{"id":35143,"date":"2015-02-03T18:20:26","date_gmt":"2015-02-03T23:20:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.pro\/?p=35143"},"modified":"2015-02-04T17:27:20","modified_gmt":"2015-02-04T22:27:20","slug":"gift-lab-easy-scoop-ice-cream-server","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/2015\/gift-lab-easy-scoop-ice-cream-server\/","title":{"rendered":"Gift Lab: Getting Through Winter with the Easy Scoop Ice Cream Server"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Product<\/strong>: Easy Scoop Ice Cream Server\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Research:<\/strong>
\nI know what you\u2019re thinking. When you peer outside at the slushy streets, you\u2019re more likely to daydream about the Chihuahuan Desert <\/a>than a chilled dessert. I was right there with you. Commuting by foot in New York City\u00a0has a way of influencing my food cravings to lean\u00a0in reverse correlation with the weather. I accepted this as a nonnegotiable truth until I\u00a0stumbled upon one of our Uncommon Knowledge topics from late November: Can ice cream get you through a cold winter?<\/a><\/p>\n

I was surprised to discover that the largest consumers of ice cream actually live in Northeastern states! How could this be true when temperatures are less than lovely six months out of the year? It turns out that the fat content in ice cream makes us warmer<\/em>. Our bodies produce more energy to break down the fat contained in the\u00a0average ice cream cone, causing a rise in body temperature during digestion.<\/p>\n

Armed with evidence that ice cream serves my\u00a0well-being, I was really excited for the chance to test our Easy Scoop Ice Cream Server. First, I examined\u00a0my go-to\u00a0scoop method. Whenever I return from a late-night Americone Dream<\/a> run, I’m usually too impatient to let my\u00a0ice cream soften before awkwardly digging in with a secondhand spoon. This vicious cycle\u00a0ends with me silently cursing as the spoon morphs\u00a0further and further out of its intended\u00a0shape.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

This tool is designed to eliminate that waiting time (and rescue\u00a0those\u00a0bent spoons). The chrome plated aluminum handle, which is curved to fit comfortably in your hand, naturally conducts body heat and\u00a0warms the head of the scoop, allowing for a smooth break into the ice cream. According to our product description, \u201can angled head works with the natural rolling action of your wrist to easily drive through topping-laden or frozen-solid ice cream. And the unique, spade-shaped edge is designed to get to the bottom of containers, letting you spoon out every last bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Next, I did some background research. I learned that the original ice cream scoop was invented by Alfred L. Cralle<\/a> in 1897, nearly 118 years ago! \u00a0Dr. Karl Ulrich, the maker of this particular model, is a self-proclaimed ice cream geek who has been collecting vintage ice cream scoops<\/a> for over 20 years.\u00a0He decided to take a crack at redesigning\u00a0the ice cream scoop for a homework assignment in his\u00a0Coursera<\/a> product development class. How cool is that?<\/p>\n

Hypothesis:<\/strong>
\nBased on the above research, I suspect that this will be the best ice cream server I\u2019ve ever used. However, I think this tool will only be worthy of its price if it truly functions\u00a0as promised. Being a natural skeptic,\u00a0I decide to host a mini ice cream sundae party\u00a0to test the ergonomic properties of this product.<\/p>\n

Experiment:<\/strong>
\nI enlisted the help of two guys who aren\u2019t afraid to push the limits of a sugar coma, my boyfriend Jamie and our friend Dan.<\/p>\n

We gathered our controlled gluttonous variables: ingredients for homemade brownies, vanilla bean ice cream from a nearby bodega, chocolate babka from Russ & Daughters<\/a>, Dessert and Baking Salts<\/a>\u00a0from UncommonGoods, and spiked apple cider to wash it all down.<\/p>\n

\"Dessert<\/a><\/p>\n

The first thing we observed was this product\u2019s beautiful packaging. The server was wrapped in a soft cloth that could easily double as a shining tool. Right away, we all agree that this scoop is an instant conversation starter that should be on display, not shoved in the back of a miscellaneous kitchen drawer.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

We whipped up Smitten Kitchen\u2019s homemade brownies<\/a>, using espresso salt from the Dessert and Baking Salts kit. While those baked in the oven, we decide to heat the babka as a base for our first sundae of the evening.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a> \"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Once the babka was warm, the ice cream emerged from my freezer, ready to be scooped.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Before digging in, all three of us took turns holding the Easy Scoop Ice Cream Server. Though our hands vary in size and shape, it molded very well to each of our palms, making for a sturdy and comfortable grip, just as promised.<\/p>\n

Jamie waited a long 30 seconds for me to snap some photos before breaking into the ice cream.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a>\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Amazingly, there was no resistance. Even though the server didn’t feel hot,\u00a0the ice cream curled\u00a0into the scoop\u00a0like butter.<\/p>\n

Thermal conductive properties: check!<\/p>\n

Over the next few minutes, we each took turns testing the natural rotation of the server, studying how our wrists moved with each scoop. Luckily, we are each right-handed. (Unfortunately, UncommonGoods does\u00a0not carry the left-handed model.) As advertised, the natural curve of the server really did work in harmony with our wrists, delivering Instagram-worthy scoop after scoop.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Designed for natural rotation of the wrist: check!<\/p>\n

Once our first scoops were served, we topped our sundaes with various salts from the kit. Salted ice cream was a first for all of us. Overall,\u00a0we were each pleasantly\u00a0surprised by these sweet and savory additions. I highly recommend espresso, vanilla cardamom, and blueberry for extra goodness!<\/p>\n

\"Dessert<\/a><\/p>\n

Allowing\u00a0our bodies little time to digest those winter-warming fats, we dug into the brownies to start preparing round two. This time, our main priority was to test how this scoop performed in hard-to-reach areas. Our\u00a0rectangular carton was perfect for testing the angular head of the server.<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Using the same natural wrist rotation, Jamie\u00a0found it very easy to scrape extra ice cream out of the corners of the carton.<\/p>\n

Though we didn\u2019t finish all of the ice cream that night, we were confident that this tool wouldn’t leave us with\u00a0freezer-burned remnants once the carton was empty. The corners were already wiped clean!<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a>\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Designed\u00a0to scoop those hard-to-reach areas: check!<\/p>\n

Three intense sugar comas: check!<\/p>\n

After staying away from sweets for a few days, Jamie and I decided\u00a0to conduct an impromptu experiment with cold cookie dough. If you\u2019re still not convinced of ice cream\u2019s seasonal\u00a0benefits, this\u00a0scoop also works well to form warm, winter-approved cookies!<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a> \"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nDan: \u201cThat is the best damn scoop I have ever used!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jamie: \u201cButtery smooth. That is a gorgeous piece of aluminum.\u201d<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t agree more! I was very impressed. Though this product has a higher price point, I think it\u2019s just as beneficial\u00a0in the kitchen as a restaurant-quality spatula or ladle. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a truly unique\u00a0gift or a\u00a0collector’s item. It\u2019s clear that the makers paid close attention to every minute detail of the ice cream scoop experience, from start to finish. I can easily see this become a prized piece in a kitchen, not just as an accessory but also as a showpiece. My only advice is to be mindful of gifting this particular server to left-handed friends. Otherwise, cheers to ice cream sundaes and great design!<\/p>\n

\"Easy<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jen refuses to let winter keep her away from her favorite dessert, ice cream sundaes! Armed with scientific evidence and her delicious controlled variables, she gives the Easy Scoop Ice Cream Server a try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":151,"featured_media":35145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[152,3],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35143"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/151"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}