Sweet Spot

An Ice Cream Binge Across America

By: Amy Ettinger

Narrated by: Kathleen McInerney

A journalist channels her ice-cream obsession, scouring the United States for the best artisanal brands and delving into the surprising history of ice cream and frozen treats in America.

For Amy Ettinger, ice cream is not just a delicious snack but a circumstance and a time of year—frozen forever in memory. As the youngest child and only girl, ice cream embodied unstructured summers, freedom from the tyranny of her classmates, and a comforting escape from her chaotic, demanding family.

Now as an adult and journalist, her love of ice cream has led to a fascinating journey to understand ice cream’s evolution and enduring power, complete with insight into the surprising history behind America’s early obsession with ice cream and her experience in an immersive ice-cream boot camp to learn from the masters. From a visit to the one place in the United States that makes real frozen custard in a mammoth machine known as the Iron Lung, to the vicious competition among small ice-cream makers and the turf wars among ice-cream trucks, to extreme flavors like foie gras and oyster, Ettinger encounters larger-than-life characters and uncovers what’s really behind America’s favorite frozen treats.

Sweet Spot is a fun and spirited exploration of a treat Americans can’t get enough of—one that transports us back to our childhoods and will have you walking to the nearest shop for a cone.

**Includes Bonus PDF with Recipes

Critic reviews

Praise for Sweet Spot

“A surprisingly serious, impressively thorough treatment of ice cream’s cultural significance, fabrication, economics and history, not to mention its effect on human brain chemistry.” —Wall Street Journal

“[Ettinger’s] richly entertaining, easy-to-read narrative is infused with history, recipes and the science behind what makes for delicious—and sometimes not-so-delicious—flavors....Ettinger piles on double and triple scoops of fun information that offers literary deliciousness for ice cream lovers everywhere.”—Shelf Awareness

“A breezy, appealing book...you don’t have to be a foodie to savor [Ettinger’s] tribute to a summer staple...Her travelogue is a scoop of fun for everyone.”—BookPage

“In this breezy part memoir, part frozen-treat homage, journalist Ettinger takes readers on a tour of some of her favorite ice cream memories...A light, fun read for those who want some ice cream history along with their sundae.”—Library Journal

“Ettinger's book will be a vicarious treat for fellow addicts.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Sweet Spot is an American epic told by an adventurous soul with an ice cream obsession. Wonderfully entertaining, witty and smart, superbly researched, and filled with a colorful cast of ice cream aficionados and fanatics, this book feels destined to become a classic for foodies and history buffs alike.”—Elizabeth McKenzie, author of The Portable Veblen

“Amy Ettinger has written such a charming and passionate love story that you'll feel like maybe ice cream is what you need more of in your life. Because it's also a world view in a cone, this book, and it's just what we need right now: equal parts comfort and thrills, luscious escapism and delightfully obsessive reality, and pure, cover-to-cover yumminess.”—Catherine Newman, author of Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness

“An energetic romp through the history of ice cream in America. Science, politics, race, gender, class –Ettinger considers it all as she interviews ice cream icons, idealists, and innovators. With strong reporting full of heart, Ettinger takes us beyond sugar and cream to bring us the full story of America’s favorite dessert.”—Jessica Fechtor, New York Times bestselling author of Stir

“Whether chasing down butter pecan frozen custard in Cream City, USA, Mister Softee slugfests in Brooklyn, or candy cap mushroom gelato made from water buffalo milk in northern California, Amy Ettinger gets the scoop on ice cream's rich and wonderful past, present, and future.”—Rien Fertel, author of The One True Barbecue

Interesting stories and great research

Learned a lot about the ice cream industry and the drama that went on in the business. I now look at a scoop of ice cream differently, thinking of it more than just as a dessert. Loved the fact that author added her personal anecdotes to the ice cream stories.

What a treat!

Very much enjoyed this book. Amy's journey for ice cream was both refreshing and insightful. I was pleasantly surprised by the numerous historical additions she wonderfully incorporated in her story telling.

I'm looking forward to making some small journeys with my family to try out some of the spots she visited. Thank you Amy for perusing your passion for all things ice cream and for sharing!

Left me Cold

I was hoping for an ice cream adventure but this was a memoir by a mean girl. Too much about her own experience which was much ado about nothing. She clearly didn't take off her sunglasses when she visited Milwaukee or she would have discovered more beauty and great ice cream in addition to the custard. Her superficial presentation of my own foodie backyard made me doubt her analysis of others. Also, narrators need to know how to pronounce people's names. Bud Selig was the Commissioner of Baseball! His name is pronounced like see not sell. Even Gilles Custard was mispronounced. If you want an ice cream adventure talk to local foodies and leave this book on the shelf.