’" Vf 6 r f l ' 1 \ The scoop display at the Udder Choice shows the quest to dip ice cream with Inside Scoop On Ice Cream Dipp LOU ANN GOOD Food And Family Features Editor EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) When Dolley Madison, wife of President Janies Madison, served ice cream at the White House, the frozen treat’s popularity soared. But dipping mounds of America’s favorite frozen treat is no easy feat and one that cre ates a constant flux of new, im proved appliances to scoop with ease. The quest has produced an amazing array of styles, dubbed “ice cream dippers” or “scoops.” Collectors vie to own the most unusual, the oldest, and the most extensive collection. There is even an organization for ice cream collectibles called The Ice Screamers, who special ize in collecting all sorts of ice cream parlor and soda fountain memorabilia. The Udder Choice, 1812 W. Main St., Ephrata, offers more than scrumptious ice cream. The restaurant displays an amazing array of ice cream-related memo rabilia, from vintage signs to hundreds of ice cream dippers. The dippers are displayed throughout the bam-like struc ture. Some are attached to wood en beams and posts, but the most valuable dippers are kept inside a glass-enclosed case. Each of the dippers is neatly labeled with the approximate year it was made. According to Jay Mark, who maintains a Website on ice cream dippers, the first patent for a mechanical ice cream scoop was awarded in 1878 to William Clewell, Reading. More than 250 patents followed for devices to dish a measured amount of ice cream before World War 11. Most of the 19th century scoops were conical, with an in side blade that turned to scrape Lancaster Far^mg the frozen treat from the walls of the bowl. Scoops came in specialty shapes such as ja flat, rectangular shape to make an ice cream sandwich; heartshapes; and later a ball shape to fill an ice cream cone. Raymond Gilchrist began manufacturing dippers about This heart-shaped scoop is one of the most valuable collector’s item. 1907. His company grew to be come the largest makers of scoops. The Gilchirst No. 33 Pyr amid Disher was patented in 1910 and was designed to serve ice cream in a fancy shape on a plate. The nickel-over-brass IcyPi disher was created by James De naro, an ice cream manufacture. In the mid-19205, he began mak ing a three-sided wafer “box” to hold a square of ice cream for his novel ice cream sandwich. Udder Choice owners Bill and Alice Kay Ulrich say that their collection has been amassed mostly by Bill, frequently through e-Bay auctions. Ulrich also said individual dip pers are for sale for a price, of course. The most valuable dipper in his collection, according to Ul rich, isn’t the oldest but a 1925 heart-shaped dipper made by Manos Novelty Company. “Only 500 were made. I saw a similar one sell for thosands,” Ul rich said. But those prices are rare. According to Marks’ Website, most dippers range in value from $25 to $2OO. To leam more about ice cream dippers, check out the book, “Ice Cream Dippers,” published by Wayne Smith in 1986. He offers an intriguing illustrated history of these unique appliances. Smith is considered to be a national ex pert on dippers. The Website www.icecreamer s.com includes information about joining the Ice Screamers, a lead ing organization for ice cream collectibles. The Ice Screamers conduct annual conventions, and this year’s event is scheduled Sept.ll-13 at the Best Western Eden Resort Inn, Lancaster. To register, contact Tom and Shirley Collins, (703) 560-4714 or e-mail: tomcoll@starpower.net Clesttes^ i Owners Bill and Alice Kay Ulrich stand in the loft of the bam-like structure and overlook their newly constructed 5,000 square-foot restaurant, The Udder Choice, 1812 W. Main St., Ephrata. ease. ers Each scoop is individually labeled by approximate year. Mystery Instrument Identified Tom Avon recognized this mysterious instrument pictured in the July sth issue on page 817. Aven, who is from Bristol, Va., said that when he was five and six years old, he remembers going with his fami ly to a Montgomery Ward store in Tenn. The store’s hardware department had an instrument Just like the one pictured. On the counter were different sizes of wire. This instrument was used to wrap the wire a customer ordered. The wire threaded through the center of the counter, and was handcranked to wrap around the extended arms. A small thumbscrew in the back was tightened to hold the wire in position. When the right amount of wire was wrapped, the screw was loosened, and the fan collapsed to enable the clerk to remove the section of wire and tie it to gether neatly for the customer. Aven said the photo brought back a good memory of playing with the in strument while waiting on his parents. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19, 2003-B2 All photos by Andy Andrews, editor 1
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