Summer Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

When I was younger I was a strictly-chocolate gal. I didn't like vanilla anything, and unless it was a smoothie, I didn't like fruity desserts.

I didn't really feel like smoothies were a dessert though, and sometimes I still don't since I don't mind at all having them for my breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack... In fact I dearly love a good smoothie. And I did as a kid. But I didn't count it as dessert and when it came to dessert, it had to be chocolate.

Since then however, my tastebuds have.... matured.

I'm not saying chocolate is childish or immature. I have a deep respect and devotion to chocolate. 

But as I've gotten older I've developed a love and appreciate for many tastes and flavors I never would have approached as a younger me.

 Now I love just about every type of treat, sweet, and decadent dessert imaginable.

And fruity desserts are definitely included in there. 

I think the turning point was actually a strawberry shake.

A very particular strawberry shake. 

I have three older brothers (and many sisters but we will ignore them for a moment), and having older brothers taught me to be tough and independent. They stood up for me when the need arose, but on a day to day basis at home, they teased me relentlessly.

I'm not complaining, I'm definitely a better person for it. 

But growing up, we were all close in a punch-in-the-arm-means-I-love-you kind of way. We never said it out loud. 

Those of you  have older brothers know that it is the role of the brother right above you to do the most teasing, bullying, pulling of hair, and tattling. It's just his job. And my brother carried out his role with gusto.

So when the time came that he would be leaving for a couple of years to live in another country it was good riddance. 

I thought I wouldn't miss him one bit.

Until the strawberry shake. 

Shortly before he left, he unexpectedly picked me up from school and took me to lunch.

We'd never used our free agency to choose to spend any time together so I really didn't know what to think of the whole thing. 

While we were out, he took me to get a shake. He was paying and he chose the flavor, strawberry. I silently thought to myself Yuck! and wished he'd ordered chocolate.

But while we shared that strawberry shake and talked like friends I realized that we had a lot in common, we'd been through so much together, and honestly and truly, I was going to miss him.

Suddenly it hit me that he was going to be gone for a really long time and that these were probably the only few minutes I'd have him to myself before he left. 

The rest of that strawberry shake tasted different.

I savored each bite as I tried to memorize and take in every moment with my brother. 

All too soon the lunch outing was over, my brother was gone, and my last memory of him for two years was our strawberry shake.

And during those two years I never ordered another chocolate shake. Only strawberry. 

I wasn't even sure why I was doing it and it surprised anyone who was around since I'd always been so loyal to chocolate and shied away from strawberry dessert anything.

But for some reason it made me feel closer to my brother. And by the end of two years, I really loved strawberry shakes.

I think that was where it started. My fondness of fruity desserts. 

I can trace it back to that strawberry shake in an old Iceberg restaurant with my big brother.

So I guess thanks is in order. 

Because, just look at this ice cream. Not one ounce of chocolate but oh. my. word. SO good. 

And years ago I wouldn't have touched it with a ten-foot spoon.

Don't worry, I still adore chocolate. But me and this strawberry cheesecake ice cream have a special connection. 

A big thanks to Anyonita Nibbles for featuring my Brownie Pancakes with White Chocolate Chips! 

Today I'm Linking Up With:

Today's Creative Blog

Sugar Bee Crafts

Home Stories A to Z

Time To Sparkle
Be Betsy
Anyonita Nibbles
Lolly Jane
A Bowl Full Of Lemons
Chef In Training

Be Betsy
Craft-O-Maniac