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National Peach Ice Cream Day

Food · July 17

Peach ice cream gets its own day: a summery scoop made with ripe peaches, cream and sugar, enjoyed from cones, bowls and old hand-crank freezers.

National Peach Ice Cream Day falls on Saturday, July 17, 2027. That is 263 days away.

Peach ice cream is what happens when ripe peaches meet sweet cream. The fruit is usually peeled, chopped or mashed, then folded into a custard or plain cream base before freezing, so each spoonful carries soft bits of peach along with the cold.

The flavor depends almost entirely on the peaches. Fruit picked at its softest and most fragrant gives a pale orange ice cream that tastes like late summer. Underripe peaches make a quieter scoop, which is why many home cooks wait until the fruit on the counter smells sweet before they start.

In much of the country, peach ice cream has a homemade reputation. It turns up at backyard gatherings and family reunions, often churned in a hand-crank freezer packed with ice and rock salt, with someone taking turns at the handle while everyone else waits. Farm stands and small creameries tend to offer it when local peaches come in, and it often disappears from the menu once the harvest ends.

It pairs easily with other things. A scoop sits well beside peach cobbler or pie, on a slice of pound cake, or alone in a cone that drips faster than anyone expects. Some people add a little vanilla, cinnamon or lemon to the base, but plenty prefer to let the fruit speak for itself.

The little chunks of peach freeze harder than the cream around them, so letting a bowl sit for a minute before eating makes them pleasantly soft again.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a scoop of peach ice cream from a local creamery or farm stand.
• Make a small batch at home with ripe peaches and cream.
• Serve peach ice cream alongside a warm slice of peach cobbler.
• Share a pint with neighbors or friends on a warm evening.

Dates

All national days on July 17

Also on July 17

• World Emoji Day
• National Tattoo Day
• Yellow Pig Day

Categories: Food days