Even for people who were born in the ’70s, the answer to the question may no longer be on the menu: little crumpet and chocolate? Some flavors have vanished that used to be popular on ice cream counters and grocery stores of that time. Recently, Tasting Table took a trip down memory lane, and the doers of the web continue to bring them back into the fold. Below are five to keep in mind.
Why old-time flavors are harder to find
Today’s freezers have cookies and cream, salted caramel and mint chocolate chip. In the old days, people knew the variety of butter brickle, but most have gone out of popularism. Rum raisin and maple walnut have also been popular choices. They are not forgotten, as fans are, and some frequently appear in “newnos” (online nostalgia groups).
Butter brickle that began as a candy
Butter Brickle ice cream was originally inspired by a butterscotch candy made in Omaha, Neb. during the 1920s. The ice cream was combined with crunchy pieces of toffee that were butterscotch. It was popular all over country in the ’70s and finding it is a lot more difficult now.
Rum raisin had a 1970s surge
Although the flavor was around since the 1930s, it really came into its own in the 1970s when stores and supermarkets distributed it in large quantities. It combines vanilla ice cream with raisins. It was said to be served as a dessert at the White House to U.S. President Richard Nixon.
Pink bubblegum from Baskin-Robbins
Pink Bubblegum is an ice cream flavor that can be traced back to the 1970s when it debuted at Baskin-Robbins. It was a bright pink and it contained little pieces of chewy, bubblegum! Others can remember having to gobble the ice cream down first, and wanting to put the gum on their back. It has been brought back by the chain for limited edition runs a few times.
Heavenly hash began as a fruit dish
Heavenly hash was once a fruit salad featuring marshmallows, candied fruit and nuts and whipped cream as the primary ingredients. The ice cream version of Sealtest was introduced in 1969 using a combination of marshmallows, almonds and chocolate chips. It is similar to today’s Rocky Road.
Heavenly hash left with its brand
Sealtest’s line of ice cream products was discontinued and the flavor was lost, but there are some who still have fond memories of Sealtest. One Facebook user hailed it as an ice-cream to die for. Some say that Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food offers a similar chocolate and marshmallow treat, says Tasting Table.
Maple walnut has New England roots
Maple ice cream is a deeply ingrained tradition in the northeast and it is also mentioned in some 19th century cookbooks. This eventually cemented it as a New England favourite when walnuts were added. The flavour is also referred to as “maplenut”.
Maple walnut faded from shops
Walnut and maple was much easier to procure in the 1970s. It’s since been purged from many ice cream aisles and stores. One Redditor commented, “My grandma adored it; these flavors are linked to memories.
Fans keep the memories alive
Many of these flavors are still alive online. Butter Brickle and toffee bits were consistently mentioned in a Facebook group dedicated to 70’s memories. One reddit user wrote, “I miss rum raisin and this is a favorite of mine.
Where to look today
Tasting Table has declared Butter Brickle to be an old fashioned taste in Nebraska. Rum raisin is still available from some ice cream parlours and maple walnut is a special treat. To get Pink Bubblegum, keep your eyes out for Baskin-Robbins limited runs.
