Ice Cream Takedown!

While the U.S. and Japanese Women’s soccer teams battled for World Cup domination, another fierce competition was heating up (or should I say trying to stay cold!), at the Bell House in Gowanus. It was an Ice Cream Takedown of epic lactose proportions, where 19 amateur ice cream makers went head to head. But there could only be one champion. Here were the ice creampetitors:

Jenny Liu and Ashley Banks – Masala Spice Cream

Mile O’Neill – Strawberry Basil Nelson

Miu – Walnut Candy Bacon

Anthony Santoro Cioccolato Di Amore

Melissa Zhiang- Roasted Peach and Basil Sorbet

Michael Stewart and Carly Goodspeed – Twin Peaks Coffee and Donuts

Erika Brenner and Charlie Mirisola – Ice Toddy

Kathryn Moise – Gingermon

Tony Santoro – Caprese Freezee

Kristin Appenbrink – Dirty Chai

Ben Mims – Pavlovian Response

Siobhan Fagan – Absinthe chococlate chip!

Adrian Ashby – Smoky Brown Sugar

Ashley Soliman  - banana peanut praline

Susan Lai – Meditate on This

Jason Anello – Pecan Pie

Nathalie Herling – Amazon Magic Dream Cream

Loreal Monroe – Indian Summer Coconut Chili

Leigh Armstrong – Vietnamese Coffee

While there were certainly some interesting combinations, in the end, there was one clear winner in my eyes. Mike O’Neil’s classy Strawberry Basil was super creamy, with just enough basil flavor coming through to make it interesting but not overpowering (pictured below, far right).