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Restaurant Happenings - August 2004

Reflecting a Hundred Flavors Through KaleidoScoops


by Annabelle Numaguchi

KaleidoScoops
26 West Center
(behind Slickrock Cafe)
435-259-3677

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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