June 1, 2012

The delicious joys of Dairy Queen ice cream

Though one might easily think otherwise given the abundance of vintage recipes for sweet treats I post here, I don't actually eat sugar myself very often these days. Generally speaking, on a day-to-day basis, I get my dietary hit of sweetness from fruit and naturally sweetened yogurt. Once or twice a month however, I do like to indulge and sink my teeth into something scrumptiously sugary.

On such occasions, knowing that I'll likely not have dessert again for at least a couple of weeks, I like to try and pick foods that I know will bring joy to my taste buds and which I've given a fair bit of thought to (instead of just, say, reaching for the nearest cookie). Sometimes I'll whip up dessert from scratch and indulge in a generous serving, other times I'll call up my mom and ask she'd like to make a pan of her insanely awesome caramel popcorn (seriously, best caramel corn I’ve ever had!) or perhaps have a marshmallow roast together (we both adore fire toasted marshmallows).

Due to the fact that a number of my medical conditions greatly impact what I can and cannot eat, I very rarely dine out at restaurants. Truth be told, I've only been able to do so twice in the past three years, though during that time we did occasionally order take-away from a couple of places back in Toronto that had options on their menu I could safely eat. The one exception to that point being that, thanks to the fact that a number of their menu options are gluten-free, every once in a blue moon we'll drive by Dairy Queen and pick up a sweet, fabulously refreshing treat there.

With today kicking off June and thus the start of month that once again brings with it the return of summer, I can definitely foresee visiting good ol' DQ a few times over the coming weeks. Good thing then, thanks to a charming 1950s ad, I recently discovered that at one point the chain dubbed June as Dairy Queen Month.


1950s Dairy Queen ad, strawberry ice cream sundae, June is Dairy Queen month, vintage food


{1953 Dairy Queen ice cream sundae advertisement via Captain Geoffrey Spaulding on Flickr.}



Founded in 1940 in Kankakee, Illinois, Dairy Queen has a history that stretches back for seventy-two years now. One of the first US fast food chains to jump on the franchising bandwagon, Dairy Queen was also quick to hop the border and set up shop in Canada, opening their first non-US location in Estevan, Saskatchewan in 1953. Today DQ operates more than 5,700 locations in 19 countries, and while their menu has changed and grown over the decades, soft serve ice cream still remains at the heart of their dessert offerings.

Which is rather good thing, if you ask me, as I've always adored soft serve ice cream - especially Dairy Queen's. As a child I can remember going to DQ with my mom for a Sundae every once in a while (back then I'd almost always get hot fudge and marshmallow sauce on mine), and as I got older my friends and I would sometimes swing by the town's one and only Dairy Queen for a Blizzard.

These days, just as when I was a youngster, I love sinking a shiny red plastic spoon in a Sundae (often caramel and strawberry, though raspberry and chocolate is a winning combo, too). I sincerely appreciate it when restaurants (be they fast food or otherwise) offer gluten-free menu options, and so far have yet to ever experience cross contamination from a DQ frozen treat (fingers crossed I never will!).

As such, if you're also a gluten-free gal (or guy) who loves ice cream (and really, who doesn't love ice cream?), I highly recommend swinging by Dairy Queen this month (or any time) and treating yourself to one of their fabulously yummy offerings.

Of course all of you who don't have to worry about being gluten-free, can certainly do the same thing, too. I just wanted to let those who might not know about it yet, that Dairy Queen offers a selection of gluten-free options - at least a few of which, you can better believe I'll be enjoying on my "dessert days" this summer! Smile

Happy start of June, everyone – here’s to a sweet-as-ice-cream month and season ahead!


15 comments:

  1. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I *love* Dairy Queen. In fact, one of the things I miss most about my hometown in Saskatchewan (besides family) is the Dairy Queen in nearby Kindersley. It was theeee best, hands down. Dairy Queens in the big cities just aren't the same!

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  2. I can generally take or leave desserts, but as you say, soft scoop ice cream is pure pleasure!
    I love the little girl on the ad, she just looks so wholesome and healthy.

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  3. What a great ad! Glad to hear you can enjoy Dairy Queen! Our closest is almost an hour away, but if we're in the vicinity, we definitely drop in for a soft cone. Really enjoyed your post! Pam

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  4. My little sister also has to be gluten-free and we'd go to DQ all the time for ice cream when we were kids. :)

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  5. Actually really good to know that DQ has gluten-free options; also, now I really want ice cream.

    Thank you so much for your kind comment the other day about my top! I want one in every color too, haha--I'm trying to get the last couple kinks out of the fit and then I intend to make more!

    Best for the weekend, etc.

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  6. dairy queen!!! i so wish i had one near me!! :) i always love these posts you do! :) oh and i just wanted to let you know i have a new chat box on my blog so everyone can socialize in one place! :) i hope to chat with you soon Jessica! :)

    wishing you a lovely day,
    TheRitzyFlapper (Alicia)

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  7. my son is gluten intolerant, and we are so happy that our local DQ (the same one my parents and i have always gone to!! :) ) has all kinds of things that he can have. LONG LIVE DAIRY QUEEN! LONG LIVE SUMMER!

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  8. Oh yes, it's summer already and I need to eat some delicious ice-cream to celebrate comming of warm sunny days :)

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  9. Hi dearest, Oh I know I've been missing in action...so many things to do and so little time...have scrolled back and read that fab brooches post...such lovely little things...and that polka dot dress oh it's divine on you! Pleased that you can enjoy Dairy Queen...haven't had one for ages but now, thanks to you, am craving one!!! Hope you enjoy your weekend honey....

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  10. Dairy Queen is awesome. There is one, either fortunately or unfortunately, 2 miles from our house. As my husband says.. we live too close. It's open all year, but June and July are the months we visit the most. (I hope i don't sound as though we go every day, lol) Maybe once a week or so. :) But it is indeed yummy, no matter what i order. Have never been disappointed, or thought.. well this is just so-so.. Have a fabulous weekend, Jessica!

    Mary

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  11. Jessica, I love ice cream!
    My favorite is the pistachio!
    Kisses and great weekend

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  12. Oh goodness! How I would love to dip into one of those right now!!! ^-^

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  13. I do love DQ vanilla ice cream, and my husband really, really, really loves the Oreo blizzards. So yummy.

    But I love caramel popcorn even MORE. Would your mom mind if you posted her delicious recipe?

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  14. Hi sweet ladies, thank you all very, very much for your sweet-as-ice cream comments, I appreciate each of them.

    @ Collette, good question, I'll ask her. Growing up she usually made it as a special treat (sweets and junk food were rarities in our house most of the time) for Halloween and Christmas, so if she doesn't mind me posting the recipe here, perhaps I'll save it for one of those wonderful occasions.


    Thanks again, everyone - hope you all have a gorgeous week ahead!
    ♥ Jessica

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  15. Great ad - the strawberry sundae looks really good:)

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