A ‘Berry’ Tasty Tradition: Ice Cream Named for Skorton

The formalities and pageantry of President David Skorton’s inauguration today will take on a sweeter side with the unveiling of the “Banana-Berry Skorton” ice cream flavor by the Cornell Dairy.
The new flavor, which will be formally revealed to the public at the reception following the inaugural ceremony, is a premium chocolate ice cream flavored with banana and raspberry swirls. The flavor has met with the approval of Robin Davisson, President Skorton’s wife, and her staff, according to the Cornell News Service.
3,500 individual serving cups of Banana-Berry Skorton were created for the inauguration, involving 100 gallons of Cornell chocolate ice cream, 11 gallons of red raspberry sauce, 11 gallons of chocolate flakes, and “a few” pounds of banana flavoring.
The flavor follows a tradition of inaugural ice creams at Cornell stretching back to former President Hunter R. Rawlings III was inaugurated in 1995, the “Inaugural Swirl,” a chocolate-based mocha swirl, was born. The 2003 inauguration for President Jeffrey S. Lehman ’77 featured the interestingly-named “Ezra and Andrew’s World View, ” an espresso ice cream with a fudge swirl, “hints” of cinnamon and vanilla, and crushed hazelnuts and pecans.
President-themed ice creams have also been developed outside of inaugurations, starting with the self-descriptive “Rocky Rhodes,” which was created for President H. T. Rhodes’ retirement in 1995.
— Compiled by Chris Barnes