Ice Cream

If they had stuck a thermometer into the asphalt in front of Duffer's that afternoon, the mercury would have probably burst through the cap. An old basketball buddy had touted Duffer's as the best ice cream palace at the Shore, bar none, and we were certainly not there to prove him wrong. Sure enough, Duffer's (Hildreth and Pacific avenues, Wildwood, 609-729-1817) didn't disappoint. Duffer's, with its adjacent miniature golf course and game arcade, goes for the old-timey feel - Tiffany-style lamps, white-shirted waiters, goofily named sundaes.

It would be nice, at least from the standpoint of girth-control, to be able to unreel some spiel about how we should return to the good old days when ice cream was a rare treat, a dish for special occasions and a special occasion in itself. Goodness knows there's enough nostalgic writing about families' gathering 'round the churn, getting to lick the dasher, etc., to provide plenty of support. Unfortunately, it just ain't true. Ice cream has not just been enjoyed, but enjoyed rather routinely, for 150 years.

On a spring day in 1990, Rockwell "Rock" M. Groves was eliminated. To trim the budget, SPS Technologies Inc., cut his high-powered, $120,000- plus job as vice president of industrial relations. When he got the form letter, Groves, 58, read it eight times - even though he already knew what it said. He had written it. SPS, a maker of airplane parts in Newtown, had begun downsizing after a drop in business. Groves had led the way as architect of the layoffs. Then he became the target.

Once Upon a Porch was an ice-cream parlor at Head House Square. It served wonderful ice cream, and people stood in line with their youngsters just to get a taste. But, unfortunately, Once Upon a Porch didn't live happily ever after. In its place, a new ice-cream parlor evolved. Which was good. Because if you felt like getting in some cool, creamy licks, you could now venture down to Head House Square and get some at Any Thyme. Alas, the new place didn't live happily ever after either.

If you're in the makeover mood and searching for ways to jazz up a family room, here's the scoop: Featured in Barry S. Slosberg Inc.'s gallery auction Sunday are nearly 100 lots of vintage ice-cream parlor memorabilia. They include stools, chairs, tables, a soda-fountain countertop, and a complete booth with two benches, plus signs for such brands as Dolly Madison, Hershey's and Abbotts; blenders, dispensers, and, of course, vintage scoops, a popular collectible. The memorabilia comes from three main consignors, says Slosberg associate Eric Cohen, "the bulk of it . . . from a guy who had set up a little ice-cream parlor in his basement.

Everybody loves ice cream. But this is about people who are passionate about ice cream. "Do you know what it is to have Bassett's French vanilla ice cream with jimmies on top and covered with real whipped cream?" a heart patient fantasized, struggling against the urge to cheat on his doctor's orders. "Believe me, if you have to have a last meal, you couldn't do better. " And for these passionate people, as the Dove Bar proved a couple of years ago, money is no object. Ice cream is a "feel-good" food, and while manufacturers are only too glad to put a price on feeling good, certainly no real ice-cream lover could.

The Yardley mother had been sitting on the steps of her favorite ice-cream parlor, eating her cone and plotting. "I plan to be there at least once a week before it closes," she said later. "I'm just buying things and putting them in the freezer and hoping" that all that accumulated ice cream lasts and lasts and lasts. When the Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar closes forever - at 10 p.m. on Labor Day - Patti Smialkowski hopes she will have enough ice cream banked in her freezer so that the parlor will not be a memory.

THEY may scream for ice cream in Paducah, Peoria and Pittsburgh, but here in the City of Quakers and its environs, water ice satisfies that summertime craving for something sweet and cold. As 17-year-old South Philly resident Brooke White insisted so simply yet eloquently during a recent visit to John's Water Ice, at 7th and Christian Streets, the frozen concoction is "the best thing in the world. " While that assessment is surely open to debate, there's no denying water ice is as much a part of our region's culinary DNA as hoagies and cheesesteaks, despite it not having received the same level of publicity those two edible icons have.

O.J. Simpson's "ice-cream defense" may hit meltdown, the New York Daily News has learned. Investigators believe the mystery ice-cream cup in the case contained slow- melting chocolate- chip-cookie-dough ice cream left by the football great's young son, the New York Daily News has learned. In an experiment conducted by the New York Daily News that put melting rates to the test, the cookie-dough ice cream dissolved far more slowly than the flavor Nicole Brown Simpson bought for herself the night of the murders.

Baskin-Robbins in Moscow? Can Kremlin Kranberry be far behind? Baskin-Robbins, which calls itself the producer of America's favorite ice cream, has struck deep in the communist world by putting its first store in the Soviet capital. For decades - at least since the Bolshevik Revolution - Russians have had a choice of flavors: vanilla or chocolate. Tomorrow, they'll have 29 more flavors to chose from at the Baskin-Robbins store that begins business at the mammoth Rossiya Hotel.

