THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503220030
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F7 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Morsels
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
REMEMBER WHEN THE sound of a tinkling bell signaled the ice cream man was on his way? We'd all hurry to find a quarter and race to the edge of the street.
Although we called him ``the ice cream man,'' he knew all the kids by name. He used to tell me the Baby Ruth candy bar was named after me. (It was made by the Curtiss candy company, and Curtis was my maiden name).
He drove a freezer truck with lots of little doors with shiny silver handles. He had to get out of the truck to sell us the treats.
The old man had lost two fingers in the war, and we always begged him to tell us the story while we ate our Brown Mules, Dixie Cups or Nutty Buddies.
There wasn't much more to choose from back then.
These days, that tinkling bell has been replaced with a synthesized version of Marvin Hamlisch's ``The Entertainer.'' And ice cream has changed as well. Today you can buy rocket-shaped pops with three flavors, swirly ices and caramel-filled ice cream cones.
This summer's selection of individually packaged frozen desserts will be even bigger, says James Lynott of Berliner Distributing. And you don't have to wait for the ice cream man to come by. They'll be available in some convenience stores and drug stores as well.
I'm betting one of the most popular items will be Good Humor's new Reese's Cup ice cream. It's similar to a Klondike bar but with peanut butter ice cream in a milk chocolate coating. It'll cost you 95 cents in most places, but Pharmor is selling it for 71 cents, Lynott says.
Breyer's is introducing two new ice cream cones this year. The first is a chocolate-lined sugar cone with mint chocolate chip ice cream. The other cone is butter pecan ice cream. They'll cost a hefty $1.35 each.
The Power Ranger craze has hit the frozen dessert market as well. These ices on a stick include a bubble gum ball. The kids won't know which of the Power Rangers they'll eat until they open the wrapper. Each one costs 65 cents.
As if that's not enough, even more items will be on the market before summer begins. Lipton is introducing iced tea pops in lemon and raspberry flavors this year, Popscicle is coming out with a cotton candy flavor and Good Humor is introducing Freeza Pizza, a round, candy-topped ice cream.
Look for all the kids to run when they hear that little bell. I mean, that electronic thing.
Passover products
After receiving requests from customers, Farm Fresh is expanding its selection of Passover foods and supplies.
The stores at these locations will stock more than 300 Passover items: 230 E. Little Creek Road and 1300 Colonial Ave. in Norfolk; 1400 Kempsville Road, 3353 Western Branch Blvd. and 309 S. Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake; 2110 Great Neck Shopping Center, 521 Laskin Road, 928 Diamond Springs Road and 4872 Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach; and 455 Merrimac Trail in Williamsburg will each stock over 300 Passover items.
Other Farm Fresh stores will carry about 35 Passover products.
Customers needing more assistance to find a product may call (800) 354-6851 and a consumer specialist will find out where you can buy the product.
Soap before cooking
We've already had a couple of days warm enough to grill. Here's an outdoor cooking tip I learned at a recent Girl Scout training session: Rub a pot or saucepan on the bottom and halfway up the sides with dish-washing detergent before placing it over an open fire. It makes the black char easier to remove. by CNB