Parkerhouse Ice Cream

Last year, a New York State ice cream manufacturer (Perry's) celebrated its 100th anniversary by bringing back several flavors of ice cream they were no longer making, but were once popular.

I absolutely fell in love with one of those flavors, which is called Parkerhouse.

What is a Parkerhouse?  Well, it could be a historic hotel located in Boston, Massachusetts.  The fine food served by the Parker House back in the 1850's attracted thousands of people to dine there.  If you've ever heard of Parkerhouse rolls or Boston Cream Pie, you have eaten food created by the Parker House.

And the best part - the hotel is still open, after 165 years.  Someone I work with even visited them last year.

So, what about Parkerhouse ice cream?  It dates from the 1950's but was bought back last year on a limited basis.  It is amaretto ice cream with marachino cherries.  But how did it get its name?

I don't know, and it intrigues me.

 For me, it was instant love-one of my favorite ice cream flavors ever.  So when it disappeared from stores last fall, I was crushed.

About three weeks ago we took a trip, and stopped at a convenience store for some refreshments.  In their freezer was Parkerhouse ice cream. Could it be?

When we got home, we went to our local store, and there it was. I don't know if it's back for good but apparently it might be.

Although I'm on Weight Watchers, I make room for it, eating 1/3 of a cup at a time served on top of fruit.

I still don't know if the ice cream flavor has anything to do with the Parker House. If so, it has a distinguished history.  If not, how did it get its name?

Does anyone have any idea? (Of course, I could ask Perry's Ice Cream, but that would be too easy.)