Bubble Gum Ice Cream

It was in the 80's eh, sometime. It was Bear Lake and it was August at our family reunion. Uncle Craig rounded up the kid cousins and announced that we were going to the ice cream place and to get our shoes on. Looking at the flavors I kept returning back to strawberry, vanilla or chocolate. The cousins were all ordering a strange blue-colored flavor with dots of color sprinkled throughout. "It's bubble gum," they declared. I ordered it, and immediately fell in love with Bubble Gum ice cream. It's like two treats in one, kindof like a Now 'n Later. Eating it is half the fun. Taste the creamy bubble gum flavor, then either store the wad of gum in your cheek as you lick the ice cream, or (much more lady-like) ask for an extra cup and spit the gum balls out as you go and then enjoy them in one big, delicious wad. Ahhh, the memories.

I haven't had it at all since those days of Bear Lake, so imagine my surprise (and desperate delight) when I had the following conversation with our 7-year-old neighbor.

Amy: Hi, Alyssa!
Alyssa: Hi! Can I play basketball at your house? My dad said it was okay. I like to play basketball, it's really, really fun. I'm getting taller, so I can make more baskets than my sister. This is my cousin, she's visiting us from Oklahoma, that's a long way away from here. She's staying with us for three weeks and tonight is ice cream night. We have ice cream night two times a week. My dad went to go get ice cream and he got bubble gum ice cream. My favorite ice cream is strawberry. I'm really good at playing basketball.
Amy: Hang on...Did you just say bubble gum ice cream?
Alyssa: Yeah.
Amy: WHERE did your dad see bubble gum ice cream?
Alyssa: Um, it's in our freezer.
Amy: The store. Your dad bought it at a store? What store?
Alyssa: Um...I don't really know. Alberstons?
Amy: Albertsons? Are you sure it was Albertsons? And, are you SURE it was bubble gum? Like, bubble gum with the little bits of bubble gum in it?
Alyssa: Um, I think so...I don't really know, my dad bought it.
Amy: (AHHHHHI WANT BUBBLE GUM ICE CREAM RIGHT NOW! Can I come over and have some?!) Okay, cool.

Several weeks later, Josh ran to the store to get some ice cream, and brought this home:


We devoured it in three days. We went back for more, and polished that off, too. The kids didn't get to sample any. I knew they wouldn't fully appreciate it yet. Bubble Gum ice cream. Do you love it or hate it? I think you know how I feel about it. The end.