"I'm Melting!" But Why?

One of the greatest things about ice cream is the way that it quenches on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, ice cream and warm weather don’t get along too well (for long). All too many of us have experienced that devastating moment when a melting scoop of Cold Cow fell from the cone.

OK, so we know that hot temperatures and ice cold frozen treats aren’t quite compatible with one another. But why does ice cream melt, exactly?

Food chemist Sean O’Keefe of Virginia Tech explained to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
why it is exactly that cold foods, well, are hard to keep that way:

Dr. O'Keefe explained that energy is present in both cold and warm objects. But the warmer an object is, the more energy it has. So when ice cream (a cold object) is eaten in a warm place (like your backyard in July), it quickly begins absorbing energy. Once a certain amount of energy has been absorbed, the ice cream begins to melt. It's like boiling water. The water will boil and turn into a gas once it has absorbed enough energy from the heat of the stove. 

Ingredients also affect how ice cream melts. Cream, sugar, eggs and things such as chocolate chips, cookie dough and fudge go into ice cream. One of the most important ingredients, however, is fat. It gives ice cream its creamy texture. It also helps determine how fast it melts. O'Keefe said nonfat ice cream will melt more slowly than regular ice cream because it contains more water. More water means the ice cream will have to absorb more energy before it can melt. Also, low-fat ice creams tend to have more air whipped into them, which allows them to keep their shape longer.

Here at Cold Cow, we of course keep our ice cream as cold as possible from the moment we’re finished making it to the moment it enters your mouth. Well, what are you waiting for? Get moooooovin’...and get some Cold Cow!

I Scream, You Scream...For Vitamins?

Here at Cold Cow, we love that our ice cream is seen as a special treat for our customers. It’s a great reward for those small life victories, for special occasions, and that particularly hot day. Of course you should moderate your ice cream consumption to some extent, but there’s some solace in the fact that ice cream does, in fact, have some nutritional benefits.

Vitamin D and calcium are two of the most vital nutrients for healthy bones, and ice cream is a great source for both of them. For older folks, adequate vitamin D and calcium consumption can help prevent osteoporosis. And for men and premenopausal women, at least 1000 daily milligrams of calcium are recommended for a balanced diet that encourages healthy bones (postmenopausal women should consume around 1200 milligrams daily).

UpToDate.com has provided a help guide to the benefits  and common sources of vitamin D and calcium (best delivered by way of a ice cold treat, of course!):

• Calcium in the diet — The primary sources of calcium in the diet include milk and other dairy products, such as hard cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt, as well as green vegetables, such as kale and broccoli. Cottage cheese and ice cream contain approximately 150 mg of calcium per 4 oz (120 mL). Other foods, such as dark green vegetables, some nuts, breads, and cereals, supply an average of 200 mg of calcium daily. Some cereals, soy products, and fruit juices are fortified with up to 1000 mg of calcium per serving 
• Consuming calcium during childhood (eg, in milk) can lead to higher bone mass in adulthood. This increase in bone density can reduce the risk of fractures later in life. 
• Calcium also has benefits in other body systems by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 
• Calcium and vitamin D supplements have been shown to help prevent tooth loss in older adults

So what are you waiting for? If you think you deserve to indulge, go find some Cold Cow, and rest assured that the creamy, dairy goodness also has some hidden health benefits too!

Show Off Your Passion for Ice Cream with Style

A few weeks ago we wrote about the aesthetic nostalgia of ice cream, by way of a hypnotic music video by the Japanese group Lullatone. This week on our blog, ice cream takes another stylistic form: the t-shirt.

On MTV.com’s style blog, last week, Gaby Wilson had a fantastic post on hip ice cream themed wearables. And they don’t all break the bank, either!

For a cute and quirky way to show off your love for ice cream from the ground up, check out these photo-print ankle socks from Nasty Gal:

For those hot summer days where you just can’t get your favorite frozen treat out of your head, Forever 21 has these killer ice cream high waist shorts, in ultra summery turqoise and pink:

Looking for something a little more casual to show off your ice cream fandom? This t-shirt from Wild Fox Couture features a single scoop of strawberry ice cream in a cone - an instant classic:

For something a little more subtle, Radnails has some ice cream themed nail wraps. If another ice cream lover sees you with these, they just might “melt down”!

Tired of all these different ways to show off your ice cream fandom? Cuddle up with an oversized ice cream sandwich pillow, and dream blissful dreams of sprinkles, cones, and double scoops.

With all this talk of ice cream prints, you’ve probably worked up an appetite! Head over to ColdCowIceCream.com and see where you can find one of our famous milkshakes or a pint of one of our signature flavors.

Sweet News for Your Sweet Tooth

When you were a kid, your parents might have warned against too much chocolate. Sure, it probably wasn’t smart to eat your entire Halloween candy haul all in one sitting, but that’s what being a kid is for, right?

By now, maybe you’ve grown up and have learned that moderation is key for mostly anything in life --  yes, even chocolate. If you’re a Cold Cow fan, we understand if this can be difficult. So many of our flavors feature that classic decadent treat, be in chocolate chips, cookie crumbles, or a chocolate ice cream base.

Fortunately, you can still indulge with minimal guilt because chocolate (in moderation, of course) does boast numerous health benefits. According to the Cleveland Clinic, chocolate offers the following:

Flavonoids help protect plants from environmental toxins and help repair damage. They can be found in a variety of foods, such as fruits and vegetables. When we eat foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also benefit from this "antioxidant" power. 

Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke. If your body does not have enough antioxidants to combat the amount of oxidation that occurs, it can become damaged by free radicals. For example, an increase in oxidation can cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad" cholesterol, to form plaque on the artery walls. 

Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocoa and chocolate. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research shows that flavanols have other potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.

Here at Cold Cow, we look for any excuse to eat some chocolate. Luckily, we have several chocolatey flavors to pick from, including Moo & Cookies, Moochachino, and of course, our classic How Now Brown Cow. Looking for a pint or 48 oz. package? Find the closest one here!

A Hypnotic Video Ballad for Ice Cream

Ice cream sure is pretty, ain’t it? At Cold Cow, when we think of ice cream, we get that fuzzy feeling of nostalgia, summer, and, of course, those classic 1950s-style ice cream parlors.

Keeping with that theme are the Japanese low-fi music duo, Lullatone, who chose to feature our favorite frozen treat in their latest music video, “Let’s Split a Banana Split.” The video so perfectly captures the essence and spirit of ice cream, sharing, and nostalgia that we couldn’t help but share it...and fantasize about all the different Cold Cow flavors that would look pretty good in the music video, too!



Ice cream always looks great, but it looks even better in slo-mo, doesn’t it? Of course, the beautiful song doesn't hurt too much either.

If you enjoyed Lullatone's music video tribute to ice cream, be sure to “Like” their fan page on Facebook. And if the tribute gave you a craving for some classic Cold Cow flavors, you know where to go!