EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Visitors to the Michigan State University campus are making tracks to the MSU Dairy Store to check out three new ice cream flavors.
Specifically, participants in the Odyssey of the Mind’s world finals, who are on campus from May 26-29, are making their way to the MSU Dairy Store because their raccoon mascot, Omer, inspired a new flavor of ice cream.
Odyssey of the Mind is a program that combines theater and science for creative kids.
Omer Tracks is malt ice cream with caramel swirl, chocolate-covered cone pieces, and M&M candy pieces.
“Every mouthful is a little bit different,” said MSU Dairy Store Manager John Engstrom. “I really like it, I think it’s more of a kids’ flavor.”
Omer Tracks is available at the Dairy Stores in Anthony Hall and the MSU Union, and Engstrom said the Odyssey of the Mind kids and everybody else on campus is eating it up.
“I anticipate we’re going to have very busy sales in Anthony,” said Engstrom.
Omer Tracks is one of three new ice cream flavors the Dairy Store is rolling out for summer. The other two flavors are turtle sundae, and peanut butter and jelly.
“You’ve gotta try it with a waffle cone,” Engstrom said of the peanut butter and jelly, “it tastes exactly like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
But rolling out new flavors is a hard decision, because the Dairy Store only has 32 spaces for ice cream, and they’re already pushing 50 flavors.
“It’s hard because every time we put a new flavor in we’re taking out somebody’s favorite,” said Engstrom.
Once a new flavor is decided on, Engstrom works with MSU Dairy Plant Operation Manager Rodney Clark and a team of students to create one of three base flavors: vanilla, chocolate or sherbet.
The Dairy Store ice cream is a premium product – they use fresh cream, granulated sugar, water, nonfat dry milk powder and stabilizer to make a base ice cream.
After the base is ready, flavorings are mixed in and the ice cream is partially frozen. Once the ice cream reaches about 22 degrees Fahrenheit, it is moved to the deep freezer, where it sits at -20 degrees Fahrenheit until it is hardened.
For more information on the MSU Dairy Store go to http://dairystore.msu.edu/.
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