A Month of Sundaes (+ giveaway!)

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Marilyn Brant

Congrats to The Loopy Librarian on winning the chocolate turtles and the t-shirt! Please email me with your mailing address (marilynbrant AT gmail DOT com) and I’ll send them out to you!

“Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.” ~ Don Kardong, 1976 U.S. Olympic Marathoner

As I write this, it’s 98 degrees F in Northern Illinois (or so says the bank’s flashing clock/temperature gauge). In other words, for these parts, it’s really HOT!

But, I’m an ice cream girl. I grew up in Wisconsin, aka “The Dairy State,” after all. And I spent many happy summer afternoons visiting the UW-Madison campus and getting my favorite pints (i.e. Orange Custard Chocolate Chip) from the Babcock Hall Dairy Store or eating a delectable cone with friends and family on the Memorial Union Terrace. The stuff has a zillion calories, I’m sure, but I love it enough not to care. And, besides, what could possibly cool a person down on a sweltering day faster than freshly made ice cream?!

As I was preparing to release my first eBook romantic comedy this month, On Any Given Sundae, I got to delve into one of my favorite topics — the classic ice cream sundae — for some of the most delightful novel-related research I’ve ever done. I unearthed some mouth-watering nonfiction books devoted to the subject (see photo to the right), tons of recipes online (take a peek at this interesting “Ice Bucket Cherry Sundae“), articles (like this one) detailing the “most sensational scoops” in locales across America, and a site I’ll admit I was particularly thrilled to discover – IceCreamSundae.com: The Official Website of the Ice Cream Sundae.

Yeah, that’s right. A whole website about it. That’s almost a Nirvana experience for me…

On the site, they have books for sale, lots of sundae-esque trivia, various quotes from famous people (i.e., “In my films, all the great things are put together. It’s not like one kind of ice cream but rather a very big Sundae.” ~ George Lucas), a history lesson on the origins of the sundae and, most exciting of all, Sundae-Grams! You can actually fill out a little form and send automated messages that include a big virtual sundae to someone who’s in need of one. (I was so excited by this discovery that I sent one to myself, LOL. Friends, be forewarned — one may soon be headed your way. ;-) )

June is National Dairy Month (although, I don’t see why we should restrict the event to just the U.S.), so I say we ALL ought to celebrate by eating our favorites — or, if lactose intolerance is an issue, our dairy-like favorites. For me, ice cream will undoubtedly head the list (!!), but I also happen to love most kinds of cheese (fresh mozzarella especially…mmm); skim or light chocolate milk; the cream they put in my lattes at Starbucks; all types of pudding; and also yogurt — who else has tried that thick Greek kind?

And, in honor of my new book being out (it’s just $2.99 right now on Kindle, B&N and Smashwords – and you can read a description and an excerpt at each site), I’m giving away a Marilyn Brant t-shirt and a box of milk chocolate turtles (that’s a dairy product…) to one random commenter on this post who shares his/her favorite dairy or dairy-like treat(s). It’s open internationally, and I’ll draw the winner’s name on Sundae…I mean, Sunday :razz:.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

About Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is a chocolate addict, a music junkie and the award-winning women's fiction author of ACCORDING TO JANE (2009), FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE (2010) and A SUMMER IN EUROPE (2011), all from Kensington Books. She's also a #1 Kindle bestseller and writes romantic comedies available digitally. Her first, ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE, came out in June 2011 and was an Amazon Bestseller in Humor, and DOUBLE DIPPING was released in September 2011.
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35 Responses to A Month of Sundaes (+ giveaway!)

  1. Margay says:
    June 10, 2011 at 6:18 am

    Oh, I do love a sundae! And banana splits!

  2. Edie Ramer says:
    June 10, 2011 at 6:53 am

    I enjoyed reading On Any Given Sundae so much. A fun book with depth and well-rounded characters. I’d love to see it as a weekly TV show. They could make a new sundae or dessert every week. LOL

    Great blog, too. I am a little lactose intolerant, but that doesn’t stop me from eating cheese or ice cream. I just bought goat cheese and feta the other day.

  3. Amy Atwell says:
    June 10, 2011 at 7:12 am

    What fun! I can’t wait to check out the sundae website and sundae-grams. And I love the cover for your new book! Guess I better plan to walk over to Fiesta Falls mini-golf this evening. They have soft-serve ice cream with Reese’s. Yummmmm.

  4. Michelle Diener says:
    June 10, 2011 at 9:00 am

    My favorite dessert as a child was banana split! Mmmm.

    And I’m still a big ice-cream lover.

    I read OAGS too, Marilyn, and loved it. Huge congrats again on its release.
    Michelle Diener`s last blog was …I’m being interviewed at Get Lost in a Story today

  5. Debbie Haupt says:
    June 10, 2011 at 9:28 am

    Hi Marilyn, Waving from hot and humid St. Louis where it’s been in the upper 90 for, well it feels like years, but I think in reality it’s only been a week. Ah remembering the summers growing up and my favorite of all treats would be going to A&W and ordering a HUGE Rootbeer Float.
    And I think my TBR pile will be getting even bigger so I can read your new book it looks Yummy!!

    Deb

    • Marilyn Brant says:
      June 10, 2011 at 10:49 am

      Deb,
      *waving back!!*
      All of you in St. Louis have had so much going on this year, climate-wise. I’ve heard from friends about tornadoes and earthquake tremors!! I hope things will settle down for the summer… And I know what you mean about the temps. We had almost no spring up here. It was freezing, then it was sweltering. I wrote this post earlier in the week and it was broiling outside but today, suddenly, it’s chilly again.
      Wishing you a cool rootbeer float this weekend!
      Marilyn Brant`s last blog was …Judy Croomes Dancing in the Shadows of Love giveaway!

