Ice cream is a season-less commodity
You might be reading this thinking – okay, I’m interested, but ice cream is kind of for the summer. Or making up some excuse like it’s too ~cold~. But I worked at a local ice cream shop and we had lines out the door year-round.
Of course this was more common in the hotter months, but when holiday seasonal flavors hit? All bets are off. Let’s be real here, ice cream has no season. And the scoop on Van Leeuwen Ice Cream? It’s officially the coolest ice cream you can have any time of the year
The truck that changed it all
Famously started in the Spring of 2008 out of a buttery yellow truck on the streets of NYC, ice cream has never been the same since with the new standard marked by Van Leeuwen.
They make all their ice cream from scratch in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and feature both classic and vegan scoops. Their classic flavors are crafted with fresh milk, cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks – no artificial flavors or unpronounceable ingredients.
Meanwhile, the vegan scoops are made with housemade cashew milk, organic coconut milk, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic cane sugar, pure cocoa butter, and organic carob bean – again, incredibly natural and thoughtful ingredients.
The best part? Both variations make for the most naturally perfect ice cream. I consider myself to be a top ice cream critic, as it’s arguably my favorite dessert. I’ve made it my mission to try the best ice cream every place I visit. And Van Leeuwen is at the top of the list, if not the actual cherry on top
They now have stores and trucks across NYC and LA and offer a vast pint selection in grocery stores. They even have a cookbook that was released in June 2015, “The Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Cookbook”, which includes over 100 vegan and classic recipes along with stories from the past decade.
Life-changing flavors
Something I love about Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is that they pride themselves in their ingredients, highlighted above. They have classic flavors and seasonal flavors, in which they always aim to use local ingredients and support sustainable practices. A true commodity in our current climate crisis.
Their vegan peanut butter chocolate chip flavor is not exception, and is what started it all for me. Despite being an ardent nut butter advocate and consumer, I was never into the whole nut butter ice cream flavors – until I met this one.
It’s rich, creamy flavor is game changing, and like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. Safe to say if you try any flavor – this should be one. The vegan chocolate is also superb. I pretty much have to include both or either of these flavors in scoops when I go there… I’ve even ended up with the combination of peppermint and peanut butter chocolate chip during the holiday season.
The key to winning over all guests this holiday season
Ah, the holiday season. What really did me in at Van Leeuwen. I’ve always loved a good peppermint ice cream, and thought I’d found the perfect one at my local scoop shop. No matter how beloved that variation may be, the peppermint stick flavor from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is the best. It’s the key to winning over any guest this holiday season.
The natural, minty flavor is perfect, there aren’t overwhelming and fake tasting peppermint pieces either in the ice cream either. The peppermint pieces are swirled into peppermint ice cream for a seriously out of body experience.
Some other flavors they are known for around the holidays include their pumpkin cheesecake, a rich flavor with a smooth pumpkin base and pieces of cheesecake – with none other than graham cracker crust – that blows your mind.
Toy-ing with something new
A new flavor they have come out with this season is Vegan FAO Schwirl, in partnership with FAO Schwarz. I actually cried when I read the description of this flavor and have to find a way to try it. The ice cream is vanilla oat milk ice cream packed with black and white cookie pieces and chocolate fudge swirls. It’s both an homage to New York’s black and white cookies and the Giant Piano at Fao Schwartz.
And not only this, each time you treat yourself to a scoop this flavor, you will receive a mystery gift card to use at FAO Schwarz & anyone who makes a purchase of $75 or more at FAO Schwarz will receive a BOGO ice cream coupon to be used at the Rockefeller Center location in NYC.
It’s safe to say we all need to RUN to our nearest Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop, if not grab a pint off the shelf at our nearest grocery store. I’ll meet you there.