Our goodly Beehive state is famous for plenty of things dessert related. At one end of the spectrum, several of the top artisan chocolate companies in the U.S. are based right here in Utah. On the other? Well, the state’s 2002 Olympic commemorative Jell-O pins get points for nostalgia. Sandwiched somewhere in between is Utah’s prodigious and year-round love for the only treat that makes one actually yearn for a brain freeze: ice cream. Custard cups, concrete shakes, or scooped into a waffle cone, we’re some of the biggest consumers of the sweet stuff in the states.
This is why we love Normal®.
That's the sweet, ice-creamy venture launched by nationally acclaimed pastry chef Alexa Norlin (on whom we have a stone-cold COLLECTIVE crush). Her personal guilty pleasure? Vanilla soft serve in a classic cake cone. Maybe you’ve sampled a ‘lil bit of Normal’s swirled-up heaven on earth at our own Brew + ‘Q party—they’ve been a crowd fave for two years now (currently looking to sign them up foreverrr).
In true Alexa fashion, she’s upping the ante beyond the typical vanilla-choco swirl with Jimmies if you’re feeling fancy. Nope. She changes out the four base flavors every month, with results that induce heart-eyes and repeat visits. This month, you can get your greedy paws on traditional vanilla bean (because, duh), black sesame, decadent cream cheese, and apple cider sorbet. Have it unadorned as Alexa does, or add some glam with hard-shell dips like dark chocolate or dulcey, fruity syrups or savory jams, or as we did recently, dipped in passionfruit caramel and coated in Fruity Pebbles. For the indecisive (guilty, as charged) there are plenty of swirled up options, to boot. And for the truly adventurous, check out Normal’s composed cone menu, featuring gravity defying, Wonka-worthy variations glorious with syrups, candy chunks, dips, cookie crumbles, and swoops of cotton candy.
As it’s Norlin’s favorite flavor, there’s usually some kind of vanilla variation on the board, and she’s almost always got a vegan option or sorbet swirling for our dairy-free friends. Not to worry, if you can’t make the hustle down to the shiny silver truck parked inside the east entrance of Trolley Square during Normal truck hours (check their website or Insta feed for the 411), you can pick up their signature ice cream sandwiches, bars and choco tacos at all three Caputos market locations and the Park City Mercantile on Main Street.
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