Brooklyn born and raised, Jenn Nemeth knows a thing or two about good ice cream in the Quiet Corner. Summer work at The Ice Box not only honed her scooping skills, but those for business as well. While the temperatures are dropping, The Ice Box is heating up (couldn’t help it) with seasonal flavors and pints to go! I’m already picturing our Thanksgiving dessert table with several of her fall flavors. Jenn is a Quiet Corner Mama of two little ones who are, no doubt, pretty proud of their mom’s job. I’m reminded of the idea that if you were to meet the nine year old version of yourself, what would they think? In Jenn’s case, I think she’d be delighted.
Quiet Corner Mama Interview with Jenn Nemeth, co-owner of @theiceboxct with her husband Matt.
They have two beautiful kids - Arlo, age 5, and Wynton, age 2.
Open every day 11am - 9pm.
17 South Main Street, Brooklyn CT
- Alright first things first, desert island scenario, you can only bring one flavor...
Vanilla - it’s the purest of flavors and if I’m on an island I can add all sorts of tropical delights to it!
- How'd you come into running The Ice Box?
I worked at The Ice Box in high school and spent two of my best summers there. The previous owner, Mrs. Ventura, was wonderful at setting you up for success in other jobs. Over the years I had two other careers but I was never happy in them. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do other than sell ice cream. Who really does that though? That’s not something adults can just do without people thinking your a little nuts.
After we had Wyn I knew I didn’t want to go back to the State’s Attorney’s Office so I wrote Mrs. V and the rest is history.
- What's your favorite part about having your business in the quiet corner?
I love everything about the quiet corner. That’s why I always stayed in town. My husband is from South Eastern, CT and fell in love with this area too. The close-knit community feeling is the perfect place to raise kids and our business. Knowing generations of families have been raised going to The Ice Box. I couldn’t imagine my own kids and their friends not having that chance growing up.
- How do you come up with your creations?
I did a lot of research about the popularity of standard ice cream flavors prior to opening and that was how we started. Once we started really making batches in that first week I kind of threw all my internet research out the window and went with my gut. Literally, I just make what I want to eat. It seems to be working though because other people like our more unique flavors too!
- Talk to me about these Thanksgiving flavors!
Before having kids I used to bake a lot. The Thanksgiving flavors this year are all based off my favorite fall baking recipes I've been making for years. I just had to modify them to work as ice cream instead. The sweet potato cake for example is the dessert I made for our wedding in October of 2012. Since I’m still in my first year of making ice cream my safety net is always to go back to baking and make it work for our new venture. When this first Fall came it took me right back to our wedding and I just had to make it part of our flavor lineup.
- What's the cost for a pint? Any limits per customer ;) ?
A pint cost $10 and there is certainly no limit! Because our ice cream is so creamy the pints tend to last longer than store bought ice cream would. Of course that is not always the case!!
- What are you most looking forward to on Thanksgiving? Any special traditions or exciting additions to your menu?
We stay local for Thanksgiving and are excited for a day of much needed rest with family. Until then we are busy making our specialty cakes (a layer of ice cream and cake with complementing icing and filing) more information about those can be found on our website www.theiceboxct.com
Sounds just lovely, doesn't it? Have you been to the Ice Box lately? Let us know your favorite flavor next time you go! Know a Quiet Corner Mama we should talk to? LMK at chelseabaum@macaronikid.com
