Andikancies The Scoop On Serving Ice Cream (NAPSA)—Summer improved tremendously with the invention of the first ice cream scoop in 1878. Since then, the ways to serve ice cream have multiplied. To make ice cream scoop selection a bit easier, here’s a helpful guide to the variety of scoops available today: The Ice Cream Spade. The most basic version is known as an ice cream spade and looks like a large flat spoon or spatula. The spade easily cuts into especially hard ice cream and is often used in conjunction with cold marble slabs to create custom flavors in gourmet ice cream parlors. Because of this tool’s ability to form a flat sheet of ice cream,it is often used for the construction of ice cream cakes. The Classic Ice Cream Scoop. This is probably the most recognizable; it’s the one used in most ice-cream parlors. The classic scoop often features an angled head designed to dig down into the ice cream for better scooping. Though its simple design requires little practice to master, hard-packed scoops of ice cream may require a few taps on the side of the containerto release successfully. The Trigger Ice Cream Scoop. This improvement on the classic design introduces a trigger mechanism to help release the ice cream. After scooping, you simply press the trigger with your thumb, activating a metal band that swipes across the inside of the scoop, creating a perfectly shapedball of ice cream. nm The Smart Scoopin action. The Smart Scoop. Good Cook has recently introduced the innovative and uniquely designed Smart Scoop. Its Teflon nonstick coating lets the Smart Scoop easily glide through ice cream, and the scoop’s two-piece design splits apart to release perfectly formed balls of ice cream with very little effort. “Many of the scoops today are designed with ease of use in mind,” says Good Cook’s Julie Lawson. “Several employ ergonomic shapes and nonstick coatings, or contain antifreeze sealed inside the handle for easy release. But be sure to read care instructions before placing them in the dishwasher,” cautions Lawson. “Some manufacturers’ finishes perform better when washed in hot, soapy water.” For more information on pick- ing an ice cream scoop design that best fits your style, needs and budget, as well as ice cream recipes, visit www.goodcook.com.
