SHELBURNE, Vt. -
Even though it's not summer just yet, it's never too soon to start eating ice cream.
Just ask Ted Fink, a professional ice cream advocate and connoisseur. "People eat ice cream for one reason -- it's enjoyable," Fink said.
And whether your flavor of choice is vanilla or Phish Food, there's more to eating ice cream than just the taste. Fink says it's about the experience -- more importantly, the bowl you eat it in. "One of the things -- if you want to carry the bowl in your hand, if you use a ceramic bowl, your hand gets cold quickly and it gets slipper," Fink said.
But he's come up with the perfect solution -- it's the ultimate ice cream bowl, complete with a grip and all. His company, TJF Turnings, makes wooden art and bowls, including some Ice cream bowls made from black cherry. "It goes very well with Cherry Garcia ice cream," Fink said.
Fink gets the wood from anywhere he hears a chainsaw. The wood needs to be wet when he turns it, so he stores the unturned bowls in the freezer -- fitting.
Reporter Gina Bullard: Why do you want it to be wet when you turn?
Ted Fink: Wet wood is two to three times softer and weaker than dry wood... bigger shavings come off you can turn it very quickly.
Fink got the idea from his daughter-in-law who was using one of his bowls for ice cream instead of art because she said it kept her hand warm. The wood is a natural insulator so your hands stay warm, your ice cream -- cold. They fit perfectly in your palm, and just like people's choices in ice cream, no two are the same. After turning the wood, the bowls have to dry for weeks in a paper bag before they're ready for finishing.
"This bowl will never come out of your hand even if you're using digging hard ice cream," Fink said.
Of course too much ice cream could cause health problems. Fink should know, he's a doctor. "I tell people moderation in all things, and the large bowls I sell with an optional Lipitor finish," he added.
Reporter Gina Bullard: I guess you take for granted when you eat ice cream in a bowl, you just let your hand freeze, but it's kind of worth it.
Ted Fink: Yes, but that detracts from the pleasure of the experience.
Helping people enjoy a cold treat, in a cool Made in Vermont bowl.
