakes make for a French fry-dipper from heaven.

And it's not to late to invite grandma.

Ice cream can't drown

Ice cream floats.

Formerly known as as an ice cream soda, this classic fountain treat is now most popular when
made with root beer.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

An ice cream soda is traditionally made with sparkling water (usually from a soda fountain), a syrup of your choice and a scoop or two of ice cream.

So technically soda is a dessert, and pop is a drink.

It is now most commonly made without the syrup and with pop instead of soda water, but it's the same idea.

The origin of the float can be traced back to Philadelphia's Robert Green, who supposedly used ice cream in his shop's Italian sodas when he ran out of cream, according to MakeIceCream.com.

What resulted was a drink that would bring young lovers together throughout the fifties, and gave people a reason to go to A & W (lets be honest, no one really likes their food).

On those slow, snowy days at Baskin Robbins we used to experiment with all kinds of sodas, using chocolate syrup and mint ice cream, or caramel sauce with pralines and cream. My personal favorite was always the classic root beer or occasionally Dr. Pepper.

When making one at home, make sure to scoop the ice cream first, and pour the soda in slowly because they foam uncontrollably. You can also substitute diet soda and yogurt if you're watching your waistline.

An elderly man used to come in to BR an order a chocolate soda with chocolate ice cream every Tuesday, saying we were the only place that still made them right. He thought that was a shame because "they're the best way to have ice cream."

And by the toothless smile on his face as he sat by himself and ate it, you could tell he was right.

2000-year-old ice cream (that still tastes good)

With ice cream being traced back all the way to Emperor Nero's sweet tooth in 37 A.D., this frozen dessert has thousands of years of history.

Now that could be one bad case of freezer burn.

Datamonitor recently declaring that the North American ice cream market has grown about 1.8 percent since 2001, making it clear the dessert is far from going out of style. But what we know of it today looks much different than the original form.

Nero is said to have requested ice brought from the tops of nearby mountains, according to About.com, and combined with fruits. Like an ancient Roman sherbet.

King Tang (618-97 A.D.) of China was said to have started mixing ice with milk, a concoction that probably eventually spread to Europe.

Another version of the story, according to an article form the University of Guelph, credits the cook of King Charles I of England with ice cream's creation, who served it at banquets for the king and his guests.

It brings a whole new meaning to Dairy Queen's "royal treat," huh?

Yet another tale claims Marco Polo brought the creamy concoction to Italy after his travels in the east, which was then taken to France by Catherine d'Medici, according to a book by Caroline Liddlel and Robin Weir.

Apparently it really gets around.

So many want the credit of the scoop that took the nation by storm, and we may never know what truly happened. Likely it was a combination of these versions, and was an idea that evolved over time.

Regardless of its original creator, according to the International Dairy Foods Association, the U.S. created 1.54 billion gallons of it's favorite dessert in 2005, a number that continues to grow.

Next to that statistic, my daily pint doesn't seem so bad, does it?

3..2..1..shake off!

"Freeze dried" may not always be synonymous with "appetizing," but in the case of astronaut ice cream, it is.

Also known as "space ice cream," this dehydrated dessert was originally invented in answer to the need for better, lighter space food for the longer Apollo missions to the moon, according to NASA.

Using NASA's freeze drying technology (originally discovered by Whirlpool), Action Products International first created the product in the 1970s, marketing the ice cream with other space "junk food."

The ice cream was a hit, and soon found its way into NASA facilities, theme parks, gift shops museums and stomachs everywhere.

The process of "freeze drying" the ice cream involves cooling it to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and than slow heating it in a vacuum chamber to remove all moisture.

The result: light, bagged, tasty ice cream. No freezer necessary.

The product, which can still be found today, including at the Hobby Lobby just off College Avenue. It's packaged in a light, aluminum-like bag. It travels well and keeps for a long time. Much longer than you can resist eating it.

I got the neapolitan. The foamy, dry ice cream reminded me of something someone under 10 would love.

Although it is an interesting experience, I still think regular ice cream is better. At least while you're on earth.

Never eat yellow snow (unless it tastes good)

No matter how many times your mom tells you not to, everyone who has grown up in Colorado has eaten snow.

