There was no Ice Cream Social in the department this year.
The people bringing in ice cream and toppings had fallen steadily for years.
In the beginning the entire break room table, all 4 feet x 12 feet of it was full ice cream, toppings, more toppings, nuts, whipped cream, cones, bowls, and spoons.
It was a great afternoon. Just before school started for the parents and something to look forward to for all the department members. Not to mention, it made a good end cap to the heat of summer.
In truth, the Ice Cream Social started petering out several years ago and covid did it no favors.
Neither did the staff turnover. There are very few who remember why it was started and why it continued.
Even after there were sign and sign up slots posted at every desk and on the break room door. When I ran the evening shift, I could be present in the department every evening and the cheerleader of the social and remind people to bring in the goods. I reminded people several times.
I made homemade ice cream every year. Some of my favorite flavors that I made over the years were 1) tropical ice cream with pineapple, oranges, and coconut, 2) cinnamon ice cream, 3) mint chocolate chip. I did repeat the cinnamon ice cream last year.
Last year I was the only one who brought anything. People were eager to give me money so I could go across the street to the grocery store and purchase and haul it all back and set it up.
This year I just didn’t.
I didn’t make the Ice Cream Social 12th annual signs.
I didn’t make the sign up sheets.
I didn’t remind people. I didn’t remind people again and again.
I didn’t offer to collect money and plan how best to use the money to cover an entire department’s amount of people. Plus surgeons. Because they are always welcome to CTIAT.
The Thursday before school starting came and went.
I had to fill the hole in the No Heat August Cookie Thursday is a Thing schedule but I had lots of ideas for that.
Today’s make is the ice cream that I would have made for the Ice Cream Social.
I had seen this recipe several months ago and ticket it away to make in August.
Mock Fried Ice Cream. Layers of caramelized cornflakes and vanilla ice cream. Except for waiting for the ice cream to soften this was one of the fastest makes of the entire year.
The caramel coating of the cornflakes should protect it from the ice cream so that it maintains its snap.
The recipe suggested serving it with ice cream toppings but I didn’t. To me that smacked of the Ice Cream Social that wasn’t. But I can see how caramel sauce or chocolate sauce would’ve worked great.
Farewell, Ice Cream Social. You were great while you lasted.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 