  6. Lori Brighton says:
    June 10, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Cute looking book! I do love sundaes. That’s a kim killion cover, isn’t it? I use her all the time for my covers.

  7. Jennifer Stevenson says:
    June 10, 2011 at 9:36 am

    So COOL that this book is coming out!

    My favorite dessert always involves dark chocolate, so give the milk choc to someone else.

    Like hot-from-the-oven brownies with added dark chocolate chips, maybe some whisky-soaked dried cherries, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top… mmmmm…

  8. The Loopy Librarian says:
    June 10, 2011 at 10:44 am

    My favorite ice cream combo is a scoop of chocolate with a scoop of raspberry dribbled with chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

  9. Faith says:
    June 10, 2011 at 10:48 am

    I absolutely adore ice cream… anything chocolate, or filled with cookie dough, or with sprinkles, or whipped cream, or… yeah, I’m an ice-cream-a-holic. I recently bought an ice cream maker for home and I’ve been making dairy-free ice cream (had a bit of a dairy-free nutrition plan for a few months… torture!) using coconut milk, and it’s actually been AMAZING.

    I plan to experiment with the ice cream maker over the summer… homemade is just soooo much better! Who knew! Fresher ingredients, better quality ingredients, and you can make it *exactly* the way you like it!!!! Mmmmmm……
    Faith`s last blog was …Hiatus… Extended

    • Marilyn Brant says:
      June 10, 2011 at 11:56 am

      Faith,
      You are speakin’ my language :razz: !! Homemade ice cream — that sounds like such fun — and I love the way you can modify everything to your personal tastes. I’ve only used coconut milk a couple of times in recipes, but I bet it’s delicious as an ice cream base!
      Ohhh, you’re inspiring me to want to try that. We don’t have an ice cream maker, but I’ve visited friends who have, and I’ve been playing around with the idea of getting one, so maybe soon…
      Marilyn Brant`s last blog was …Judy Croomes Dancing in the Shadows of Love giveaway!

  10. Brett Butzman says:
    June 10, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    What could be better than a book about ice cream sundaes?? Besides actual sundaes, of course! You know how much I love my ice cream, Marilyn! ;-) One of my favorite ice cream combos is a bowl of vanilla ice cream with broken up chunks of oreos (and I don’t skimp on them…it’s necessary to use at least 4 or 5 oreos to make sure you get a hunk of cookie with each bite!) and then I pour chocolate syrup over it and dive in. MMMMM….it’s tons of calories but pure heaven! :-)

  11. Erika Brunmeier says:
    June 10, 2011 at 2:37 pm

    I also am an ice cream lover which I get from my morther. She has passed that love on to my kids. My oldest son spent the night at her house once when he was about 5. He came home aound 10 am and told me had had ice cream twice that day. Once on his waffles and the other as a “treat”. All I could do was laugh. We are going on vacation this summer and my kids have informed me we will have ice cream every day. My all time favorite being Chocolate Peanutbutter from Babcock Dairy. They some how keep the peanut butter soft so it blends very well with the chocolate ice cream. We will need to enjoy one of those cones on the terrace this summer Miss Marilyn ! Have a great weekend.

  12. Liz Kreger says:
    June 10, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    Thanx also, Marilyn. Now I’m gonna have to go in search of a Sundae. When doing through one of my chemo treatments, the cocktail pretty much wrecked my tastebuds. The only type of icecream I could really taste was Edie’s Double-Chocolate Fundge. Yum. Very partial to that one right now. And who doesn’t love those Dove bars?

    Yep … definitely going to have to make a stop at the grocery store tonight.

    Congrats on your release. Love the cover.

  13. Kelly Moran says:
    June 10, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    why must you tempt me. i’m pregnany you know! lol, best of luck with the new release. i know it will do well. xo ;-)

  14. Alyssa Goodnight says:
    June 10, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    Orange custard chocolate chip? Sounds divine! And I heartily agree with that quote at the beginning! Love your cover! :)

    • Marilyn Brant says:
      June 11, 2011 at 1:42 am

      Thanks, Alyssa!! I loved that quote, too, and only wish I’d been the one who thought to say it ;) . As for Orange Custard Chocolate Chip, it’s absolutely wonderful if you’re a fan of creamy orange surrounding your chocolate… It’s been one of my favorite flavors since I was a teen. Edy’s makes a national brand of sherbet that approximates it (called Swiss Orange), but that one is tangy whereas the OCCC is very smooth.

      Is it wrong that I was at the dentist this afternoon getting a check up and all I could think about through the whole cleaning was the ice cream I wanted to get afterward?! :cool:
      Marilyn Brant`s last blog was …Judy Croomes Dancing in the Shadows of Love giveaway!

  15. Amanda Leigh says:
    June 10, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    I love hot fudge brownie sundaes, and now I want one.

  16. Robin says:
    June 10, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    I could live on dairy foods, no problem. :) I had no idea there was an official ice cream sundae website – I’m going to check it out! And I can’t wait to read OAGS! It’s on my Kindle and as soon as I finish what I’m reading right now, I’m going to dive into it.

    Hope you have a great weekend, Marilyn!
    Robin`s last blog was …Last Night

  17. Maria Geraci says:
    June 11, 2011 at 5:04 am

    My favorite dairy has, and always will be… ice cream!