What will bring out the kid in all of us faster than a scoop or two of our favorite ice cream! Ann Kelly, starting the week with sweet memories from Kelly's Kitchen. I was digging through some family photos over the weekend, and found one that was taken a long time ago, with my great grandmother, and my Grandma and Grandpa Forster. It looked like it was taken at a picnic, and that always meant homemade ice cream. I can still remember the old fashioned ice cream churn, and the fresh peach ice cream they made each summer. You know, the kind of churn that used rock salt?! Nothing tasted better, since the secret ingredient was love. I miss that, and them. But I have an assignment for my fellow foodies. We have a lot of choices for working up a good case of brain freeze, so I'm asking for your help in finding the finest ice cream in Tampa Bay, as we celebrate National Ice Cream Month!

This Sunday is National Ice Cream Day, and I think it’s time we found your favorite place to indulge in a scoop…or two…or three! Here’s the deal; you can send those nominations right along to me at 949comments@coxtampa.com, or post on my Facebook page. I’ll let you all know who deserves to be recognized for bringing out the kid in all of us during these sultry Southern summer days. Can you believe one recent newspaper that failed to recognize even a single Pinellas County ice cream store? We know a lot better, so let’s find the best and spread the word! And hey, if you happen to have a picture of you and the family with ice cream cones in hand, send those along too!

And it wouldn’t be Kelly’s Kitchen without a freebie! Think of how much ice cream you could buy with a $50 gift card to Sweetbay Supermarket. Just tell me what year President Reagan declared the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day! One winner will be chosen at random, and announced this Sunday, July 17th - National Ice Cream Day. Send those replies to 949comments@coxtampa.com.

Words of Wisdom From Kelly’s Kitchen:

"Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone." Jim Fiebig