Longtime local cream-smithery Olsen’s Ice Cream recently collaborated with the Chippewa Valley Museum to create a limited-edition flavor: “Chippewaffle.” It’s a pretty sweet deal, combining many of my all-time favorite things: frosty goodness, waffles, local history, chocolate, and things that go “crunch” in my mouth.

But why stop there? Why not develop even more local flavors?  Who can stop us? And who amongst us can conjure up some amazing, creamy, dreamy ideas? These are all questions.

And I have answers: No reason, no reason, nobody, and me. Check it out…

“You Look Radishing”
OK yes, chunky horseradish ice cream sounds awful, but so does any food jam-packed with way too much horseradish. But horseradish is a historic, local foodstuff, so you’ll eat it and you’ll like it. I mean, what other historic flavors does the Chippewa Valley have? Log?

“Paid Pecan”
This ice cream is SALTY and filled with the kind of nuts you’d expect from a small-town ice creamery. NOTE: If you’re accustomed to free pecans, you will not like this one.

“Molten Budget Meltdown”
This is just a bowl of melty vanilla. And due to a drastic drop in shared revenue from state ice cream parlors, we’re withholding 14% of your scoop.

“Beer”
This one tastes like beer.

“Half Moon Surprise”
Named after the iconic Eau Claire swimmin’ hole, every refreshing scoop may or may not be hiding a peculiar surprise! Check the county health department’s website for availability.

“Hastings Jam”
Looking for an afterwork treat everyone complains about, but isn’t really that bad? Good news: Hastings Jam is your tasty savior. People might tell you it takes “forever” to eat, but by “forever” they mean, “like, five minutes, tops.”

“The Chippewa Float”
This special confection features tubular scoops of airy ice cream plopped into a big frosty mug of root beer. Try the special “Storm Surge” version where your ice cream gets stuck along the edges and you get to rescue it!

“Tweet Temptations”
This taste-tastic treat is terrific for travel! Every nook, cranny, corner, and crevice is just littered with bird-shaped fudge nuggets.

“The Chipper”
This is just a block of flavored ice. But it’s served with a little ice pick and a packet of salt.

“Sweet Summer Traffic Cone”
Pay no mind to that tired, old Rocky Road! Instead, enjoy a big scoop of tastiness absolutely stuffed with orange-n-chewy cones.

“Asphalt Eruption”
A great flavor for those “feels like 100°” days! We’re talking scoops of dark chocolate ice cream totally buckled with hard chunks of cookie. Add a scoop of “Sweet Summer Traffic Cone” on top for a taste of safety!

“Bloomin’ Algae”
This savory ice cream snack has a trick up its sleeve. On a still day when the sun’s bright and the temperature’s high, the whole thing turns green!

“Eaux Pears”
To be honest, this one’s a little weird. It’s cool and all, but it’s just not for everyone.

“Summer Haze”
Nothing screams summer like a campfire, and now you can enjoy the smoky notes of the Northwoods in a big ol’ hunk of ice cream. Imported from Canada, this flavor quickly became an annual treat six, maybe seven years ago.