With the season's first snow upon us, I began thinking about how I used to dream that one day it'd snow cotton candy or whip cream.

I discovered, with the help of a friend, that my dream can come true.

Well, sort of.

Snow ice cream is a simple recipe that turns the stuff you shovel off your porch into something you'd want to shovel into your mouth.

According to About.com's Jean Brandau, some consider eating snow unsanitary, due to air pollution and other toxins. Those people will be missing out.

The recipe is child/college student friendly, and can sweeten any snowy day when you're stuck inside.

When starting the recipe, The Chatham Journal Weekly said you shouldn't use the first snow, because it contains more air pollutants. Also, don't use snow found in areas that have had a lot of animal activity because in this case, the little brown things might not be sprinkles.

After you've found good, clean snow, mix in the whipping cream, or other cream of your choice, with the sugar and vanilla, and then slowly stir in the snow.

From there, you can add in flavors or mix-ins of your choice. Chocolate syrup, sprinkles, cinnamon or chocolate chips are just a few ideas.

Then, eat it.

For edible snowballs, try adding sweetened condensed milk and shaping with your hands. They turn out so good you may actually want one to hit you in the face.

But snow ice cream of any variety doesn't keep well, so don't try and save any for later (one more excuse to eat the whole bowl).

Who says ice cream is for hot weather?

Ice cream ignorance: solving the mystery of sorbet

Sherbert, sorbet, sherbet: no matter what you call it, if you're like most people, you probably have no idea what it really is.

Only called sherbet in America, the widely accepted definition of what is traditionally called sorbet is ice cream made with less than 2 percent milk fat, and little to no air, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Anything with a higher percentage is considered ice cream.

Similar to gelatto, it's a denser, more intensely flavorful dessert, generally with less calories.

Sherbert is actually a drink made from bicarbonate of soda.

Not exactly what you'd want to be licking out of a cone.

Because sherbet/sorbet is made with little or no milkfat, it's a popular option for the lactose intolerant, or ice cream challenged.

Sorbet is generally found in tart, fruity, flavors like raspberry or the ever popular rainbow, according to Yourdictionary.com, but several places have broken out of this dessert box and made unconventional flavors.

For instance, Walrus offers a selection or sherbets, which it rotates throughout the year, that include mint, chocolate and honeydew.

Dreyers has a wonderful raspberry sorbet that is the perfect companion to chocolate syrup.

A family favorite is Safeway's orange sherbet and vanilla, combining the two for a creamsicle like flavor. But watch out for brother's who eat all the vanilla and leave you with only the sherbet half. They should be punished.

Regardless of the true definition of sorbet, it still remains that most people have a different ideas about what it exactly is. Therefore, before ordering a scoop, be sure to ask for a sample to make sure you're getting what you pay for.

And no, you can't try all 31.

Fall into flavor

As the leaves change colors, so do most creamery's selections, offering new fall flavors to bring color to any bowl.

With the harvest time of year upon us, rotating seasonal flavors are filling freezers everywhere. From pumpkin pie to gingerbread, this dessert is not left behind when it comes to being festive.

Throughout the month of November, Baskin Robbins features pumpkin pie as the flavor of the month. And don't let its orange color scare you, the taste is far from fake. Try ordering it as a cake or pie in a graham cracker crust to give your Thanksgiving dessert a cool new look.

Coldstone also offers a variation of America's favorite dessert. Their apple pie a la Coldstone, a signature creation, includes vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling, cinnamon, graham cracker and caramel.

It tastes like someone put a piece of your mom's best in the blender with an extra cup of love. Its the perfect college compromise to home cooking.

Another way to seasonalize your scoop is with homemade egg nog ice cream. Easy to make and even easier to eat, it hits the spot as an autumnal treat. Or try making a vanilla milkshake using egg nog instead of milk.

Edy's, a branch of Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, offers gingerbread man, a fall flavor to match the popular cookie. It combines Cinnamon ice cream with a brown sugar swirl and gingerbread cookie pieces. On top of all that, it's actually got half the fat of most ice cream.

