The flat, stainless-steel circles that top Chaos & Cream’s cart are your first clues that there are no Choco Tacos or Bomb Pops here. Instead, devotees line up to watch dessert alchemy unfold with a considerably more delicious result: Thai-style rolled ice cream. First, a liquid base—made with local Robinson Dairy milk—is poured onto one of the work surfaces, which are chilled to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a pair of metal spatulas, the purveyor smooths the base and integrates the add-ins of your choosing; popular flavor combos include strawberry with fresh basil and the Cookie Jar, which consists of chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and Oreos. Once the thinly spread mixture freezes, it’s carefully scraped into neat spirals and arranged in a cup. And unlike your neighborhood ice cream truck, Chaos & Cream doesn’t make you chase it down the street. The mobile operation sets up shop at the Source Monday through Thursday nights and will be at the Cherry Creek, Stapleton, and Boulder farmers’ markets throughout the summer. 720-504-7655

This article was originally published in 5280 May 2017.
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin is a writer living in Westminster, and has been covering food and sustainability in the Centennial State for more than five years.