The weather is heating up again, and with the warmth the desire for hearty meals subsides and is often replaced with a craving for snacks like cold fruit and sweet iced tea. Cereal replaces oatmeal, and lunch and dinner become salads and sandwiches because it’s just too hot to cook anything. But nothing beats the satisfaction of that all-time classic, sticky beat-the-sweat sensation.

It comes in several different forms, and an array of colors and flavors. Have it squished between two cookies, mixed with your favorite candy or dried fruit, cover it with chocolate or sprinkles, fry it, drown it in soda, blend it with wine, or even serve it in a martini. Gelato, sorbet, fro-yo, however you consume it now, it all comes back to the original childhood dream of ice cream. 

Ice cream can be traced back as far as 400 BC when it was only served to royalty, but to pinpoint where it all started is rather difficult since every country had its own version of this frozen treat that amounted to ice cream in the long run.

The 1870s brought on the wonders of ice cream soda, and in the late 19th century the sundae was created. Then, the 20th century carried on and maximized ice cream until we all screamed for it. Soda shops, ice cream parlors, ice cream trucks, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, Tastee Freez, A&W, the list goes on and on, and each place offers their own spin.

The latest trend with ice cream is DIY, and if you’ve ever baked anything, the ingredients for ice cream are relatively minimal. To start, try the classic flavor of vanilla ice cream. The requirements are typical, just milk, half-and-half, sugar, salt, eggs, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Depending on the ice cream flavor you wish to make, most of the recipes floating around the Internet just involve switching out the vanilla extract and one other ingredient, or adding several more. You don’t need one of those expensive bulky ice cream makers that TV and big-box stores are pushing you to buy-—just an appropriate freezer container, and a little time to spare.

Like a smile, ice cream is universal. It’s one of the few things we don’t outgrow as we get older. We may alter the toppings, or type of ice cream we consume, but we still indulge. And if stirring up your own batch is a bit too much for you, the places to acquire this delectable treat are endless. As for blending it with wine or a martini, that can actually be found right here in SLO.

The Breezeway Wine Bar and Deli in the Madonna shopping center still offers wine ice cream, and it’s one of their high-demand items. And Palazzo Giuseppe’s downtown on Court Street serves a martini with a scoop of their homemade gelato in it, which is quite a treat on a nice warm day when you want to relax and people watch. But nothing beats sitting on a porch with a pint of ice cream all to yourself while the breeze blows leaves across your lawn.

Summer is just about here, so kick off your shoes and enjoy your ice cream cool-down.

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