A brand new festival is collecting some of the city’s best ice creameries, and their fruity, chocolatey, sometime salty wares, in one place.
On Sunday May 22, a dozen local ice cream operations will circle up at Chophouse Row for the Seattle Ice Cream Festival[1], with trucks parked outside in the closed-off street, and carts and stands lining the mews and courtyard. The festival is the work of Kurt Timmermeister, whose own excellent ice creamery, Kurt Farm Shop is here at Chophouse. The setup deliberately casual, with each ice cream maker selling and sampling.
Timmermeister just sent over the final roster of ice cream makers. While not everyone is exactly sure what they will be scooping next month, check out this great lineup…
Sweet Bumpas[2]Owner Matt Bumpas was previously the pastry chef at Poppy, so it’s no surprise his flavors embrace spice (chipotle peanut brittle, cinnamon caramel), but also his southern roots (banana pudding) and generally excellent combos like coconut lime.
Molly Moon’s[3]Nothing says Seattle like MM’s springtime classics: Sasquatch (chocolate ice cream, swirls of vanilla bean caramel, and house granola) Rachel’s Ginger Beer sorbet, and vegan coconut strawberry.
Pink’sThis Seattle-based company specializes in Asian-influenced flavors like black sesame, Vietnamese coffee, and spicy ginger. Cartons of durian ice cream carry the warning: “Caution: Not for durian virgins.”[4]
BluebirdNo word on what the local microcreamery is bringing to the festival, but snickerdoodle and vegan horchata forever. [5]
Cupcake Royale [6]The cupcake joint will be rolling its ice cream cart from just around the corner to sample a handful of flavors, no set lineup yet, but fingers crossed for some fresh mint and fudge ribbon.
Kurt Farm Shop [7]Timmermeister’s own shop, located in Chophouse Row, will offer a pared-down list of its usual flavors, all made with a custard base. He’s not sure yet what flavors will be in season, but if springtime stays put, there might be raspberries in the mix.
Half Pint Homemade Ice Cream The farmer’s market ice creamery has been around since 2008, serving flavors like cinnamon oatmeal cookie, chili chocolate, and seasonal strawberry sorbet.[8]
Trove [9]Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi’s truck-shaped parfait bar can’t transport its 500-pound soft serve machine up the hill, but it will be bringing out pints and half pints of soft serve with toppings mixed in, Ben and Jerry’s style. There is also word of make-your-own topping kits.
Parfait The popular brown ice cream truck—a precursor to the shop in Ballard—will be parked out front scooping up staples like mint stracciatella and Ballard Bee honey. Some seasonal specialties could include lingonberry ice cream, an annual flavor made for Ballard’s Norwegian festival in May, and strawberry, if Seattle’s heatwave persists. Nondairy options will also be present [10]
GelatiamoThe Seattle Italian bakery will represent the gelato camp. Set flavors are still unknown, but we can hope for some local seasonal specialties and Italian go-tos like pistachio. [11]
Full Tilt Ice Cream [12]While the pinball machines will stay put in Full Tilt’s four different locations, you can count on salted caramel and coffee ice cream floats using Caffe Vita cold brew on tap. Full Tilt also has a special flavor for the event in the works.
Balleywood Creamery Its fetching cart will be selling scoops and pints, including flavors like bourbon vanilla, double hop caramel, and a peach sorbet owner Karen Kinbar calls the bellini of the north, using Berliner weisse style beer instead of prosecco. “I notice that most of these flavors are boozy. Please don’t judge” she says. Kinbar is also contemplating something chocolate and maybe a Pernod flavor to complete the lineup. [13]
References
- ^ Seattle Ice Cream Festival (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Sweet Bumpas (www.sweetbumpas.com)
- ^ Molly Moon’s (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Pink’s (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Bluebird (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Cupcake Royale (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Kurt Farm Shop (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Half Pint Homemade Ice Cream (www.halfpinticecream.com)
- ^ Trove (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Parfait (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Gelatiamo (www.gelatiamo.com)
- ^ Full Tilt Ice Cream (www.seattlemet.com)
- ^ Balleywood Creamery (www.balleywoodcreamery.com)
