The ice cream van has arrived…yes that great institution is back for the summer. At least it is down my street. Have you seen or heard one yet?
That unmistakable plinky-plonky music takes you back to another world and instantly gets you excited…even as a grown up!
This particular van wittily plays the Monty Python theme (as a child my local one played the match of the day tune) and blasted it through my front room as it pulled up outside my house…and I mean right outside, I could have leant out of the front door and grabbed myself a Mr Whippy (see pic).
Now if today’s kids are anything like my generation, the sound of the ice cream van is probably the bane of their parent’s lives. The minute you hear one in the distance the nagging starts “mum, dad can I get an ice cream”.
When I was a kid I remember the range of ice creams as being incredible. As well as the soft scope cones variants you also got the choose things like funny feet, screwballs and the rockets. Some of them I never got to try, like the outrageously expensive Oyster, despite my constant nagging.
Even though I can now afford the reckless decadence of the legendary Oyster, I always plum for the Flake 99, a true classic and beloved by many.
It’s a little know fact that a certain Margaret Thatcher (before moving into a rather successful political career) worked as a developer for Lyons and played a major part in the creation of Mr Whippy ice cream!
Always a welcome sign of summer, bringing us ice cream on a hot day wherever and whoever you are…God bless you ice cream van!
What was or is your favourite ice cream van treat?
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Hello Michael……I remember as a child …Before my family moved to a rural area….The Ice Cream truck coming down our street……..The song was “Turkey In The Straw”…..lol…..35 cents would buy you an Eskimo Pie…..I would get a blue popsickle for a quarter……my lips would be blue for the rest of the afternoon….Thanks for taking me back to a time I haven’t thought of in a long time……..fun ……Smokey
Gregory, Unfortunately we never got Eskimo pies 🙁 The rocket ice lolly I mention did the same thing but turned your lips red 😉
Ah…I fondly remember the sound of the ice cream truck as it drove down my street as a child. I loved ice cream then…have not touched it for years as it lost its appeal. I do, however, still love to hear it on the rare occasions that one drives down my street these days.
Rachel, For me it is the quintessential sound of summer 🙂
Oh Yeh Michael I can remember those days and then last summer I was visiting my son when I heard the old familiar song and here came the ice cream truck cruising down the road. I haven’t seen one for many years.
So we bellied up and icecream for everyone, I couldn’t believe it when the guy told me $18.75 (There was 5 of us) Wowsy I would hate to get the kids addicted to this guy.
Oh Ice Cream Sandwiches My All Time Favorite.. Thanks for sharing..
Chery 🙂
They gotta make a living, but they do take advantage of their captive audience 😉 I was talking to my brother last night and he reminded me of the time before “smooth” ice cream from the pump..you would get a slice of ice cream between two wafers in a paper holder, yes the ice cream sandwich is the original!
Michael, I love the ice cream truck business, but sadly, I live in a small town and we don’t have a singing ice cream truck. Only the Schwan man drives through our neighborhood. However, when we lived in the Philippines, there were always street vendors walking through, whether it was pandesol (bread in the morning), balut eggs, ice cream trucks and others. My favorite ice cream from an ice cream truck would have to be an ice cream sandwich! I love those on and off the truck!
Cute post!
Lynn
Thanks Lynn, It’s a shame if the ice cream van is disappearing in some places…such great memories!