One thing's for certain: it has been a hot summer, and it looks like the steamy heat is going to be sticking with us for a little while. News 12 checked out some great places to get delicious frozen treats to cool you down.
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Mochidoki is a specialty mochi ice cream company.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill grocery store mochi ice cream -- they take the flavors and quality to the next level.
Mochidoki Founder/CEO Ken Gordon said, "Our mantra of 'imagination in every bite' really drives us in the right direction in terms of having quality flavors, unique flavors, as well as creations that are done with excellence in the pastry field. I always get amazed."
The company has a brand new flagship location in SoHo that had a bit of a rocky start, to say the least.
"We opened on the day before COVID shut the city down," Gordon said. "So it was it was very hard initially."
What kept the brand alive before they could reopen was their ability to ship their specialty treats to dozens of states around the country. This e-commerce aspect of the business is still going well, but as of June, their SoHo location is back in action.
The Mochidoki team is adding a little flair to their already unique offerings. They now have mochi creations with gourmet toppings like raspberry coulee, meringue and chocolate ganache.
"This is really an elevated form of mochi," Gordon said.
Mochidoki is always coming up with new flavors that are both innovative and seasonal -- a refreshing twist on the summer ice cream.
Now, If you wanna cool down with a delicious adult treat,
Tipsy Scoop has got you covered. They’re serving up boozy ice cream creations, with locations in Manhattan and Williamsburg currently open for takeout and delivery.
Tipsy Scoop Founder/CEO Melissa Tavss said, "Boozy ice cream is really the perfect treat. Our boozy ice cream cocktails have that extra kick, are super refreshing, and are also really fun to take pictures of."
COVID forced Tavss and her company to switch things up.
"This is a very different from a typical summer for us," Tavss said.
They’re shipping nationwide, and hosting virtual ice cream parties on Instagram to keep customers in high spirits - no pun intended.
"Every week is a different theme. We make two different ice cream cocktails and we also sell the kits, so you’re able to tune in and make the ice cream cocktails with us."
Get your hands on another unique frozen treat: Kakigori, also known as shaved ice, from
TONCHIN.
TONCHIN is a Japanese restaurant in Manhattan with a pop-up location for to-go orders in Bushwick.
"Once we started offering outdoor dining and pick up, it became really apparent that our guests really needed it," TONCHIN's assistant to the CEO Dylan Capello said.
TONCHIN’s shaved ices are made by a shaved ice master from Tokyo. They have flavors like mango and ceremonial grade matcha.
"[The shaved ices have] this really delicate, snow-like texture, and we use fresh fruit as the syrup," Capello said.
The TONCHIN team has also recently souped up the frozen creations by adding some booze. They now have versions such as green yuzu margarita and Pisco sour.
"They're just really fun and easy to drink," Capello said. "We want people to come hang out, but be safe, and forget that everything is kind of crazy right now."
The heat and humidity won’t last forever as we know, but while it is here, at least there’s plenty of creative cold confections to make it more bearable!