So if you're like me, you'll use that as an excuse to eat twice as much.

And if you haven't tried Haagen-Dazs caramelized pear and toasted pecan, a limited edition created by Leslie Zoerb, it may be too late. Although they technically stop offering this at the beginning of fall, I personally think the flavor reflects the season perfectly.

Then again, there's always the rum raisin.

If you're more of a gelatto person, this time of year has just as much to offer. Carmel praline, peppermint and Bailey's can all be found Italian style, and bring in the snow season just as well.

Who knew putting on the winter weight would be so easy?

Baseball with an appetite

With the Rockies closest to the World Series than they've ever been, most of Colorado can't seem to keep their minds off baseball.

And there is no better baseball-watching companion than ice cream. It's sweet, keeps you cool and doesn't interrupt the play by play.

When at the ball park, options are limited as far as ice cream goes. Especially on a student's budget. I suggest the Dippin Dots, aka the "ice cream of the future."

Although it'll cost you the better part of 10 dollars for a decent size, this ball shaped ice cream is fun to eat and hard to find, so it might be worth it (read Septmber 18's post for more information).

Another option is Coors Field's soft serve. Also ridiculously priced and only mediocre in quality, it still tastes great during those hot day games.

For a bonus souvenir they'll make a sundae in a Rockies helmet, but it will cost an extra arm and leg. Which may seem worth it after a few Coors drafts.

But there is one benefit to not having the extra hundreds laying around for a ticket to the game: ice cream options grow exponentially.

Baskin Robbin's Baseball Nut is a seasonal flavor, made with cashews and a black raspberry swirl. The combination of the nuts and berry flavor make each Tulowitzki homer even sweeter.

If your planning on having people over to watch the World Series, try for an ice cream sundae theme. Giant tubs of vanilla or chocolate can be bought at King Soopers or Safeway for under ten dollars. Ask your guests to bring their favorite topping, and you can make your own ice cream buffet.

But don't forget the peanuts.

Don't eat ice cream naked

Obviously ice cream is delicious, just the way it is.

But, occasionally, with a few added ingredients, it can be even better.

They can be crunchy, chewy, hot, cold, sweet, tangy or tart, and they usually cost at least 50 cents.

Toppings can take an average bowl of ice cream and make it into a work of art, dessert style.

The ice cream business generally offers two types of toppings: syrups and dry. But into these two categories fits a plethora of variety.

The most popular liquid topping is the classic hot fudge. It can be easily made at home by combining sugars, cocoa and butter. My favorite uses Hershey's cocoa.

It can also be made college-style by heating up a jar of fudge in the microwave (but take the metal lid off first).

Dry ingredients range from salty peanuts to chewy gummies. Coldstone offers tons, which they mix in directly for you. Kilwins, which specializes in homemade, old-fashioned ice cream, has candies made in house. Their roasted nuts are a great addition to any flavor.

Walk into the store and take a good whiff of the treats and just try not to buy something. I dare you.

Another fun way to use toppings is layering them, parfait style. TCBY, located on Prospect, makes these with the syrup and topping of your choice.

The best one, however, is Dairy Queen's peanut buster parfait.

Made with their classic hot fudge and whole, salted Spanish peanuts between layers of vanilla ice cream, this treat is the perfect size to share.

But it's so good, you may not want to.

There are also several ways to get creative with toppings right at home.

Try crushing your favorite candy bar or cookie, and throwing on top of a scoop. Girl Scout thin mints mix great with vanilla to make homemade mint chocolate chip.

As a college student, I like to add caffeine to anything possible. I recently discovered putting ground coffee or espresso beans over a scoop of vanilla. Topped off with a little chocolate syrup and whip cream, and you've got the perfect pick-me-up, dessert style.

Just pick the grounds out of your teeth before you go anywhere.

i Scr@em is6 diliCous

Okay, I'm not really drunk.

At least not right now.

But, seeing as how Friday was my 21st, I figured it fitting to inform the uninformed on the interesting and sometimes even delicious ice cream cocktail.

