Keeping Summer Alive With McConnell's Ice Cream

A little old fashioned honesty goes a long way towards building trust. Take ice cream for instance. Read the labels of most mainstream brands and you'll see 100% natural, whole milk, or real cream right alongside fructose, xanthanum, cellulose, locust bean gums, and agar. Sure these ingredients are technically derived from natural sources but they are fillers and thickening agents designed to preserve texture and shelf life not flavor and creaminess.

Santa Barbara California's McConnell's Fine Ice Cream proves that it's still possible to make real unadulterated ice cream and ship it nationwide to your doorstep. It all started in 1949 during World War II when original owner Gordon "Mac" McConnell was stationed in Europe. He tasted farm made ice creams far more decadent, rich, and creamy than what was becoming mainstream back home.

Upon returning to the States, Mac and his new bride Ernesteen, settled in Santa Barbara focusing on making handcrafted ice creams in the same tradition which remarkably lives on today in a world full of pressures to mass produce and cut corners.

Each ingredient in every pint with a vintage McConnell's photo on the lid is uniquely churned using only local organic ingredients. Raw grass-grazed milk and cream comes directly from California Central Coast partner farms and then pasteurized at The Old Dairy, McC's headquarters in downtown Santa Barbara. All flavorings come from house made jams and preserves, caramels, chocolates, organic fruits and nuts, and cold-brewed coffees.

When visiting Santa Barbara, be sure to visit their original store!

Coverage made possible by participating in a sponsored tasting.