Celebrate Pride Month with a vibrant Rainbow Sundae! Discover the delicious history behind

June is here, signaling the start of Pride Month—a time to honor and celebrate the beautiful spectrum of identities within our community. The colors of the Pride Flag each have specific meanings that highlight the diversity and strength of the LGBTQ+ community. At the Museum of Ice Cream, we believe in celebrating these values in the most delightful way possible. Enter our Rainbow Sundae: a dessert as vibrant and diverse as the community it represents. Each scoop of this sundae isn’t just a flavor; it’s a story, a history, and a celebration of life, healing, sunlight, nature, harmony, and spirit. We invite you to join us on a journey through these flavors, to appreciate their histories, and to celebrate the joy of inclusivity. Because every scoop is a testament to love, acceptance, and the sweet joy of being exactly who you are.

RED: The Sweet History of Strawberry Ice Cream

Kicking off our vibrant rainbow flag is the color red, and what better way to celebrate than with the timeless favorite, strawberry ice cream? Strawberries aren’t just delicious; they come with a rich and juicy history. The first garden strawberry was cultivated in Brittany, France, back in the 1750s, but these sweet berries were originally harvested from the wild.

By 1813, strawberries found their way into the world of ice cream, and we’ve been loving them ever since! With its pink and red hues, strawberry ice cream is the ultimate representation of red in our Pride Flag Pairings. Plus, its sweet, fruity flavor is the perfect complement to all the other ice cream scoops in your sundae!

ORANGE: Orange You Glad for Creamsicles?

Orange Creamsicles have been a classic favorite since they burst onto the scene in the late 1930s. It all started when 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a wooden stick in a cup to freeze on a super cold day—voilà, the popsicle was born! Originally dubbed the “Epsicle,” Frank’s frosty invention got its official patent in 1923. Fast forward a few years and the creamsicle was created in 1937, adding a creamy twist to the beloved popsicle.

This iconic treat, with its bright orange hue, transitioned from being stick-based to a scoopable ice cream tub treat that you can enjoy with a spoon. With its vibrant color and nostalgic flavor, orange creamsicle ice cream is our top pick for the orange in our Rainbow Sundae. Sweet, creamy and oh-so-refreshing!

YELLOW: Why Lemon Ice Cream Adds Sunshine to Your Sundae

Here’s a zesty tidbit for you: Lemon trees can produce lemons all year round, making them the ever-giving gift of nature! While the exact origin of lemons remains a mystery, it’s believed they first grew wild in India, northern Myanmar or China. Just like their citrusy cousins, oranges and limes, lemons eventually found their way to Italy in 700 B.C. Fast forward to 1493, and Christopher Columbus brought these tangy lemons to the New World, where the Spanish later planted them in sunny Southern California during the 1700s.

Now, let’s talk about lemon ice cream! The origins of this refreshing treat might be a bit hazy, but we do know that it made an appearance in an 1864 recipe book called The Complete Confectioner by Eleanor Parkinson. Fun fact: this very recipe was used to create a lemon ice cream dessert for Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural ball!

With its vibrant yellow hue, lemon ice cream is the perfect flavor to represent the yellow stripe in our Rainbow Sundae. The tangy, sour taste provides to balance to the sweetness of the other fruit ice creams, making it a must-have scoop in our Pride Flag Pairings.

GREEN: The Rich History of Matcha Ice Cream

You might be thinking, “Matcha in an ice cream sundae? Isn’t it a bit nutty and grassy?” Well, it sure is! But that’s exactly why it works so brilliantly in our Rainbow Sundae. The deep green color isn’t just for show; the earthy, rich flavor of matcha ice cream adds a complexity that perfectly complements the fruity and citrusy flavors in our lineup.

But how did Macha become what it is today? Back in the 8th century, green tea became all the rage, thanks to the popularity of drinking dried tea leaves. Fast forward to the 12th century, and a Buddhist monk discovered matcha—a powdered tea made from steam-prepared dried leaves. This magical green powder helped him maintain a calm alertness during meditation. Pretty cool, right?

Matcha’s fame only grew from there, thanks to its amazing health benefits. By 1958, a tea company in Wakayama Prefecture had the brilliant idea to add matcha to soft serve ice cream, creating “Green Soft.” This green soft serve quickly became a favorite treat for tea lovers.

BLUE: The Blueberry’s Sweet Journey

What’s blue on the outside, green on the inside, and totally berrylicious? Blueberries! This sweet and sometimes tart fruit is a favorite all year round. Native to North America, blueberries have been enjoyed for over 13,000 years. But it wasn’t until 1893 that these little blue fruits were domesticated, thanks to the ingenuity of cranberry farmer Elizabeth White and botanist Fredrick Coville.

The journey from being a kitchen staple to becoming a beloved ice cream flavor remains a bit of a mystery, but we’re sure glad it happened! With their stunning indigo blue hue, blueberries make the perfect choice to represent the blue in our Pride Flag Pairings. 

PURPLE: The Enigmatic Blackberry Ice Cream

Did you know that blackberries are a fruit with a secret? They’re part of the Rosaceae family, which makes them relatives of roses! Even cooler, blackberries aren’t really berries at all—they belong to the genus Rubus. So, they’re a fruit that’s also kinda like a rose, and technically not a berry. Talk about a multitasker!

Blackberries have been thriving wild in Europe, Asia and the Americas for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the late 19th century in America that they started being farmed. And here’s a fun twist: despite their name, blackberries are actually a deep, dark purple. Perfect for the purple in our rainbow sundae, right? Much like the blueberry, the origin of blackberry ice cream remains a mystery, but we are so glad it exists!

Celebrate the Rainbow with Every Scoop

Celebrate Pride Month with a delicious and colorful Rainbow Sundae, each scoop representing a different hue of the Pride Flag and a unique piece of history. Whether you’re a new scoop or a seasoned ice cream enthusiast, this treat is a testament to love, diversity and inclusion. Create your very own rainbow sundae at home or visit a Museum of Ice Cream experience and celebrate Pride with us and PFLAG with our Love & Sprinkles Martini. Happy scooping!