It’s no secret that President-Elect Joe Biden really, really loves ice cream. A few years ago after making that declaration to a crowd of supporters he followed it up with, “You all think I’m kidding. I’m not. I eat more ice cream than three other people you’d like to be with, all at once.”
Inspired by the incumbent leader’s penchant for frozen treats and believing that trait to be part of what makes Biden especially relatable to regular Americans (especially kids), Victoria Lai, the founder of DC’s Ice Cream Jubilee, created four special flavors for the 2021 Inauguration.
“It’s important for our leaders to be positive role models for our country and the world,” she says. “I watched a video where [Biden’s] granddaughters talked about how he always has time to talk with them and enjoy vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, [and] it reminded me of how my dad and I always shared countless happy moments together over ice cream.”
The four new celebratory flavors are Vanilla Chocolate Chip (classic vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate chips), Cuppa Joe (strong cold brew coffee ice cream made with locally-roasted coffee from Zeke’s), Cardamom Amaretto (a kulfi-like dessert that’s the shop’s nod to Kamala Harris’s South Asian roots that mixes cardamom and amaretto essence with California almonds) and Rosé Mimosa (a non-dairy sorbet made from rosé wine–less than half an ounce per pint–and citrus juices that’s a toast to the new term).
The inauguration flavors are sold in a tasting flight at the Ice Cream Jubilee’s three locations in Yards Park, Logan Circle and Ballston Quarter Market now until Jan. 22. Walk-ins are welcome, but with a pre-ordered ticket you’ll receive a flight of four 3-oz. mini-scoops, commemorative stickers, inauguration coloring pages and a pint of any flavor to take home. Commemorative Pint Packages are also available for in-store pickup ($48), local delivery within 10 miles ($68) or nationwide shipping with next-day air and dry ice ($95.) Regular scoops and pints of the individual flavors are available subject to availability.
Lai left her job as an appointee and attorney in the Obama administration to launch her dream of sharing creative flavors of super-premium small-batch ice cream inspired by international flavors, boozy cocktails and childhood treats. If you are enjoying the inaugural flavors at home while toasting to the new administration, she recommends filling a Champagne flute halfway with sparkling or rosé wine and adding one or two small scoops of Rosé Mimosa sorbet. “It’ll add sweetness and a refreshing depth of flavor that will energize you for the next four years.”
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