Ice Cream is Educational

Several weeks ago, a friend sent me a link to Arctic Zero ice cream because he knows I love ice cream and also that I try really hard not to eat it, because, well, it's not exactly a weight loss food. Now, I have tried the various diet ice creams out there and my general feeling is that if you're going to eat ice cream, you're better off just splurging and getting something awesome than trying to fool yourself that ice milk or ice cream product or what they label that crud actually tastes good. (With the notable exception of the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. Those are delicious. They are also not all that different from just eating real ice cream though.) A couple of days ago, I actually got around to ordering some of the Arctic Zero (they carry it at Whole Foods around here, just there doesn't actually happen to a Whole Foods close enough to me that I'm going to make a trek to get some. Tim can walk to one from his office, but it's still then quite a drive home and ice cream isn't known for it's ability to travel long distances with ease.) Happily Amazon carries it. (Yeah, that whole thing about ice cream traveling? I did think that, believe me. But I figured they knew what they were doing.)

Today it arrived on my doorstep. Still happily frozen solid as it was sitting under a block of dry ice. I transferred the ice cream to my freezer (without tasting it - oh the restraint!) and plotted the fun we could have with the dry ice. And so, when the kiddo finished his lunch, we got a bowl, a spoon, hot water and went to work.

First we heated up the spoon and moved it around on the dry ice, listening with glee to the squeals and squeaks that resulted. This was fun for a good 10 minutes. Then we started pouring a little water over it, dunking pieces completely and generally having a jolly old time making fog, watching is spill lazily over the side of the bowl, stirring it to make cool cloud waves, and blowing in it to make it rush around the kitchen. And we had a few discussions about the science behind it, though at 3, the idea of "gas" is hilarious on its own and he was giggling so hard at the idea of the ice farting (yes, he's a boy. All boy.) that it took a little extra explanation.

But it was great fun and educational. And now I have an excuse to eat ice cream...I'm teaching!