Exactly
one year ago, Frank Stoessel opened up KaleidoScoops, a
traditional ice cream parlor, in the heart of our hot desert
town. Although ice cream and Moab summers seem to go hand-in-hand,
like Fred and Ginger or Mom and Apple Pie, this type of
emporium does not abound here.
Fortunately for Moab, KaleidoScoops
fits the classic image of an ice cream parlor and offers
up all the happy expectations that go with it.
The bright colorful s t
o r e i m m e d i a t e l y lifts your spirits. It’s
lit by large windows around the entrance and decorated with
handpainted signs depicting bubbles and ice cream cones in
a variety of cheerful pastels. The few tables are metallic,
reflecting the bright interior. Of course, the best part of the parlor is the
long L-shaped arrangement of freezers reflecting a myriad of multihued ice
cream flavors.
KaleidoScoops offers a
total of almost a hundred flavors, forty at any given time.
The difficulty is not in finding a flavor that tempts you,
but in deciding which one tempts you the most. Fortunately,
cups and cones come in one, two or three scoop options.
The
ice cream is made in Michigan by a company aptly named
the House of Flavors. The choices range from sophisticated
to whimsical. For the refined ice cream palette, options
include Tiramisu, After Dinner Mint, Lemon Custard or Rum
Raisin. For fruit lovers, flavors generally include real
fruit pieces and come in Peach, Pineapple, Berry Berry
Custard, Mango and more. For kids, there is Blue Moon,
Monster Cookie Crunch, Cotton Candy and Soft and Chewy
Tootsie Roll.
Despite the numerous flavors,
the classic three are still the most popular; vanilla, strawberry
and chocolate.
Along with a variety of
flavors, KaleidoScoops also offers various types of iced
treats. Their ice cream comes in the form of custard, sherbet
or sorbet (which uses no milk-great for people who can’t
tolerate lactose) and for people who are watching their diet,
there are frozen yogurt, low carb and no-sugar-added
(NSA) options.
One
of the most popular items in the ice cream parlor nowadays
is the smoothie. Made with ice cream and real fruit, it’s
a refreshing way of getting some vitamins while appeasing
a sweet tooth on a hot day. Other drinks include malts,
shakes, root beer floats and sodas.
Although the parlor exudes
the feel of a traditional small-town shop, KaleidoScoops
is a branch off of the
ever-popular Baskin Robbins. One reason the parlor seems so personal and friendly
is the effervescent staff of young women who are quick to smile, headed by
the general manager Loni Hayes.
The store is open from
April to November, and understandably thrives off of summer
business. Maps on the walls offer a place for tourists to
place pins, indicating where they‘re from. By the amount
of pins on the maps, KaleidoScoops has become quite a hit.
This success in Moab is
easy to understand. Strolling down Main Street on a sultry
summer evening doesn’t seem quite right without a hefty
scoop of velvety ice cream on a crisp waffle cone in one
hand. This is one of the season’s greatest pleasures-why
not indulge?
KaleidoScoops is located
on 26 West Center (behind Slickrock Cafe) and can be reached
at 259- 3677.
Their summer hours are:
- Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
- Monday-Thursday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
- Friday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. and
- Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Recipe
of the Month
KaleidoScoops
Peach
Smoothie
1 scoop ice cream
2 oz. pulp flavor (syrup)
1 cup lemonade or club soda
1 cup frozen peaches
Ice
Place first four ingredients in blender and fill the rest
of the blender with ice. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until
the drink is smooth. Pour, drink and enjoy!
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