Homegrown ice cream
Several popular ice creams invented in the Annapolis Valley
Get the scoop on fan-favourite flavours that hail from the Annapolis Valley
As Anne of Green Gables sings, ice cream! Is there anything more delectable than ice cream? It’s wonderful on a summer’s afternoon!
With the heat wave coming through the Valley this summer, every day seems like the perfect day for ice cream. Luckily, in the Valley, there is no shortage of places to go to satisfy that need.
Did you know there are a few flavours that are quintessentially Nova Scotian or hail from the Eastern Coast of Canada?
1. Grapenut.
Grapenut ice cream was first invented in Wolfville at the Palms Restaurant. The Palms was run by Cecil Young and his mother, Hannah. According to the book, Reflections of a Restaurant Owner’s Son by Paul “Butch” Young, one day while making ice cream for the restaurant, it was discovered there was no fresh fruit available to add, which had been the practice. Instead, a handful of grapenuts was taken from a cereal box and thrown into the mix! The rest is history.
Cecil Young’s granddaughter Jane, who lives in Kentville, spoke to her father David about the story of grapenut ice cream. According to David, when grapenut ice cream was first available at the restaurant, everyone bought it and it became very popular. Jane laughs, saying she doesn’t care much for the flavour, nor do many people in her immediate family.
Grapenut ice cream is still available today through both Farmers and Scotsburn suppliers.
2. Moon Mist
It was recently discovered that moon mist - a combination of grape, banana and bubble gum ice cream - is a specialty ice cream only found in the Maritimes. Having launched in the 1980s, this ice cream flavour is still just as popular today.
Sharon Churchill Roe, of Hants Border, can attest to that. As a child, she did not like chocolate.
“In a world dominated by chocolatey ice cream options, it was difficult to find a flavour that I really enjoyed. There was always bubble gum, but then there was the prob- lem of what to do with a mouthful of gum while trying to finish off the rest of the cone. Moon Mist is the perfect choice. Fruity and light, but not too sweet,” she explains.
It is still her favourite to this day.
3. Campfire S’mores.
Originally called Kejimkujik Campfire S’mores, Farmers’ describes it as a rich chocolate ice cream with roasted marshmallow flavour, chocolate graham crunch and pieces and swirls of marshmallow.
“A camping vacation in Kejimkujik is one of the most memorable ways to experience and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. What’s more iconic to camping than S’mores around the campfire?” says Claudine Laforce, partnering, engagement and communications officer for Parks Canada in mainland Nova Scotia.
“We are happy to hear that Nova Scotians will be enjoying their summer ice cream treat while reminiscing about fun times at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site,” she adds.
Farmers’, however, has recently renamed the flavour campfire s’mores to prevent any confusion between this flavour and the Kejimkujik National Park, which are not officially or legally bound, says one spokesperson.
“Rest assured,” adds the spokesperson from Farmers’, “Campfire s’mores offers the same great taste, and we do still love Keji!”
According to Heather Hennigar, part owner of Hennnigar’s Farm Market in Greenwich, one of the most popular ice cream destinations in the area, there are a couple of new flavours for the 2018 season. These include maple raspberry donut, strawberry white chocolate and lactose free very vanilla and completely chocolate.
Regardless, Hennigar says the most popular ice cream flavours are sea salt carmel and moon mist, adding that customers can never go wrong with moon mist.