THE TRIPLE THREAT ICE CREAM CHALLENGE

About a year ago, the Trio (my grandchildren: Todd, 10; Tess, 9; Tanner, 7) and I created and participated in "The Contest".  The Contest is described in my June 12, 2013 blog - THE CONTEST.   We compared and contrasted McDonald's and Burger King.

Last week, on the phone, I had a conversation with Todd.  "I have an idea!"  Usually, I dread those four words coming at me.  This time, the roles were reversed: "Oh, Oh!  Meme (may-may) you're scaring me!  What do you have in mind?"  Undaunted, I continued:  "Todd, remember the contest last year with McDonald's and Burger King as contestants?"  A giggle:  "Oh yes!  That was so funny!  You're so silly Meme!  We had a blast!"  I pushed on:  "Todd, the next time that the three of you are with me, we're going to have an Ice Cream Challenge!  We'll have a competition between Cold Stone and Graeter's!  We'll do official sheets whereby we compare the number of flavors, number of toppings, best tasting, inside atmosphere, outside patio, the works.  We'll give scores and see who wins!"  Todd jumped on this one:  "Wait!  We did two places last time.  How about a triple threat?  All in one day, so we have good memory.  Like how about using Maggie Moo's too?  That's right in Centerville!"  So, Todd and I declared a TRIPLE THREAT ICE CREAM CHALLENGE to be held during their very next visit!

On a Friday evening, after the Trio settled into their rooms, we congregated in the living room for a strategy meeting.  We reviewed our score sheets.  Three Ice Cream Parlors were going to be judged and analyzed by three experts and their grandmother!  We plotted the order of the next day.  On Saturday morning, breakfast was light.  The judges were ready to rock!

Our first visit, after we bought Tess new ballet shoes, was to Maggie Moo's.   We sat inside because, there was no outdoor seating, unless we wanted to sit on a curb in front of the shop.  We counted flavors, toppings, recorded them.  Todd ordered Chocolate ice cream and said that we should stick with one flavor to make the taste test more accurate.  We could fiddle with toppings though.  We all readily agreed.  Tess chose Cotton Candy, Tanner- Chocolate Chip Mint.  I said that I would select the "summer" special flavors in each to check creativity.  We nibbled, slurped, recorded, discussed.

After watching the movie "Maleficent", we wandered into Cold Stone.  The outdoor seating was spacious, the inside smaller, but had a "fun" atmosphere.  Again, we took out our score papers, munched, slurped, recorded our findings.  My summer special was so good that the trio dug into it after they inhaled their ice cream.  A few people passing recognized Darla Darling (my TV character) as they passed.  Tanner noticed and said we'd be a good commercial for Cold Stone.

After a dip, splash, hop and jump on The Greene's water pads (I warmed a bench, thank you) with live music playing, we went home to freshen up, regroup.  We still clutched our score sheets as we entered Graeter's - the last competitor.  The Trio agreed that the only thing that Graeter's had going for it was that they could eat ice cream in base ball helmet bowls.  My seasonal special...ugh.  Not so good.  Out door seating? Curb and a bench or two.  Eck.

After we finished our ice cream, we sat in Graeter's, around a table, to labor over finding a winner.  People watched us curiously as we tallied scores, discussed each venue from various points of view.  We were as serious, detailed and meticulous as if we were writing for the food critics at the New York Times.  For a minute, I sat back and listened to the conversation which for children, having eaten ice cream all day, was  intelligent, logical, an even respect of give and take.  Their teachers, if they had seen/heard, would want them to be so competent in school, to be sure.

The final results revealed that the three competitors were close.  The judges' combined scores were:  Cold Stone - 218; Maggie Moo's - 201; Graeter's - 195.  We awarded our GOLDEN ICE CREAM SCOOP to Cold Stone!

We gave each other High-Fives and folded up our score sheets for our scrapbooks.  I suppose, when the Trio are adults, they might look back on this wacky day with their Grandmother.  Not many people think of these things, when their broken ankle is bound in a walking cast, as an entertainment for their grandchildren.  Maybe I'll be a funny party story with which I leave them when I must.

So, the book is closed on THE TRIPLE THREAT ICE CREAM CHALLENGE!  How about a PIZZA CHALLENGE next?