This is a local and quirky book. Ice Cream and Me, written by Steve Herrell, tells the story of ice cream, mixing candy & ice cream, and Herrell's. The book feels like a cheap textbook. It is not laid out well - the spacing is off in places, there are mis-mash of drawings and graphics, he goes off on random tangents, and there are references to other pages (almost like a Goosebumps book). With all that said, I really liked this book.
The history of ice cream, and how it is made, was very interesting to read. Steve has a deep appreciation to the skill required to make good ice cream. He was the first - literally - to mix candy in with ice cream. What we take for granted today - cookies & cream, etc. - he invented. His shop started in Boston and pretty quickly had lines out the door. He quickly sold as it seemed like he burnt out, but it didn't seem like he made a fortune.
Soon thereafter, he started Herrell's Ice Cream, based out of Northampton, MA. This became a very successful endeavor. He dedication to quality - special freezers, refusing to ship to stores, and more - is impressive. We also have him to thank for brands like Ben & Jerry's (who were spying on him for a while) and Coldstone (who replicated exactly what he was doing in his first store in Boston).
There is also the entrepreneur angle to his story. A guy at the end of the road. He is retired and this was a big project for him. It is a really cool reflection.
My rating for Ice Cream and Me: 4 stars out of 5. Get it here!
P.S. I gave this book to my dad right after I finished it - an ice cream lover and business owner.
