I Scream (and a Variety of It)

This is what happens when you live by yourself and no one is there to stop you from, or give you dirty looks for, buying a six-pack of ice cream scoops. (And you also happen not to have any self-control.)

Today, after eating some delicious Taiwan ramen (which I will report on later), I stopped by 31 Ice Cream to get myself a treat. Or seven.

I've been a supporter of Baskin-Robbins since August of 2013. The franchise is called "31 Ice Cream" in Japan, though I don't get why.

I don't remember eating ice cream all that often when I was a kid in Japan. After we came to the States, we still didn't eat that much ice cream. (I remember my parents very, very, very occasionally buying a box of Viennetta...remember those??) But during our early years in the States, buying a carton of ice cream was a treat, and buying an ice cream cone at Thrifty Drug Store was even more so.

My go-to flavor from Thrifty was Chocolate Chip. When I was feeling feisty, I would get Mint Chocolate Chip. And when I was feeling zany, I would get Rainbow Sherbet.

My family and I have had our affairs with Dairy Queen (oh, the Hawaiian Blizzard...), and for a time I even flirted with Cold Stone. But then I learned that Dunkin' Donuts owned Baskin-Robbins, and that changed my life forever.

But to be honest, I don't go get Baskin-Robbins all that often. Those occasions are so particular that I can actually remember most of them. Now my go-to flavor is Rum Raisin (and has been, since the time I was living in the Mission and learned how awesome a flavor Malaga was). When I was in Albuquerque last March, I got Bananas Foster (you know, for Mardi Gras). Recently I've gotten Brown Sugar & Cinnamon, or even a double scoop with Brown Sugar & Cinnamon and Apple Sorbet.

See?! What is wrong with me? How come I remember these stupid ice cream flavors, but I can't remember other important things??

Anyway, so today I bought a "Variety Pack" of six small scoops, as well as one kid's scoop, just for kicks. And I realized today that—31 Ice Cream in Japan is...kind of stretchy. Like...rubbery? And I confess, I am not a fan of the Matcha. The Rum Raisin though, as always, is delicious.

Oh, ice cream. Grant that I made eat you, always, with everything.

[Flavors, clockwise from top left: Matcha, Box of Chocolate, Lucky Sheep, Winter White Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, Love Potion #31 Dark. The Rum Raisin was the separate kid's scoop. Mmm. The white chunks in the box are dry ice—which almost burned my hand, because I forgot that the lady at the store told me that...]