Several traditional drinks can be made sweeter, creamier and colder by blending with ice cream instead of ice. For instance, a "banana boat" is made with white rum, banana liqueur and cream de cacao. Blend it with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, and you have the perfect poolside companion.

But for Fort Collins residents, whose poolside days are over for the season, hot drinks may be preferable. My favorite involves adding the classic Baileys Irish Cream in hot chocolate, with a scoop of french vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

The cool dessert makes it creamier, with the added benefit of keeping the drink form burning your tongue.

You can spice up this drink by substituting Peppermint Schnapps for the Baileys and mint chocolate chip ice cream for vanilla.

To skip the liquid entirely and get straight to goods, Blends Liquor Ice Cream is the way to go. These specialty cups combine 20 percent liqueur with 80 percent ice cream, and come in flavors like Brandy Alexander, grasshopper and whiskey and cream.

The perfect way to get a buzz and a brain freeze.

Gelazzi, located on North College, also offers several unique cocktails made with their own gelatto. Their sweet drinks make for the perfect 21st treat.

But don't have more than one. Or two.

Ice cream cone etiquette 101

What's the one thing better than two scoops in a bowl?

Easy. Two scoops in a bowl you can eat when you're done.

The perfect addition to ice cream was the invention of the cone. Whether pointy or flat, sugar or cake, this edible container serves multiple purposes, and comes in almost as many varieties as ice cream itself.

A coneucopia, if you will.

According to Joy Cone Company, although different versions exist, most seem to agree that the birth of the cone was at the St. Louis World Fair in 1904. Supposedly, a Syrian waffle vendor wrapped one of his homemade waffles into a cone, and filled it with ice cream from a neighbor vendor.

And the rest was cone history.

One of the most frustrating things about working at an ice cream store, besides dealing with the "sample every flavor" people, was when a customer orders an "original" cone.

Everyone has a different idea what "original" means when it comes to cones. Learning proper cone terminology is important to make sure you get what you want.

For starters, the two basic kinds of cones, as mentioned before, are cake and sugar.

Sugar cones are usually darker in color, pointy and slightly sweeter. Coming from my experience at Baskin Robbins, they're also more popular.

Cake cones are more old-fashioned looking. They're flat on the bottom, crispy and formed with little air pockets that fill with ice cream.

The benefit of the cake cone is it can stand on it's own, but it does get soggier quicker, so eat fast.

The sugar cone will usually stay crispy till the very last bite, but if not made right, it can leak at the bottom, which results in having to rotate between licking the top and sucking from the bottom.

I like to call this move "ice cream gymnastics."

And I hope it is obvious, but sugar cones don't stand on their own; hence the cone-holders at most ice cream counters.

Although these are the two basics, this is far from where cone technology stops. My personal favorite, the waffle cone, is made by pouring waffle batter over hot griddles until cooked, and then forming into a cone.

They're generally fresher and taste better, even all by themselves.

One can experiment and upgrade any one of these types of cones by dipping in chocolate, caramel, white chocolate, nuts, sprinkles or virtually any kind of candy.

Most cones, especially from larger ice cream chains, now come in what is called the cone "jacket."

No, cones don't get cold.

They do, however, collect germs. The jacket is meant to decrease germs spread between scooper and eater, not to mention plaster the company's name on everything possible.

Commercialization or not, what it comes down to is that the question is no longer cup or cone.

It's sugar or cake.

The double scoop on Walrus

I assume most Fort Collins' residents have at some point been to Walrus Ice Cream, a locally owned creamery in Old Town.

If not, put down the lap top and go now.

Walrus, voted "Best Ice Cream in Fort Collins" by The Coloradoan for 11 consecutive years, sells premium ice cream, sorbets and yogurts, homemade daily in the store. They offer several unique flavors, from honeydew sorbet to Jack Daniels chip (non-alcoholic, sorry), which are constantly being changed and added to.

Walrus prides itself on its quality and variety, and rightfully so. With their long list of flavors (any of which can be made into a shake) and toppings, cakes, cones, floats and "saturdaes" (the Walrus sundae), you could probably go every night for a year and never get the same thing.

