Santa Cruz, CA (WiredPRNews.com) – They used a bit of breast milk and called it a revolution, now two Santa Cruz ice cream makers are calling them out. “If they think no one has done anything interesting with ice cream in the last hundred years, they need to take a little trip across the pond” says Zachary Davis, co-owner of The Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz, California in response to the use of breast milk in ice cream, titled Baby Gaga, by the Icereamists in London, England.
Making flavors such as Candy Cap Mushroom, Bourbon Bacon Chocolate, Roasted Barley, and Plum Blossom, Davis and co-owner and chef Kendra Baker have built a following not only through their use of inventive flavors, but also by sourcing their ingredients with a staunch focus on premium local and sustainable ingredients. “The real revolution in food right now is in sourcing” says Baker, “We could use another type of milk and say we’ve changed ice cream forever, but our passion is for finding ingredients that have a revolutionary impact on our local community in terms of their sustainable production benefiting the local economy and the environment.
The Penny Ice creamery is just one of a number of ice cream shops in the San Francisco Bay Area carving out new spaces in the world of ice cream. “Jake Godby at Humphry Slocombe in San Francisco is a master of pop culture ice cream” says Davis, “He was making a Jesus Juice flavor before Baby Gaga would have meant anything to most people.” Mary Canales at Ici brings the tradition of fresh, natural ingredients to her shop in Berkeley. “I have a great appreciation for the work Mary does in crafting flavors from the seasonal bounty of the region” says Baker.
As new parents, Davis and Baker agree that raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding is one positive benefit, and they applaud anyone doing creative things with ice cream. However, says Baker, “There are much more interesting things you can do with ice cream.”
The Penny Ice Creamery is the only ice cream shop in Santa Cruz making small batches of delicious ice cream completely from scratch in house. The flavors change with the seasons, and feature locally farmed and organic ingredients.
