Custard Chronicles: Frozen Custard – Cup or Cone?

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- What is the best way to eat frozen custard? CBS 58's Alex Corradetti sat down with the Five Families of Frozen Custard in Milwaukee to ask their expert advice and have a little fun. 

Willy Linscott of Gilles Frozen Custard, Ron Schneider from Leon's Frozen Custard, Jeff Feist from Kopp's Frozen Custard, Jim Taylor from Oscars Frozen Custard and Craig Culver of Culvers came to our studio. 

Did you know that Milwaukee has more frozen custard stands per capita than anywhere else in the world? Frozen custard is ingrained into our culture. The iconic families talked about their history, legacy and much more.

We asked each of them, "What is the right way to eat frozen custard?"

"It is fun to lick a cone, it is great to watch kids do it. They don’t have a technique yet, but they're covered with it and all smiles," said Schneider. 

"If you're not driving your car where it gets all over you, it is definitely the cone," explained Taylor. 

"I think it’s a rite of passage as a little kid to eat it in a cone. I can't tell you how many times we have to hand out a dish and a spoon to get it under control. It's fun to watch," said Feist. 

"Today, we do not sell nearly as many cones as we do in a dish," explained Culver. 

Linscott says more often than not, people change their mind in the summer. 

"How many times have you had it happen you sure you want that in a cone? It’s a 90-degree day. Then 30 seconds later, we got the dish ready for them," said Linscott. 

Some say the cone just provides an elevated experience. 

"It's the homemade sugar cone that makes it. The cones are important," said Taylor. 

And the weather does make a big difference in preference. 

"On a warm windy day, take it in a cup. It melts quick. And it has to melt because that's how you get the flavor. Now, I could make you some frozen custard that won't melt for a few minutes... but you're not going to want to eat it because it's going to taste like frozen Crisco. At the carnival, they would say hold it high and lick it quick," joked Schneider. 

"I wanted some custard. I went through the drive at one of our restaurants. I got a waffle cone. By the time I got home, my pants had to go in the wash, my jacket had to go in the wash. I had chocolate all over me," laughed Culver. 

Taylor says when you lick a cone you're getting a very small amount of custard on your tongue. 

"It's so your tongue doesn't freeze. Like the others say, it's the temperature. So, you're getting more taste with the lick," said Taylor. 

"When it's fresh, fresh, fresh ... to bite into it ... I love that! I love biting into frozen custard," said Culver. 

"The pro move is to say, 'I'll have a cone,' and they tip it in a dish. Then they can take the cone off and put your spoon in it," explained Feist. 

Taylor says texture is important. 

"Some flavors might have chocolate chips in them or nuts and part of it is the crunch of the nuts," said Taylor. 

Kopp's always puts bonus in their cups of frozen custard. 

"We give them that little wafer in there. If they choose to have it in a dish, so they have that little extra treat in there." said Feist. 

All agree, it's just a personal preference. 

"People say eat well, eat good. I think a part that is often forgotten that is really important is... that you have to eat happy too. Frozen custard, watching it be made, the service, the people... that is our business. Eat happy, enjoy it... one bite or lick at a time," explained Linscott. 

How do you prefer to eat frozen custard? Let us know on social media! 

You can also watch our story on the culture of frozen custard here.