Survey says
– it’s good.
Garlic ice cream made its debut at the Gilroy Garlic festival
more than 20 years ago and thousands of pucker-faces later,
festival goers are still returning for the one-of-a-kind ice cream
novelty.
”
It’s refreshing,
”
said JoJo Mack of Corona del Mar.
”
And I’m not even an ice cream person. I like it. I would buy it
if they had it in stores.
”
Gilroy – Survey says – it’s good.
Garlic ice cream made its debut at the Gilroy Garlic festival more than 20 years ago and thousands of pucker-faces later, festival goers are still returning for the one-of-a-kind ice cream novelty.
“It’s refreshing,” said JoJo Mack of Corona del Mar. “And I’m not even an ice cream person. I like it. I would buy it if they had it in stores.”
Perhaps it was the ‘free’ sign hanging above the ConAgra Garlic Ice Cream stand, or maybe it’s the once in a lifetime opportunity to spin the tale of the day one tasted the unusual treat. Either way, by noon Saturday, there were lines 30 people deep waiting for the chance to taste the garlicky cone.
By midday Friday, more than 8,000 cones were handed to eager garlic palettes, according to Garlic Festival chairperson, Rickii Zuniga.
“Only in Gilroy this could happen,” she said.
Zuniga has worked at the festival since garlic ice cream was introduced, and revealed that the recipe has changed over time.
“We’ve refined it … If you eat garlic first it soothes your palette, you can’t even taste the garlic then,” she advised.
The ice cream is distributed in wafer cones and is a golden orange hue. As you bring the cone close to your lips, you immediately notice the smell of garlic wafting towards your nose.
In years past, there seemed to be one of two reactions: Either people loved garlic ice cream or they hated it.
This year – there’s a third option – utter confusion.
“It’s weird. But in a good way,” one teen said. “I wouldn’t say I didn’t like it – it’s just kind of weird,” commented another.
Children typically react after first taste with a look of repulsion before handing the sample to their adult counterpart, or dumping it into the nearest trash bin.
Two-year-old Isabel Um stood looking at the cone, eyebrows furrowed as if in deep thought pondering the new taste. As the ice cream melted onto her fingers in the heat, she licked them one by one.
“I like it,” she said smiling, reaching for a second cone from her father.
“Just don’t go kissing anybody after,” he warned.
Linda Dishler of Livermore traveled to the festival with the notion of trying garlic ice cream in the back of her mind.
After her first lick, her eyes opened with surprise.
“It’s actually better than I thought it would be,” she laughed. “It doesn’t have that sugar coated garlic taste the Jelly Belly beans do.”
By Sunday afternoon the free samples had long run out. Disappointed festival goers swarmed to the Ranch side to wait in the sweltering heat for a chance to purchase a cantelope filled the garlic ice cream for $4.
“You gotta do it. I don’t care what they charge,” said Gene LeDroux of San Leandro who stood at the end of the line. “You come to the Garlic Festival. Where else do you buy it at? At the store? No. Ben and Jerry’s doesn’t make it. That’s the reason we’re standing here in line.”
But garlic ice cream is not for everyone.
“I don’t like it,” said Cathy Hernandez of Sacramento in between bites. “It’s a taste you have to acquire – I don’t think I will. Now we can go back to Sacramento and tell our friends we tried garlic ice cream.”
