It's summertime and that means that it's time for my annual pilgrimage home - to Amherst, NY. Amherst is a suburb that sits between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY and it is home to my family, my childhood memories and my favorite summertime treat... Perry's Ice Cream. If you don't live in Western New York, you may not be aware of this particular ice cream brand. If you live in the Buffalo, NY region then Perry's is probably an integral part of your summers.
Perry's got us hooked young in WNY. For as long as I can remember, Perry's was the only ice cream offered in our school cafeterias. The last day of school (aka field day) was always finished sitting on the grass with a cup of vanilla ice cream, complete with its accompanying wooden spoon.
When I moved away from WNY for graduate school, I was astonished at the number of items that I couldn't find at the grocery store - including Perry's Ice Cream. It was so disappointing. It became tradition during my summer visits to go bike riding with my dad, with a stop at the ice cream stand for a double scoop of black raspberry. Nothing says home better than a bowl of Perry's by the river.
A few years ago I started working with Perry's as a member of their Inside Scooper program. Through this partnership I have been able to test out new flavors, visit the Perry's factory and learn the inside "scoop" to why the ice cream is so good. If you are ever in the WNY region, or find yourself inside of a Wegmans, be sure to pick up a quart of Perry's. It's a local treat that just screams summer to me.
For Summer 2016, Perry's came out with several new small batch flavors including Deep Sea Treasure and Lemon Chillo. I decided to incorporate these flavors into a few recipes of my own, then I ate the rest of the ice cream right from the container. You can find the full details over at my other blog - Wilde in the Kitchen!
Have you moved away from your hometown and find yourself missing certain foods and drinks from your hometown? Do you have friends and family send you care packages? Let me know what is special about your part of the world! What should I taste test when visiting your hometown?
Disclaimer - As a member of Perry's Inside Scooper Program, I receive free ice cream about twice a year. Perry's does not compensate me in any manner other than free ice cream. I am happy to partner with this local brand, as I have been a lifelong fan!
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