Opening Day at the Tillamook County Fair

In 2010, the town of Tillamook, Oregon was ranked one of the top 10 Places for a Blue Ribbon County Fair by USA Today. This year is no exception. The Tillamook County Fair was hopping on opening day. Members of local 4-H clubs and their leaders worked alongside Tillamook employees scooping nearly 1000 delicious Tillamook ice cream cones for fairgoers. That’s a lot of ice cream! Though there was no clear winner when it came to crowd pleasers, Grandma’s Cake Batter, Cookie Dough, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Coffee Almond Fudge competed fiercely at the top.

This is the second year Tillamook has partnered with the 4-H program to scoop ice cream at the booth and, in return, 4-H receives the proceeds from the sales to fund individual programs and provide scholarships. Last year, we raised $11,300 at the booth and this year we are hoping to do even better. So come on out and visit us at the fair through August 13th. After you have a scoop of ice cream, go check out the beauties in the dairy barn. It’s their hard work that goes into making creamy Tillamook ice cream.

By Heidi

Happy National Banana Split Day!

Can a banana split recipe be considered healthy? It does have fruit, after all! Since 1904 when banana splits were first made popular in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, there have been many banana split recipes claiming to be the best. But I don’t think any of them could possibly be better than my favorite banana split recipe, which I’d like to share with you today.

Matt’s Favorite Banana Split Recipe

Start with one banana and slice it hot dog style down the middle. To make things interesting, sprinkle a little sugar on the inside of the banana. Use a torch to brulee the sugar, giving the banana a nice crunch and texture.

The main ingredient in my banana split recipe is, of course, good ice cream… Tillamook! I use a scoop each of three different types: Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream, Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream, and Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream. Now lay your beautiful, bruleed bananas alongside the ice cream scoops.

In my banana split recipe, I use the following toppings, but you can choose whatever you like for your personal taste: crushed pineapple on the Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream, chocolate sauce on the Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream, and fresh sliced strawberries (substitute a thick puree when fresh strawberries are not available) on the Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream. You could also add caramel sauce if you’d like!

Next, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of walnuts, and maybe some sprinkles (although I don’t usually add them). Finally, I finish this banana split recipe with a maraschino cherry on top!

This banana split recipe has it all – taste, texture, “healthiness” (the fruit!), and tradition. Try it out! Or make up your own banana split recipe with Tillamook Ice Cream and show us how it turned out on our Facebook page.

You can also stop by the Cheese Factory today for a special on our delicious fresh made banana splits and a free sample of Tillamook Banana Split Ice Cream.

Happy National Banana Split Day, everyone!

Image: Flickr/Stevendepolo (please note, it’s not a photo of Matt’s recipe above!)

By Matt

The Tillamook Cheese Factory is the only place in the world where you’ll find every single creamy, dreamy, delicious flavor of Tillamook Ice Cream! The 38 Flavor Ice Cream Tour is a multi-scoop mountain of all of our ice cream flavors, complete with a flag on its summit. When someone orders it, our ice cream scoopers serenade them with a special song (listen to our current song in the video above)!

We’ve been singing the same ice cream song for too long, and although we like it, we’re ready for a change. We need your help coming up with new song lyrics for our ice cream counter staff to sing! Does Tillamook Ice Cream inspire you? Then get out some paper and let lyrics flow like hot fudge from your pen!

We’re looking for ice cream lyrics to the tune of one of these songs:
- You Are My Sunshine
- She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
- Happy and You Know It
- I’m a Little Teapot

If you feel inspired by deliciousness, and you’d like your lyrical legacy to live on at the Cheese Factory, email your ice cream lyrics to us at fans@tillamook.com! We’ll pick a new song for our staff to sing by Friday, August 19.

By Loafy

The last day of July: 79 degrees, the BBQ cooling down in the yard after dinner, a craving for the perfect concoction to wrap up a summer evening… Bring on the root beer float recipes!

Time for root beer floats!

