Michigan: Superman Ice Cream
From deep-dish pizza in Chicago to beignets in New Orleans, the United States is teeming with regional foods, each with its own special history and culinary tradition. The same is true when it comes to frozen treats — each part of the country has its own local favorite, some with roots in other nations, while others are uniquely American innovations. No matter how different they are, there’s one thing America’s regional icy desserts have in common: They’ll keep you deliciously cool.
Story has it that Stroh’s Brewery in Detroit started churning out ice cream instead of beer during the Prohibition era, leading to the creation of the Midwest’s most colorful treat: Superman ice cream. Despite the moniker, there’s no direct relation between this scoop and its namesake comic book hero. It supposedly got the name because its bright blue, red and yellow color scheme matched the Man of Steel’s uniform, but since the flavor has never been officially endorsed, it’s also referred to by an array of other titles: Super Scoop, Super Hero and Scooperman, to name a few. No matter what it’s called, the ice cream is typically made from the same three flavors: lemon, Red Pop (a strawberry soda) and Blue Moon, another Midwestern creation of uncertain origins that many say tastes like a combination of vanilla pudding, marshmallow and citrus.
