The Ice Cream Twist in Washington D.C.-Dr. Ajith Hebbar Atavale

The Ice Cream Twist in Washington D.C.
(A slice from my international travel diary)

Dr. Ajith Hebbar Atavale

Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Vivekananda College of Engg and Technology, Puttur, Karnataka, Mob : +91 9448582073, ahebbar2@gmail.com

Whenever I’m traveling, I have this little habit: try something unique in the food and beverage department—be it a special tea, coffee, ice cream, or even an unusual soft drink. Back in 2012, while shopping at a mall in Houston, Texas, I spotted something fascinating—crystal ice cream. It was the first time I’d ever seen (or tasted) it: tiny bead-like ice cream, bursting with flavor. I think it’s available in India now—in Mangalore too, perhaps? Later, during a trip to Europe, I enjoyed a creamy London Dairy Vanilla ice cream mid-flight, and in Singapore, I indulged in Ben & Jerry’s. Sweet, happy memories indeed. But all that was normal. The real thriller happened in 2017..

That year, I traveled to the U.S. with my son (then in 10th grade) for a conference. As part of the trip, we had a Washington D.C. city tour planned. The bus dropped us near the famous Smithsonian Museum, with a whole day to explore the city. Now, visiting Washington without seeing the White House? Impossible! We decided to walk instead of taking a cab—just about 2 km—thinking it would be a fun way to see the city. The weather? Hot and sunny—more like Mangalore than what you’d imagine of Washington.

Naturally, we got thirsty. And in Washington, street ice cream stalls are everywhere. One particular cart caught our attention—colorful pictures of ice creams I’d never seen before. “If it’s new and unknown—let’s try it” , said my son! So we placed our order.

The vendor began his live mixing show; layering different ice creams into a tall glass. My mouth was already watering. By the time the glass was three-quarters full, that’s when the twist in our story began…

The man opened his fridge, took out something that looked exactly like a soda can, popped it open with a psshht sound, and poured a foamy liquid into the remaining space over the ice cream. Surprised, I leaned in to ask what it was. He replied casually: “It’s a beer can, Ice cream with beer topping.” Beer!!, over ice cream?, Are you kidding, I uttered. I’ve tasted some pretty exotic international ice cream flavors with chocolate, berries, and premium toppings—but this was something out of ordinary for me. My son whispered, “So… do we eat this or drink this ice cream?”

That’s when enlightenment struck—this was alcoholic ice cream. Not exactly what I’d bargained for and definitely not what I’d order for my underage son. I explained the gravity of it to him, paid the bill, and politely told the vendor, “You can keep it.”

We walked away quickly and, still thirsty, found another shop where we picked up a good old-fashioned milkshake. Sipping it through a straw, we finally reached the White House, feeling as if we’d achieved some kind of spiritual merit, before continuing our next journey to Washington Mall.

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