And the best thing about Walrus: being in Walrus. The mostly high school-age employees all seem happy to help (or just really high) and unhesitant to let you try any flavor, especially the daily "joke flavor," a concoction made each day that challenges most traditional ideas of ice cream.

Walrus' location, downtown on Mountain Avenue, makes it the perfect stop after dining in Old Town Square, and the outside seating is the best place to watch people stumble out of The Rio after one too many margaritas.

Open weekdays until 11 p.m. and weekends until midnight, Walrus is also the best place to go when dreaming of the cream after hours.

Which is why I better cut this short. They're about to close.

Eat a Love It, save a life

With all the charities, fund raisers and benefits constantly happening in Fort Collins, if I donated to them all I would soon be in need of charity myself.

But I recently heard of an upcoming fund raiser that I can't refuse.

On Oct 10, Coldstone will be sponsoring student organization Deliver Darfur by donating 15 percent of all orders to their cause.

As if I needed one more reason to eat ice cream.

Deliver Darfur, started by senior journalism major Rachel Robichaux and junior sports medicine major Carly Knaff last January, is a non-profit Fort Collins based organization that designs t-shirts and handbags to promote awareness about the crisis in Darfur.

Their entire profit is donated to the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

According to the United Nations, currently in Darfur, Sudan's western providence, an estimated 400,000 have died and over 2.5 million have been displaced due to constant conflict between the government and local militant groups.

Many have fled their homes in fear of the rape and violence, but are now stuck in refugee camps without enough food, water or medicine, according to the BBC.

But now you can help.

All you have to do is buy ice cream at the Coldstone on Laurel Street and show them a flier or say you're part of Deliver Darfur.

If you haven't been to Coldstone, it's time to try it. Known for their "mix-ins," the creamery offers an assembly line of toppings that they mix directly in to your ice cream right before your eyes. You can order one of their suggestions, or come up with your own creation.

They charge per topping though, so be careful. I know I've been victim to the $5 kiddie size.

And because one dollar can feed a child for a whole day, according to Robichaux, you might as well bring a friend and get two.

That way you can feel especially good about yourself.

Who knew saving the world could be this tasty?

I scream to save my green

College life is expensive.

From books to coffee to kegs and pizza, most students find their wallets empty well before pay day.

But that doesn't mean your stomach has to be, too.

Ice cream can be fairly cheap and easy to make at home, with the right ingredients and a bit of patience.

For instance, a simple vanilla recipe requires little more than milk or cream, egg, sugar and vanilla. Or, according to a Better Home and Garden's reccomended recipe, you can make chocolate with the addition of cocca powder.

From there, flavor options are limitless. Whatever candy, syrups or Ramen you have on hand (just kidding about the noodles) can be added in for variation.

However, to save yourself a lot of mixing, the easiest way to make ice cream involves an ice cream maker.

According to Diana Rattray, About.com's southern cuisine expert, ice cream makers can come in all shapes, sizes and prices. From hand cranking machines to expensive compressor models, there really is one for everybody.

The machine I thought to be most intersting (and most corny) is the Play and Freeze. Shaped like a ball, the idea is to put all the required ingriedients in one end and rock salt in the other, and then play with it like a normal ball.

As you throw, toss and roll, the ice cream is created, and ready to eat in just 10 minutes.

And if you've had enough to drink, it might even be fun.

The price starts at $20, and rises based on size.

If you're like me, you're calcualting just how many Chipotle burritos you could purchase for that same amount.

The answer is between three and four.

Better call mom and dad.

Ice cream in the fast lane

From electric cars to iPhones, the future is upon us, and ice cream is no exception.

Ice cream technology has taken off, and left us with several ways to enjoy dessert, Jetsons' style.

Dippin' Dots, aka The Ice cream of the Future, is perhaps the most well-known futuristic ice cream. Created in 1988 by microbiologist Curt Jones, this frozen treat is made from tiny, super-frozen beads of ice cream.

The balls, frozen using liquid nitrogen, are at first tingly and slightly crunchy, but eventually melt into a smooth cream in your mouth. They're easy to scoop, easy to clean up and even easier to enjoy.

