Ice cream frozen just for you

OREM — When Jerry Hancock dons a lab coat, turns on the liquid nitrogen and applies the principles of science, he's not just making a chemistry experiment.

He's making a bowl of ice cream.

"It's not just ice cream, although that's what we're selling," said Hancock, owner of Sub Zero, a new ice cream store located at 934 N. State. "It's the experience."

To be sure, the ice cream at Hancock's store is a novelty — customers can order individually mixed ice cream servings, frozen on the spot with liquid nitrogen.

According to Hancock, freezing ice cream servings individually allows him to have more versatility with the texture of the ice cream, ranging from a powder-like substance to the more familiar soft scoop. The faster he freezes his mixture, the smaller the crystals are, and the creamier the ice cream.

Hancock's ice cream "experiment" starts with some pre-made base vanilla and chocolate mixtures in a small refrigerator. He then adds other ingredients such as fresh fruit, cookies, caramel or butterscotch to the mix and blends them together.

Then, Hancock approaches a giant stainless steel tank and opens a valve that releases the liquid nitrogen right onto the mixture.

As the mixture freezes, the nitrogen turns into a fog rising from the bowl.

"I thought it was a great, fun concept," Hancock said. "I really like science, and I just thought, when I came across the idea, that most fun things in science are too hard to make safe, except this."

According to Hancock, his process of making ice cream is as safe as any. Though the nitrogen could freeze skin or asphyxiate a person if inhaled in large quantities, Hancock said any real danger is unlikely.

Hancock, 37, graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry before trying his hand in the food industry with a New York Burrito franchise one year ago. He said he came across an article one day that told about science experiments involving liquid nitrogen and ice cream and decided to try something a little different.

After selling his ice cream at several Utah County fairs this summer, Hancock opened his ice cream counter in the same building as the New York Burrito one month ago.

"It's exciting," said Bonnie Gruenebaum, an Orem resident who tried the ice cream for the first time Wednesday night. "I think it's going to go over real well once people try it."

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com

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