July is national ice cream month- what better time to sample some of the finest that the First Coast has to offer.
The local frozen treat company Mayday Ice Cream serves handcrafted ice cream in a variety of unique flavor combinations, home made sprinkles and waffle cones.
Their shops have spread all over the First Coast——- and we were able to stop by one of their newest locations at 1198 BEACH BLVD in Jacksonville beach.
Mayday Ice Cream is part of St. Augustine company, The Hyppo, which has served gourmet ice pops and more since since it began in 2010.
We caught up with Jax Beach store Manager Barbara-Laine Swails while she was in the process of making a batch of their home made sprinkles. “Most of the stuff we serve is home made. We make our waffle cones and galette cookies here in the store and all of the ice cream is hand crafted in small batches in St. Augustine,” she said.
Hippo/Mayday intern and server Rachel Ihasz says, “We all kinds of flavors…we have classic flavors, experimental flavors, some funky flavors and sometimes we switch them out for the seasons. We have unlimited samples and you are more than welcome to try them all,” she said. Ihasz said it is hard for her to choose a favorite flavor. It was a three way tie “If I had to pick a top three (because I can’t pick one) it would be The Aviator, (chocolate and hazelnut Nutella ice cream blended with chunks of Biscoff cookies and chopped hazelnuts,) Cookie Crush (Oreo icing mixed into our ice cream base and perfectly blended with crushed Oreo cookies,) and Queen Salted Caramel (a rich and creamy caramelized sugar ice cream with flakes of Pink Himalayan sea salt.)
So as we wrap up July and National Ice Cream month go out and shop local. The Hypo and Mayday Ice Cream also have trucks that serve around town. Head here to get more info and for a schedule when the trucks are serving.
Please note: All photos credited to Mayday website.