But it doesn't stop there. According to Switched, a "digital stuff" Web site, Austrian inventor Demitrios Kargotis recently released an ice cream machine that measures your mood by your voice, and uses that information to determine what size you need.

The sadder you are, the bigger the bowl.

Apparently there is an up side to being down.

And with today's demand for everything instant, few have time to make anything at home that doesn't involve plastic packaging and a microwave. But ice cream won't be left behind.

Ice cream making machines are now being sold that can freeze the dessert in less than 20 minutes, according to Newsweek.

That's less time than you'll spend in line at Coldstone (but no one will sing if you put a dollar in the tip jar).

Priced between $30 and $70, these machines should be at the top of any ice cream-lover's wish list (my birthday is October 5).

Ice cream has also kept up with the diet fad. With the creation of sugar-free flavors, using artificial sweetners, there's no reason not to indulge. They even taste good sometimes.

And with any luck, some day ice cream will be healthy for you, too.

But don't hold your breath.

Ice cream, espresso style

Like the majority of college students, I love coffee.

It's the elixir of life.

It's the perfect wake-up call, study companion, eye-opener and friend-maker.

Mix it with ice cream, however, and the result is the closest thing to heaven on earth.

Which is why I love affogato.

It may sound like a Starbucks creation that costs five bucks but has at least $10 worth of calories, but that's not necessarily the case.

Affogato, which literally means "drowned" in Italian, is traditionally vanilla ice cream with a double shot of espresso poured over it, according to Mangia Bene Pasta, an Italian recipe Web site. Caramel or chocolate syrup can also be drizzled on top, sundae style.

It's like an elitist's root beer float.

As the ice cream melts, the espresso becomes creamy and sweet, the perfect blend of two perfect things.

The best part is, after the sugar high wears off, the caffeine will keep you rocking well into the night before an exam.

And for the coffee shops that don't serve ice cream, a similar treat is a con panna, or espresso served with a dollop of rich whip cream on top, according to Chris Hess, assistant director of Everyday Joe's Coffee House.

This delicate dessert isn't reserved for trips to Vienna, either. The Alley Cat offers $2 affogato specials on Thursdays, and Starbuck's infamous Frappuccinos can be served "affogato style," with an extra shot poured over the top (for an extra fee, of course).

So next time you're craving a perk and a pint, opt for the affogato.

I know I did, and I'll post this just as soon as my hand stops twitching enough to type.

The lean mean ice cream

I am going to be honest.

Ice cream is bad for you.

Averaging over 200 calories per half cup, according to Calorie King, and made almost entirely of cream and sugar (which translates in to fat and more fat), it contains little nutritional value, aside from calcium.

And as American’s waistlines grow, so does the demand for the cream without the cals.

So, to please the chronic dieter, producers have responded with several low fat and/or low sugar options.

Most of them, however, are low taste too.

But weight watchers need not fret. Exceptions do exist to the no fat, not taste rule. Several companies have dreamed up distinctive and original “healthier” flavors to suit almost anyone’s ice cream fancies.

For starters, try soft serve. Generally made with non-or low fat milk, the classic small Dairy Queen cone has less than 150 calories. And if vanilla, chocolate or twist doesn’t suit your fancy, TCBY offers a variety of rotating soft serve flavors, from blueberry cheesecake to chocolate peanut butter.

If you’re a sucker for the scoop, all hope isn’t lost. Most creameries offer yogurts or low fat options, like Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked Yogurt or Coldstone’s “sinless” vanilla.

Sherbet, usually made without milk (and therefore generally fat free) is also a healthier alternative, according to several ice cream producers. Walrus Ice Cream, located in Old Town, offers a whole freezer selection of homemade sherbets and yogurts with unique flavors like honeydew and cinnamon chip.

So just because you’re trying to take off the pounds doesn’t mean you have to give up the pints. At least not entirely.

Just don’t eat the whole gallon.

A whole lotto gelato

Like most Americans, I prefer things big.

If I am paying the better part of five dollars for a scoop of ice cream it better be half the size of my head and make me sick if I eat the whole thing. Which I will.

I just want more bang for my buck.

