Ice Cream Parlors

[Owlmuse]

Im visiting my grandma next week and she lives down the street from the best ice cream! So of course I started to really question how safe it is for us celiacs and thought I'd ask! What has others experience been with delicious frozen treats at ice cream parlors. I've been gluten-free for months but have no symptoms (I beleive) when glutened so it's hard for me to know (I was asymptomatic from the start). My mom has a severe nut allergy but if they just use a clean scoop she's good. Can I get hard ice cream (clearly with no gluten add ins) if they just use a clean scoop? Or do I have to ask for it to be from a fresh tub? Or is soft serve the best way to go? I've thought toppings like sprinkles (or jimmies if there is anyone else from New England out there!) are completely out of the question as ice cream is usually rolled in it. Has that been your experience? What have you guys found to be the easiest and safe way to enjoy ice cream?

[lpellegr]

You are right about all the possible cross-contamination. They definitely need a clean scoop, but considering that a contaminated scoop may have already been in any given tub of ice cream, it wouldn't hurt to explain your "allergy" and politely ask if they could get yours from an unopened tub. Toppings could be contaminated too, and you can make the same request. I usually go for soft serve, but I have read one report on this site of employees being trained on how to fill a cone, and then the soft serve being dumped back into the mother container. But I still go for soft serve and haven't had a problem.

[pricklypear1971]

The only place I eat ice cream (Gelato, actually) is Frost - because they know which flavors are gluten-free, take it seriously, and THEY KEEP THE SAME SCOOP IN ONE FLAVOR ALL DAY.

I suggest having any ice cream parlor you choose to try use a clean (wash with soap and water) scoop and serve from a NEW container unless they also dedicate 1 scoop to each flavor/day (Frost pulls new containers each day, I believe).

[bartfull]

I have worked in ice cream parlors in the past and I know that very often when putting the scoop of ice cream on the cone, crumbs from the cone fall into the tub. A clean scoop won't protect against that. An brand new tub is the only thing that will protect you.

Ice cream WILL go bad once it has been opened if it sits around long enough. So what you need to do is look at all the tubs and pick a flavor that is running really low. Then they MIGHT consider opening a new tub for you seeing they will have to open a new one soon anyway. If you go back the next day you will have to pick another flavor that is running low. Here's hoping your favorite flavors are the ones running low!

[bartfull]

Oh yeah, another thing you might want to consider (especially if it's a flavor you really like) is to have them open a new tub and then have them hand pack a quart or more so you can take it home.

[Owlmuse]

That's a really good idea bartfull! Not for everyday excursions but for staying at my grandmother's. Thanks!

[pricklypear1971]

I have worked in ice cream parlors in the past and I know that very often when putting the scoop of ice cream on the cone, crumbs from the cone fall into the tub. A clean scoop won't protect against that. An brand new tub is the only thing that will protect you.

Ice cream WILL go bad once it has been opened if it sits around long enough. So what you need to do is look at all the tubs and pick a flavor that is running really low. Then they MIGHT consider opening a new tub for you seeing they will have to open a new one soon anyway. If you go back the next day you will have to pick another flavor that is running low. Here's hoping your favorite flavors are the ones running low!

I didn't even think about cones. Frost has them on the menu but I don't think I've ever seen anyone WITH one... Hmmm...

[cap6]

I hadn't thought about the crumbs from a cone falling into the ice cream! Ugh!!!