Yes, floats plural! Let’s make a Root Beer Chocolate Float, Stout Beer Chocolate Float, Orange Cream Soda Float, Cherry Orange Float, and the Classic Root Beer Float! Welcome to our first Tillamook Test Kitchen all about Tillamook Ice Cream!

Classic root beer float with Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream

To start with, we have our classic Root Beer Float recipe with Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream+ all-natural root beer. Pros: Nostalgic taste, it has that sweet crunch when the ice cream foams up, and it’s a perfect balance of flavors. Cons: You’ve had it before, so why not try something new?

Root beer float with Tillamook Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream

Moving on to a slight twist… Tillamook Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream + all-natural root beer. Pros: Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream has both white and dark chocolate so it’s pretty in a float, the chocolate gives a depth of flavor to the root beer and satisfies the chocolate lover in all of us. Cons: It doesn’t seem to create that crunch effect that comes with the classic. Anyone know the physics of that?

Mmm... listen for that crackling sound when the root beer (or beer) hits the ice cream!

For an adult upgrade, try Tillamook Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream + chocolate stout beer! Pros: Chocolate combined with chocolate is always a winner, and it’s not as sweet so it’s a bit more refreshing on a summer day. Cons: You have to like the taste of stout beer to enjoy this… and drink responsibly!

The taste of an Orange Cream Soda Float reminds me of childhood memories. Let’s try Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream + orange cream soda. Pros: The crunch is back with this option, it feels really summery, and you can easily add fresh berries or other fun toppings. Cons: Sweeter than a classic root beer float – perhaps too sweet for some?

Tillamook Oregon Black Cherry Ice Cream + orange cream soda

Finally, what happens when you combine Tillamook Oregon Black Cherry Ice Cream+ orange cream soda? Pure deliciousness. Pros: A really fun take on an old classic, it’s great for kids, and it’s fruitier. Cons: Doesn’t look as pretty.

Overall winners (in my humble opinion):
1. Root Beer Chocolate Float
2. Cherry Orange Float
3. Classic Root Beer Float

Which root beer float recipe tops your list?

By Gillian

Our family just returned from a lovely camping trip at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon where we cooled off in Silver Creek, rode bikes, hiked to a waterfall, and of course, roasted marshmallows for some delicious s’mores. My cousin brought along the most gigantic marshmallows I’ve ever see (4 times the size of a regular marshmallow), which made for some really good and really messy eatin’. It also meant we ended up bringing home a lot of graham crackers because you just don’t eat as many s’mores when the marshmallow is 4 times the size!

The dilemma: What should I do with all these leftover graham crackers?
The solution: Ice cream sandwiches!

Easy as pie…er…cheesecake!

I just happened to have a carton of Tillamook Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream in my freezer. What a  perfect ice cream to have in between my graham crackers! It’s like eating strawberry cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. Amazing!

Tillamook Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream made with Oregon strawberries

I’m making ice cream sandwiches the quick and easy way. If you want to be fancier about it, you could make your own cookies, cut them into shapes, and freeze them. Then soften and spread your favorite Tillamook Ice Cream in a flat bottomed pan, refreeze it, then use the same shaped cookie cutter and cut the shapes and put in between your cookies. They will be beautiful.

I, however, have young children who find it difficult and unnecessary to wait for beautiful food. Tasty is good enough. So set out your ice cream until it’s soft enough for easy scooping, then just squish it between 2 graham crackers and voila! Instantly, you’ll have ice cream sandwiches and happy kids.

Scoop!

Then squish!

I’m thinking of other combos to make before summer ends: Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream with chocolate wafers, Tillamook Cookie Dough Ice Cream with chocolate chip cookies, Tillamook Caramel Toffee Crunch Ice Cream with vanilla wafers, Tillamook Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream with peanut butter cookies, Tillamook Sticky Bun Ice Cream with snickerdoodles… I could go on and on. What is your favorite ice cream sandwich?

