As the weather warms and cools, in true Missouri fashion, The Mirror staff took it upon ourselves to search out the perfect summer-time treats. That way, when the warm weather sticks, you’ll be prepared to make the most of it. We kept our choices down only four options: Sweet Emotion, Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor, Socie-Tea and Pineapple Whip.

Sweet Emotion

Photo via Sweet Emotion SGF Facebook page

Julia

This week, I tried Springfield’s newest ice cream shop, Sweet Emotion. The walk-up service ice cream parlor is located at the Outland Complex downtown and is Pop Punk/Emo theme. I didn’t know much about Sweet Emotion before trying it, so everything was a surprise. My first impression wasn’t so great because their hours were weird. They had late openings on Friday and Saturday last week and they were closed Sunday through Tuesday. They were also delayed on Wednesday due to weather. Although I had to be patient to try their ice cream, the wait was definitely worth it.

Photo via Sweet Emotion SGF Facebook page

Sweet Emotion serves oat milk-based ice cream, which is vegan, according to their Facebook page. They also serve pizza and other treats, but I decided to try their Cookie’s Dilemma ice cream, which is part of their “releases menu”. This was a swirled cup with cookie dough, chocolate chip cookie chunks, Oreo, hot fudge, and sprinkles, and it was only $5.00. After a long day of classes, this was definitely the treat I needed. Before trying Sweet Emotion, I had heard that their ice cream was black and stained people’s teeth, but that was not the case for me. I would recommend Sweet Emotion to anyone, but make sure to check their social media pages in advance to make sure they are open. With the weather warming up, this is the perfect place to get outside and enjoy a delicious cold treat. They are located at 322 South Ave in Springfield.

Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor

Photo via Gabriella Wuller

Gabriella

If you are looking for superb ice cream choices, with a comforting and friendly atmosphere then Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor in Strafford, Mo is the place to go.

The Parlor is around a twenty-minute drive from Drury University’s campus, however, it is incredibly worth it. There are a multitude of flavors and options to try, and after one visit, I will certainly be returning. This locally owned business is amicable, with a 50s diner feel inside.

Complete with a bar for seating, tables, and couches around the lounge, and even a jukebox in the corner, this ice cream parlor certainly upholds a small-town charm that was lovely to be in.

Photo via Gabriella Wuller On the right side of the picture in the cone is a flavor known as the ‘Jolted Cow’. Ripe Raspberry Chocolate Chunk’ is on the left.

I tried the flavor ‘Ripe Raspberry Chocolate Chunk’ in a cup. This raspberry-flavored ice cream also had raspberry and chocolate chunks in it as well.

Overall, this ice cream was fantastic, I quickly finished my scoop, and considered going back for another. The texture of the ice cream melted in the mouth and left a wonderful aftertaste of both berry and chocolate. Although the combination was one I was wary of, I was extremely surprised and glad I had tried something new.

My companion, and Strafford native, Irelynn Holst has been to Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor many times before. However, upon going to the parlor this time, Holst agreed to try a new flavor.

Both Holst and I were intrigued by the name and were curious to find out what exactly was in this ice cream. We discovered the ‘Jolted Cow’ is a caramel and fudge brownie mix swirled together and mixed with small amounts of espresso. I, personally, am not a fan of coffee, but Holst is.

Holst commented, “The Jolted Cow was very creamy and rich. The espresso ice cream paired wonderfully with the chewy brownie bites.” And even I, who truly despises coffee, actually enjoyed a small taste of the Jolted Cow.

Trying just two flavors at Papaw’s Kookies & Kream Ice Cream Parlor, I surely intend to return and try more of the wonderful ice cream there. And although this location is not within the city of Springfield, it is a necessary stop for any ice cream lover in the area.

Socie-Tea

Marissa

This week I tried Scoie-Tea’s new boba ice cream. Their social distancing guidelines prevented customers from actually going into their store.  But they had a convenient website posted on their door where customers could order online and have their orders delivered to their car.  I was very excited to try this ice-cream.  I had never tried Boba Tea before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Photo via Marissa Mayfield

The new Boba ice cream comes in two different flavors, Thai Tea and Black Tea. I chose the Thai Tea flavor because it was the sweater of the two and I tend to favor sweets.  The ice-cream came in a cup with a cone upside down in the ice cream and of course tapioca pearls (boba) in the bottom of the cup.  The tapioca peals functioned as hot fudge on the ice-cream.  They tasted like chocolate but had a very chewy consistency.

Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the tapioca peals.  I found them to be a little to chewy for my taste—but if you are someone that enjoys boba tea you would probably like their addition to the ice cream.  The ice cream itself was good. It had a slight taste of tea but for the most part tasted like regular ice cream.

Photo via Marissa Mayfield

I’m not sure if I would personally choose to get ice cream here again.  Mainly because I didn’t like the tapioca pearls, but I think that was just a personal preference and if you like boba tea, then having them in the ice cream would only add to the flavor!

Pineapple Whip

Photo via Pineapple Whip home page

Maclen

They’re a Springfield staple, and you’ve probably seen the signature swaying hula girl atop their yellow truck at the Drury fountains during move-in weekend.

Pineapple Whip prides itself as a symbol of summer, and the flavors they offer reinforce that. Their namesake flavor is the most common, but a rotating selection of other contenders are available at all three of their locations.

My roommate and I tested out the strawberry-kiwi flavor at their Glenstone location. In a Milli Vanilli moment, we might have to blame our lack of enthusiasm on the rain. We sprinted back to my car before the downpour hit, but not before our umbrella flipped inside out from the wind.

The portions were huge (some of my roommate’s collapsed from its peak and landed squarely in my cup holder). It took us a good 10 minutes to whittle our treats down to a manageable size so we could make the drive home. Despite the overwhelming strawberry color, the kiwi flavor was vibrant and distinct. Unfortunately, Pineapple Whip is not the same when it’s stormy and you’re stuck inside a car. Environment is half the battle, and the owners seem to understand that by restricting sales to just the warm months.

It’s not my favorite cold treat around town, but the hula girl and the pink neon lights put an “only in Springfield” smile on my face. If you’re a sorbet fan out and about in the summer heat, P-Whip is the place to be.

Photo via Kay Wacasey

Kay

Surprisingly, it seems I am one of the few Springfieldians who has never had the local sherbet-style specialty ‘Pineapple Whip’. Though I had heard many times through the grapevine about the popular summertime pitstop, I’d always missed out on tasting some myself. Food DUdes allowed me to change that; I am now an ecstatic fan. Though Pineapple Whip offers interesting flavors like Strawberry Kiwi, Mango Peach, Orange, Grape, and even Banana Pomegranate, I chose to stick with classic pineapple to experience the signature Pineapple Whip. For a company that claims to be a “proud supporter of summer,” they certainly fit the bill. It was all-around enjoyment for me, simple and tasty. The only thing that could have made Pineapple Whip better would have been if I’d chosen to sample it on a hot, muggy day in July rather than a soggy April afternoon; that one’s on me. Either way, I’ll definitely be seeing more of the trademark hula girl this summer!

Article by Julia Chamberlain, Gabriella Wuller, Marissa Mayfield, Kay Wacasey and Maclen Johnson