So you can imagine my disappointment the first time I had gelato. I ordered a medium, thinking it to be plenty, and received a petri-sized dish with a small dollop of the Italian ice cream, and given a mere toothpick-like tool to eat it with.

Upset and confused, I left the store in disgust to eat my baby-sized portion alone.

However, I found myself pleasantly surprised and somewhat elated after I took my first bite of the frozen treat. It’s rich, dense texture packed more flavor into each bite than any regular ice cream. I found myself perfectly satisfied with the portion size. And the added bonus: no post-Coldstone stomachache.

Apparently Italians have more to offer than hairy backs and spaghetti sauce (click for a good recipe).

Gelato, according to Ti-Amo, a gelato producer, is made by super cooling the ingredients (using milk instead of cream) while constantly stirring them, producing the dense texture with less than 35 percent air – compared with traditional ice cream’s 90 percent.

This process packs in the taste without the fat (but probably twice the sugar).

It’s also stored at lower temperatures, keeping it softer and more flavorful. But eat fast, because it melts quicker, too.

But don’t book a plane ticket to Europe quite yet. There are plenty of places right here in Fort Collins that offer fine Italian ice cream without the language barrier. My favorites include: La Dolce Vita, Gelazzi and especially Déjà Vu Coffeehouse (no Web site), whose new owners added a gelato counter this summer.

So, in short, when it comes to ice cream, go big or go Italian.

Shaking things up a bit...

Being a former employee of what my coworkers and I referred to as Baskin Auschwitz, I used to loathe making milkshakes more than anything. It was messy and time consuming, and usually came out too thick or too thin. There goes any tip.

However, since my time behind the coolers at 31 Flavors, I have come to love and cherish the milkshake as one of my favorite ways to consume ice cream.

The milkshake is by no means a new dessert development. According to an article from Associated Content, the milkshake can be traced all the way back to the 1880s, and the original recipe, found in an English newspaper, included a shot of whisky.

Traditionally created by blending milk, ice cream and a syrup or flavor, making a milkshake is simple enough. But an endless amount of flavors and mix-ins allows for creativity. My personal favorite combines vanilla ice cream, banana and peanut butter or chocolate syrup.

The average college student, however, usually doesn't have all these ingredients on hand. Luckily, Fort Collins is home to numerous places that can shake things up for you, affordably.

Avogadro's Number, located at Mason and Myrtle, offers soft serve milkshakes in several unique flavors from "dreamsicle" (orange cream) to "the grit" made with actual espresso grounds.

For an atmosphere more conducive to studying, The Alley Cat, open 24 hours a day and located in an alley on West Laurel, spices up a milkshake with their famous homemade chai tea. Lightly caffeinated, it offers a slight pick-me-up as an added bonus.

And if dropping the extra buck on these locally owned establishments is out of the question, you really can't go wrong with the classic chocolate or vanilla from almost any fast food restaurant. Plus, than you can splurge for the perfect compliment: fries.

Next time your craving a sweet treat and unable to sit down for a bowl, shoot for a shake. They travel, their tasty, and they bring all the boys to the yard.

A bit about me

My name is Maggie Canty, and I am a junior journalism major with a news editorial concentration at Colorado State University. Currently, I am a reporter for The Rocky Mountain Collegian, CSU's newspaper, and College Avenue, CSU's magazine. I also have experience writing a performing arts column for The Canyon Courier, a local paper in Conifer, CO.

Check out some of my clips at The Collegian's Web site.

I am originally from Evergreen, Colorado, and graduated from Conifer High School in 2005. I work at Everyday Joe's Coffee House and Beau Jo's Pizza in Old Town Fort Collins. I enjoy running (mostly 5ks), baking, snowboarding, the outdoors, good music, writing, ice cream and being with people.

Picking a topic to blog about was easy for me. Having been born with an insatiable sweet tooth, ice cream has always been one of my favorite foods, and quite honestly, a big part of my life. I am a firm believer that it can and should be enjoyed at any time of day, in any kind of weather, for any occasion.

With this blog, I will attempt to share a bit of ice cream facts, tips and tricks, and share a few different ways to fill your bowl without emptying your wallet.