This week brought about a pivotal change, one which I cannot complain about. For the first time this year, it has been warm for a solid two days in a row. The shorts are here to stay and the tanning time is soon to come. There’s no better way to celebrate the slight bead of sweat you will now muster up from walking to class then with a beloved frozen treat. And all that sweat is basically the same as going to the gym for an hour, so truly you deserve this. It was free ice cream cone day at Ben & Jerry’s earlier this month, but it was a weak scoop and if you’re telling me you’re not sick of Phish Food by now then you’re probably lying. To increase your ice cream cred, it’s time to venture beyond Dairy Queen Blizzards, Wendy’s Frosties and McDonald’s McFlurries. Instead, Denver offers yet another locally owned business cranking out some of the finest products they can with the wholesome ingredients that Colorado land provides right in our backyard. Sweet Cow works in small patches and has a constantly changing menu in order to cater to what’s in season. Everything is made in house—you’d think there were a big red barn sticking out behind their storefront. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear a faint “moo” in the distance as I take my first step in the door.
While it would be cool to be greeted by an actual cow, the scent of waffle cones being caramelized in their irons are the first to welcome you. It immediately brings you back to the scent that whirled into your room as a kid while your mom dropped the Eggos in the toaster before school. Each cone has the perfect toasted brown color that resembles a golden marshmallow roasting at a campfire. Once the iron dings, the cones immediately get wrapped in order to attain their designated shape ready to unite with its long-lost soulmate. While the waffle cones are made in house, they offer the standard cake cone and sugar cone as well. But for an added flavor boost, they recommend the pretzel cone. I’ve seen cones covered in sprinkles, which is basically just for show, but the addition of salt amplifies the intense flavor running through the ice cream. Salt is usually attributed to savory as sugar is to sweet, but salt has the magic power to turn on your tastebuds when added ever so carefully. It brings out the deep richness in chocolate and will tone down the sweetness in caramel in order to taste the warm buttery notes. I can’t go to an ice cream shop without getting a cone – it’s simply against my moral code because the smooth, silky ice cream needs a texture contrast. Every bite now has a bite of waffle crispiness in it, especially when you eat it like ice cream nachos. I would bet it becomes the future of foodstagram. Step aside sushi burrito, raclette cheese pulls and poke because the duo of waffle cones and ice cream are making a contemporary comeback.
What sets Sweet Cow apart is that they are constantly changing their menu but still give the same great experience each time. It’s a double-edged sword because it means that they are constantly keeping up with what the season can provide and what the latest crazes are in terms of flavor, but sometimes they might not have the flavor you’ve been waiting to dig into all day. They will always have the classics like their “Super Delicious Vanilla” with the Madagascar Vanilla Bean flecks scattered throughout and their “Dutch Chocolate” that, when scooped into a cup, looks like an enormous Lindor truffle. They also make sure to supply the flavors that kids (and adults) can’t live without. Cookie Dough with boulder-sized chunks swirled throughout or Cookies and Cream, which emulates dunking an Oreo into a cold glass of milk, being two of the major candidates for that category. Sweet Cow can transport you to Candyland with flavors like York Peppermint Patty which lets you live out the holidays for just a tad longer. M&M which gives you the pop of color and chocolate that really gets spring going or, Almond Joy to emulate the much needed tropical getaway you’ve been dreaming about. You can never go wrong with Reese’s, especially when you have peanut butter pumping through your veins. If a sweet bomb isn’t piquing your interest, Sweet Cow has refined flavors to match anyone’s palate from matcha and Thai tea to pistachio and coffee. The bitter and stronger flavors get mellowed out by the creaminess of the ice cream making for a balanced treat.
A ton of ice cream companies have expanded to sorbet and dairy-free alternatives to cater to the lactose-free community. Sadly, these flavors are notorious for being anything but pleasant. Sweet Cow is rewriting this stereotype with their dairy-free scoops tasting and resembling ice cream. Usually, the lack of cream makes for an icy mess that might as well be freezer-burned, regular ice cream. They rely on almond milk and other alternatives for the base, but the way it comes out would be something of which even a cow would be proud. Sweet Cow has immense depth and creativity when it comes to their treats. Maybe the Sweet Cow ice cream truck will be on the roads soon enough because I am sick of the cartoon shaped pops and want some in house spun ice cream with a hot waffle straight off the pressure to really make me feel like spring is on its way.
