WHAT
In-store ice cream sampling with official Dreyer's taster John Harrison.
WHEN
10-11 a.m. Friday.
WHERE
WinCo Foods, 3032 E. State St., Eagle.
DETAILS
Entry forms for a Dreyer's ice cream block party will be available at the event.
COST
Free.
INFORMATION
Call the Dreyer's consumer call center at (877) 437-3937
John Harrison is that guy. Not the guy who tells bad jokes or puts the empty milk carton back in the fridge. The guy who tastes ice cream, all day, every day, for a living.
Like supermodel Angie Everhart's legs once were, Harrison's taste buds are insured for a million dollars. The 35-year industry veteran is responsible for quality control on 20 kinds of Dreyer's ice cream every day, from texture to color to flavor, and he does his work with a golden spoon.
Harrison is coming to Boise Friday to teach proper tasting techniques and encourage people to nominate their neighborhoods for a "Neighborhood Salute" ice cream block party. The event is designed to build community nationwide, and Dreyer's will award 1,500 winners a doorstep delivery with all the trimmings this summer.
To prepare for Harrison's visit, we gathered five tasty facts to help you understand exactly who you'll be dealing with while you're swirling, smacking and spitting with the godfather of sweet.
1. He invented cookies 'n cream. Before the distinctive flavor permeated foodstuffs all over the world, it had to enter the mind of a young man who was served a scoop of vanilla with cookies on the side.
"The concept came to me. Why not save a step and put the cookie in the ice cream?" Harrison said.
He was in research and development at the time and experimented with all sorts of cookie bits before deciding on the Oreo. The creation got its chance in 1983, and it is now the fastest growing flavor in the history of ice cream. "They were scared to death of coming out with a so-called 'kid's flavor.' They have since learned that we are all kids when it comes to ice cream," Harrison said.
2. He is a fourth-generation ice cream man. Harrison's ties to the sweet stuff go all the way back to 1880.
"It's in the genes - not Levi's," he joked. "I learned they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but I thought my destiny was going to take me elsewhere."
Harrison has a degree in chemistry, which came in handy in the Dreyer's lab before he became the face of the company.
3. The chunks of dough in chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream are real. "You could put it in the oven and it would rise," Harrison said, explaining that Dreyer's is all about premium ingredients and a "mom and pop" method. "The bottom line is, we're selling good flavor. If you call a product cheesecake, the consumer is expecting it to taste like cheesecake, not chemicals out of a bottle."
4. Respect "the buds." In order to keep his tongue sharp, Harrison avoids caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and spicy foods. He uses gold-plated spoons to scoop the ice cream because wood, plastic and impure metals have aftertaste, and he wears a bow tie to keep it clean. "I used to wear a long tie, but it wasn't pretty or hygienic either," he said.
5. "The thaw" is paramount. Ice cream is best when slightly thawed. Harrison explained that it is generally stored at 0-5 degrees, but it shouldn't be eaten any colder than about 10. Then you can swirl, smack and even swallow after letting all 9,000 "buds" experience the joy.
Erin Ryan: 672-6732
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