EASTHAMPTON, Mass. - He was an engineer for over a decade before a desire to make people happy and be creative led Jim Ingram down a path toward cold sweets.
“I was sitting across from my dad who had just retired from his ice cream shop and I thought, ‘Well, maybe that’s what I’m meant to do,’” Ingram, owner and founder of Mt. Tom’s Ice Cream Shop, said. “So I started the conversation with my dad, convinced him, after a long conversation, to convince him to back me so to speak, not financially, but with all of his knowledge.”
In what he called a “brave new adventure,” Ingram traded his cubicle for a batch freezer and candy store.
In 2003, Ingram opened up his new homemade ice cream shop, where he would continue a family tradition.
“Going to make a batch of vanilla right now. It’s generally the first batch of the day that I make,” said Ingram. “Everyday it’s a pure two full vanilla that I use from Madagascar. Expensive, but very good stuff.”
After letting his mix sit in his batch freezer, a fresh batch of vanilla begins to swirl.
“So this comes out of the machines around 30 degrees or so. It’s still kind of soft serve consistency, which is nice because if it was a flavor like chocolate chip or cookie dough,” Ingram said. “I’m going top pull out a little bit at a time and start swirling different inclusions like chips or cookie dough or fudge swirl.”
Ingram adored his childhood days of smelling waffle cones and enjoying a soft serve at his local ice cream shop, and said he wants to create ice cream that can serve as positive memories for young people growing up.
“Making specials and new flavors,” said Ingram. “To me, that’s one of the most fun parts of the job is the creativity of creating a flavor that no ones ever had or at least no ones ever had here.”
Serving positive memories, one scoop at a time.