Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Summer may be winding down, but we’re not quite ready to let go of beach days, backyard cookouts, or ice cream cones. We love ice cream here at SciFri, so we’re pulling a few of our favorite ice cream science stories out of the freezer this week.

Back in 2015, ice cream expert Maya Warren sat down with Host Ira Flatow to help us understand a science mystery of “unmeltable” ice cream that made the evening news in Cincinnati.

That same summer, Ira spoke to Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks, and Brian Smith, founder of Ample Hills Creamery, who give us science-backed tips for making smooth, velvety ice cream at home.

Guests:
Maya Warren is an ice cream expert and Ph.D. Candidate in food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jeff Potter is the author of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Cooks, and Good Food — Second Edition and a software engineer in New York, New York.
Brian Smith is the owner of Ample Hills Creamery and co-author of Ample Hills Creamery: Secrets and Stories from Brooklyn’s Favorite Ice Cream Shop, based in Brooklyn, New York

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