![]() ![]() That the cold treat had to come to America before it could move off kings’ tables and into the hands of common folk makes the story that much sweeter. The very nature of the industry-taking something frozen and hawking it on sultry sidewalks-has always forced ice cream peddlers to innovate. ![]() The history of frozen street treats begins long before Van Leeuwen encountered his first push pop-it begins before even mechanical refrigeration. ![]() In a single generation, the ice cream truck has moved upmarket. The flavors have put Van Leeuwen on the vanguard of an ice cream truck resurgence. Handcrafted recipes combine sustainably sourced ingredients from far-flung places: Michel Cluizel chocolate from France, pistachios from Sicily, Tahitian vanilla beans from Papua New Guinea. With six trucks and three storefronts in New York City, the company he runs with his brother, Pete, and business partner, Laura O’Neill, prides itself on its quality. Today, Van Leeuwen is an ice cream magnate. Then he’d pick what he always picked: a Reckless Rainbow Pop Up. He’d imagine the flavors-Strawberry Shortcake, Choco Taco, King Cone. He’d inspect the full menu, pondering each offering, from cartoon-colored Popsicles to animal-shaped treats with gum balls for eyes. In the sea of sweaty half-pints elbowing to place orders, Van Leeuwen always took his time. Growing up in suburban Riverside, Conn., he’d race toward the siren song. For Ben Van Leeuwen, it was no different. Kids lace up their shoes and hit the pavement. It’s the sound of summer: a string of jangly notes cutting through the sticky-hot air. How a musical truck hijacked an elite dessert and delivered it to the people. ![]()
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