- Written by Amy, Tillamook fan and Mom of two little cheeseballs

By Amy

Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe (right)

It’s National Ice Cream Sandwich Day, and I’ve got the perfect Tillamook Ice Cream Sandwich recipe for you! With so many Tillamook Ice Cream flavors to choose from, it’s hard to narrow down the options, but we’ll make this decision easy for you with our Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe made with Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream. The combo of homemade chocolate cookies and Tillamook Ice Cream is a match made in heaven and the perfect dessert for today!

Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe                                                                                 
                                                                                                           
Ingredients:
                                                                                               
1 cup all-purpose flour                                                                                           
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder                                                                                               
½ teaspoon salt                                                                                            
¼ teaspoon baking soda                                                                                         
½ cup (1 stick) Tillamook Unsalted Butter, melted                                                                               
2 eggs, at room temperature                                                                                              
¾ cup sugar                                                                                      
3 tablespoons corn syrup                                                                                       
1 (1.75 quart) container Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream                                                        

Directions:                                                                                                   

Position rack in middle of oven.  Preheat oven to 350˚ F.  Lightly butter an 11 x 17 inch jelly-roll pan and line with parchment paper.                                                                                                                      

Chocolate cookie:
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda until thoroughly blended. 

In a medium bowl whisk together melted butter, eggs, sugar and corn syrup until well combined, about 1 minute.  Stir in dry ingredients and mix until blended. 

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.  Bake just until cookie springs back when lightly touched, about 9 minutes.  Cool in pan 5 minutes. 

With a small knife, loosen cookie from sides of pan and invert on a parchment lined work surface.  Carefully remove parchment from bottom of cookie and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap.  Cut cookie in half to make two 8 1/2 x 11 inch pieces.  Lay one half, top side down on the baking sheet.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Ice cream sandwiches:
Remove ice cream lid and let container stand at room temperature to soften, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to encourage even softening. 

Spoon softened ice cream on top of cookie on baking sheet.  Working quickly, using a rubber or metal spatula, spread ice cream evenly, making a layer of ice cream ½ – ¾ inch thick.  Top with remaining cookie half, top side up.  Press gently to spread ice cream to the edges.  Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

To serve:
Remove baking sheet from freezer.  Lift bottom piece of plastic wrap to remove sandwich from pan and place on work surface.  Cut into 15 equal portions.  Serve immediately or wrap individually and store in freezer for up to one week.                                                                                                
                                                           
Makes 15 sandwiches

By Laura

Enjoy Tillamook Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory!

Today is National Cheesecake Day, so obviously that means I’ll be celebrating with cheesecake ice cream! If you’ve read any of my blog posts in the past, you’ll know that I’m a bit of a dessert lover.

Tillamook Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream and Tillamook Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (both available at the Cheese Factory) are sinful, yet heavenly, combinations of fruit puree ripples in cheesecake ice cream. That’s right, two desserts (ice cream + cheesecake) in one beautiful half gallon of joy!

I recommend eating these particular Tillamook Ice Cream flavors with caution as addiction is likely to occur. On second thought – eat with reckless abandon – there are far worse things to be addicted to! Happy National Cheesecake Day!

By Matt

As National Ice Cream Month wraps up, I thought I’d share this fun, bloopers-style video of outtakes from our Tillamook Ice Cream commercials!

By Loafy

Ever wondered how Tillamook Ice Cream is made? Watch this video to find out! Warning: It might make you drool a little.

By Aimee

Congratulations to the winners of our Tillamook Ice Cream Photo Contest!

1st Place Winner - Submitted by Kari Hamilton

2nd Place Winner - Submitted by Perry Perkins

This photo submitted by Perry Perkins has a funny story behind it: “David was sound asleep (snoring in fact),” says Perry, ”but every few second his tongue would poke out and search around for the ice cream, it was hilarious!”

3rd Place Winner - Submitted by Amy Pacheco

We received a boat load of fantastic photos in this year’s contest — narrowing it down to the top 5 entries was so hard! Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest and sent us photos. We absolutely loved looking at all of them!

By Loafy