MilkMade Ice Cream
While ice pops may be de rigueur, what summer experience is without ice cream? Be it store bought, soft serve, or dished up at your special ice cream parlour, this creamy dessert never goes out of style. To get the scoop on the latest ice cream trends, Countlan magazine caught up with Diana of MilkMade Ice Cream in New York City.
INTERVIEW: Diana Hardeman, Owner, MilkMade Ice Cream (NYC)
01 What is MilkMade and where can people enjoy your ice cream?
MilkMade Ice Cream is a craft ice cream company in New York City. We hand-source, hand-craft, and hand-deliver two unique flavors of ice cream to members of our ice cream of the month membership.
02 What was your inspiration to start the company?
I founded MilkMade in the fall of 2009 out of my desire for a better pint. I wanted something fresher, made with local ingredients, and with flavors that suited my more adventurous palate. So I decided to buy a little machine and make the ice cream myself. We shared our creations with friends, and it turned out people loved it and wanted more. So we launched MilkMade.
03 Could you talk a bit about ingredient selection and its importance in the end result of your product?
Local local local. Everything we use in our pints is hand-sourced from the finest local farms and food artisans. Not only does that support the local economy and ensure sustainable production practices, but it just tastes better!
04 Describe your first batch of homemade ice cream:
My first batch of homemade ‘scream was peanut butter. I wouldn’t write it off as a disaster, but let’s just say MilkMade’s peanut butter flavor has come a long way from that batch. It still was delicious though – I had lived 25 years eating ice cream almost every day (seriously), so regardless of its all-too-creamy consistency, I was pretty darn proud of my first batch.
Photo Source: MilkMade/Adventures in Ice Cream Blog
05 Is there a technique or skill to making good ice cream?
It’s all in the details, and you must have patience. When we craft a flavor, sometimes we do ten iterations of the same flavor – with a 1/4 tsp more or less of a certain ingredient. So it takes a lot of attention to detail and a lot of patience to finally get it right. But for the at-home ice cream enthusiast making her own ‘scream – it’s just like following any recipe.
06 For the inexperienced home ice cream maker, how important is equipment?
My personal experience with at-home machines is with Cuisinart. I have heard the KitchenAid attachment is also pretty solid.
07 What is the most exotic flavour of ice cream that you have ever made at Milkmade?
We just made a flavor called Cha Cha Chocolate. It’s a derivation of chocolate Cuba Spice Cake with chocolate, pineapples, and spices. It is awesome and totally different from any ice cream I’ve ever tasted. We also did a Salted Watermelon last year – which was a big delicious hit.
08 Where does your inspiration for new flavours come from for your company?
Inspiration is everywhere! From the farmer’s market, to the cake dessert I just ate, to a funny name that I want to turn into an ice cream flavor. Sometimes the ingredient comes first, sometimes the flavor combo, sometimes the name.
09 What is a good resource for people who want to try making their own ice cream?
A quick Google search will find you a plethora of recipes, tips, etc on ice cream making. And if you’re ever low on flavor ideas, our blog, Adventures in Ice Cream, is a good place to look for inspiration.
10 Are there any ice cream flavours you are looking forward to making this summer?
YES! First we are really stoked to release our new cold brew coffee flavor, made with our new favorite drink – Grady’s Cold Brew coffee concentrate (see first picture above), made here in Williamsburg. It is perfect to start the summer off. We are also stoked for berry season, so we can get down with our strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry flavors again. Plums and cherries, both new to MilkMade’s suite of flavors, are also on the menu for the summer. Stay tuned!
