Local chefs churned creative ice creams in the third annual Ice Cream Churn-a-ment

Risa Mealus from Papa Haydn won the Dairy Farmers of Oregon Ice Cream Churn-a-ment held Friday July 13 at Pioneer Courthouse Square with her Citron Bomb ice cream. She competed against five other local chefs in the speed and taste categories.

Mealus' winning flavor was sweet-tart and as radiant as a beam of July sunshine. The lemon flavor was complimented by a unique Japanese citrus fruit, yuzu, that lent an invigorating zing to the ice cream. The smooth consistency came from the luscious cream and milk from Oregon dairy cows. Citron Bomb will be available at the restaurant starting next week.

"We are so honored and thrilled to have participated again in this year's event," said Mealus. "We are extremely happy that the judges liked our Citron Bomb ice cream, and are just so grateful to have won."

The chefs used wooden hand-crank ice cream churns reminiscent of a less complicated time. A time when bringing the family together for fun was just plain simple. The chefs and their teams raced to complete their ice cream recipes. Salt & Straw's team won the speed competition and churned their ice cream in less than four minutes.

The judges compared each ice cream recipe to determine who best captured the flavor of summer in Oregon. They also looked at the creamy texture and presentation of the ice cream.

Other competitors included: Joseph Cefalu from Riffle NW; Adam and Jackie Sappington from The Country Cat Dinner House & Bar; Jasper Shen from Aviary; and Leather Storrs from Noble Rot.

Oregon dairy farmers are committed to the community and proud to sponsor this ice cream celebration. Attendees received free ice cream samples from Umpqua Dairy, Sunshine Dairy Foods and milk shakes from New Seasons Market. Tillamook® also distributed ice cream coupons.

About Oregon Dairy Products Commission
Dairy Farmers of Oregon is a program of the Oregon Dairy Products Commission. The Commission works on behalf of Oregon's dairy farm families who, with the help of 123,000 dairy cows and Oregon dairy processors, provide award-winning cheeses, milk, butter, and an extensive line of premium ice cream, sour cream and yogurt. Milk is the official state beverage of Oregon, and Oregon is recognized nationwide as a leader for milk quality. The Oregon dairy industry is a community-conscious, caring business that contributes to nearly $1 billion to Oregon's economic well-being each year. Oregon dairymen and women care about their cows, their communities, and the land, air and water of Oregon. www.dairyfarmersor.com . The Commission also provides nutrition education through its program of the Oregon Dairy Council.

07.20.2012