4 Tips for Throwing a Midsummer Ice Cream Social
We don’t get weather hot enough to eat ice cream all the time, so we should make the most of it while we can. But how can you make something as exciting as ice cream more exciting? By making a party of it! Here are 4 tips for throwing a Midsummer Ice Cream Social for adults and kids alike.
Flavors
For the ice cream itself, keep it simple and keep it classic. Everyone likes either chocolate or vanilla, so include those and a sorbet or Italian ice as a non-dairy option. Make sure to keep the serving scoops separate to prevent any cross contamination — if your guests want to mix up the flavors, let them do it with their own spoons. With three ice cream flavors, you can leave the excitement for the toppings – that’s where you and your guests can go nuts.
Toppings
Make the toppings as elaborate and simple as you want. There’s nothing wrong with serving the basics – fudge, caramel, sprinkles, whipped cream and nuts; your guests can design their sundaes with mixed and matched toppings. If you really want to go the extra mile, crush up cookies, add some candy bar pieces, slice berries, spoon out marshmallow fluff – go wherever your imagination takes you.
Keep it Cold
It’s ice cream; by definition it’s cold and you want it to stay cold. For serving, fill a deep serving tray or large bowl with ice to hold your ice cream in the room but well below room temperature. For ice cream packaged in cardboard containers, place them in a plastic tub to go on top of the ice so the containers don’t get soggy. Until serving time, keep your ice cream dishes and spoons in the freezers so the ice cream doesn’t melt as your guests top their sweet treats.
Keep it Neat
Ice cream is full of sugar and when it melts, it’s sticky. To prevent too much mess, put a vinyl or oil cloth table cloth down for the serving area with a small bucket of warm water and a towel for immediate cleanup.
With the Fourth of July behind us, we only have a few weeks left to enjoy hot weather and cold treats — let’s make every day count!