Food: Handmade ice cream in unconventional flavors. Earl Grey Srichacha sounds like a bad idea. We assure you, it is not. There are usually six flavors, three Philadelphia-style (with 16 percent butterfat cream from Trickling Springs Creamery in Chambersburg) and three nondairy. Who's behind it? Founded one year ago by Pete Angevine, Martin Brown and Jeffrey Ziga. What's in that name? Ziga says: "It sprang out of the ether. It's emotional. I'm a little baby, you're a little baby.

Performance artist Robert Karimi, in character as chef Mero Cocinero Karimi, makes a claim as big as a half-pound bacon cheeseburger: He can teach people to improve their diets without ever uttering such unappetizing words as healthy or nutritious. During a cooking demonstration at Reading Terminal Market on Tuesday, he proved his point by persuading two 11-year-olds, waffle cones in hand, to put a dollop of his radish-greens, mint, onion, and lime dip on top of their ice cream. Sometimes, success lasts only as long as ice cream on the tongue.

Craig: I had a number of great bites this week — including the season's first al fresco tacos al pastor from Los Taquitos de Puebla, which can only mean one thing: the return of the Head House Farmer's Market … what a joy! Here ares some other great flavors that make up this week's Crumb Tracker Quiz. (1) spinach gnocchi with ricotta salata; (2) peanut butter ice cream double-chocolate chip cookie sandwich (3) artisanal ham plate (with Finchville Farms sugar-cured country ham from Kentucky, with drop biscuits, honey butter and green tomato marmalade (people, this is a "wow" ham if there ever was one)

A few local food trucks that do catering: Sweet Box Serves: Cupcakes Owner: Gretchen Fantini Phone: 215-237-4647 Facebook: Iheartsweetphilly Lil' Dan's Serves: Italian cuisine, sandwiches Co-owner: Daniel Pennachietti Phone: 215-252-1677 Facebook:LildansFood Little Baby's Ice Cream Serves: Ice cream, including vegan Owners: Pete Angevine, Martin Brown,...

THE SHEILA REID nobody knows loves pancakes, bowling and whatever. Yes, whatever. That was one of the interests, along with shopping mall, culled after an exhaustive investigation of 30 seconds and three or four clicks on her Facebook page. It was on Facebook so it had to be true, although the identifying photo in the lefthand corner looked suspiciously like a young Bruce Springsteen. Reid, the Villanova superstar runner, is much more attractive and might own a guitar but definitely does not have a beard.

1 can regular coconut milk (13.5 oz.) 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons agave syrup 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1. Whisk ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Let chill in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. 2. Add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions. When done, transfer to container and let freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. From Ross Olchvary, Sprig & Vine Per serving: 334 calories, 2 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 23 grams fat, no cholesterol, 98 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fibers

  Another baseball season is upon us. The Phillies' home opener is 1:05 Monday against the Miami Marlins. Here is a guide to the 2012 Phillies. - RADIO Game broadcasts: WPHT (1210-AM)/WIP (94.1-FM) is the English flagship, and WDAS (1480-AM) and EMG (1310-AM) are the co-Spanish flagship. Nineteen other AM stations make up the tri-state area of networks. Broadcast team: Scott Franzke returns to do play-by-play with Larry Andersen providing the color commentary.

Company description: Delectable bite-sized versions of Baskin-Robbins ice cream cakes, wrapped up in icing with a simple accent finish. Chain: Baskin-Robbins. Calories: From 290 to 360, depending on flavor; 17 to 22 grams of fat. Location: 163 W. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore. Price: $9.99 (Four flavors). Review: It's hard to combine ice cream and cake in a dessert and expect it to survive without freezer burn. B-R's Cake Bites almost get it right.

Chef Jason Cichonski wanted the cookie-dough chunks in his Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream to be soft and melty, not hard. So he did something about it. Behold, the hot chocolate chip cookie dough dessert on the menu at Ela, his new Queen Village corner restaurant. The base of the dessert is vanilla semifreddo tinged with bay leaf. It's complemented by a banana jam and dark chocolate shavings. The magic is in the you-pour-it sauce, which tastes like milk after the cookies have been dunked, or, as Cichonski describes, a thinner cookie dough.

This Valentine's Day, abandon the obvious gestures (roses, chocolates) in favor of design-conscious gifts that won't wilt or melt. - Caroline Tiger Share something sweet Give your ice cream lover (and her flavor of choice) special attention with Alessi's "Big Love" ice cream bowl and spoon ($56) and "Love" set of ice cream bowls ($64). Available at alessi-shop.com . A piece of his art Design junkies will heart the Kaj watch ($110)