Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about my blog and ice cream:

How do you decide what flavors to make?

I am most often inspired by the food that I eat. Living in New Orleans, I have the opportunity to eat food at some of the finest and creative restaurants run by chefs who are continually experimenting with new flavors. When I eat a new dish, I often think to myself, “Could this be an ice cream flavor?” I have been surprised with the results of some of my experiments, including Basil Ice Cream and Lemon Beet Yogurt. I am also inspired by creative ice cream artisans including Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio and Creole Creamery here in New Orleans.

What is your favorite recipe?

Some of my favorite scoop recipes are surprisingly sorbet recipes – Pear Champagne Sorbet and Blueberry Mojito Sorbet (picture in the banner of my blog). My favorite milky scoops are Basil Ice Cream, Lemon Blueberry Yogurt, and White Nectarine Sherbet.

How much ice cream do your recipes make?

The majority of my recipes make between 3 cups to a quart (4 cups). This depends on the number of ingredients. The final yield will also depend on your ice cream maker. Depending on the speed and construction of the dasher, more or less air will be added to the mix. All of my recipes fit in a standard 1 quart or 1 ½ quart ice cream maker.

Why do you use corn syrup in some of your recipes? Is it really necessary?

I use corn syrup in many of my recipes to improve texture (corn syrup has more viscosity than sugar so it freezes differently). I use it in very small amounts, but if you are still concerned about ingesting corn syrup, you can omit it and increase the sugar content by about 25%. Sugar also helps increase the viscosity. Tapioca syrup would be an appropriate substitute. I have substituted brown rice syrup several times with good results.

Why do you use alcohol in your recipes?

Alcohol, like corn syrup, is added to improve texture. Alcohol has a lower freezing temperature so it will help keep sorbets and ice creams softer and more scoopable. Feel free to interchange different liquors or wines, but be aware of the alcohol content. If you substitute, the substitution should have a similar proof.

What type of ice cream maker do you use?

I use a Cuisinart® Supreme™ Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker Model ICE-50BC with a built in chilling compressor. Check out my equipment page for more information.

I would love to make some ice cream, but I don't have an ice cream maker. Any suggestions?

Check out my post on the subject - How to Make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker

Where can I buy ice cream containers?

Everyone has their own preference for how to store ice cream. I prefer to store ice cream in rectangle or circular plastic containers with a snap-top. To give away ice cream, I like to use pint containers. For small orders, there are a couple of online sites where you can buy pint containers: Sweet Bliss Containers (plain white) and SucreShop (decorated). Jeni's ice creams also sells their own containers for storage. For larger orders, most companies require you to order hundreds to thousands of pint containers in one shipment. The smallest shipment I have found is 250 plain white pint containers from Frozen Dessert Supplies.

Do you sell or ship your ice cream?

I recently began my hand-packed pint ice cream business, Urban Scoops Craft Ice Cream.  Locals to New Orleans can enter weekly drawings to win a free pint of ice cream.  Right now I do not deliver or ship my ice cream, but I am looking into it. I will likely be able to sell and deliver locally before I can ship. Please email me if you are interested in purchase.

Do you accept advertisements on your site?

Advertising space is available on the right-hand sidebar, visible on all pages. I will approve all advertising to ensure that it is applicable to my readers. If you believe your brand would be a good fit here, I would be happy to speak with you about becoming a sponsor. Please email me and/or use the contact form for more information.

How do I contact you?

If you love ice cream as much as I do, I would love to hear from you! E-mail me with recipe ideas, suggestions, your own reviews, or any other helpful information. You can contact me at scoopadventures@gmail.com or follow me on twitter @scoopmuse.