About a year and a half ago, I fulfilled a life dream: I toured the Blue Bell Creameries factory in Brenham, Texas.
Blue Bell ice cream is a way of life in the Lone Star State, and one of the many reasons why Texas is the best state in America (yeah, yeah, it's in other states too, fine). Earlier this year--132 days ago to be exact--this wonderful company experienced a strand of bacteria that invaded its factories. It was taken off shelves of local HEBs and Krogers statewide and other (lamer) ice creams got a major boost in sales.
But today, August 31, the famine ended.
If you looked on social media today, you would've thought the great rains had come after a generation-long drought (which kind of happened this summer too). That the prodigal son had come home. That another A&M player had won the Heisman.
Really, though, it was just ice cream.
Okay, okay, the "just" is kind of uncalled for. I, like everyone else, have been anxiously awaiting the return and realize Blue Bell is more than just a brand of ice cream. It leaves that smooth feeling in your mouth, cool and savory and sentimental.
I think all the hoopla comes from a sense that Blue Bell represents that sweet, slow Texas lifestyle everyone kind of idealizes. And a summer without it just doesn't really feel like a real summer in this weird and wonderful state. Blue Bell reminds us of hot afternoons by the pool, Coke floats at our grandparents' houses, and homemade vanilla in a cone on the 4th of July.
It's part of our Texas identity. Yes, it's ice cream. Yes, sometimes it costs $6 for a half gallon and sometimes that seems a little pricey. Yes, the fact that HEB was totally sold out by 6am was a little alarming. And yes, it's embarrassing to admit that I'm considering waking up in the middle of the night to make sure I get that half gallon of Cookies n Creme because I know when the Blue Bell truck rolls into College Station (but I'm not revealing my secrets).
The craze is undeniably insane. But it's for reasons like this where I just toss back my head and laugh. This life is full of joy. And sometimes it's found in a half-gallon of ice cream.
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