The Journal

Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Brent Holzapfel Judge Jennifer Willis marks down the height of a Webster student's ice cream cone

Peaches 'n' cream, passion peach and french vanilla tantalized the taste buds of contestants in the first annual Tallest Ice Cream Cone Contest Oct. 28.

Students, faculty and staff gathered in Marletto's Marketplace to compete in a battle of skill to build the tallest ice cream cone at Webster. Twenty-nine ice cream cones were judged on height and best decoration, with prizes given to the victors.

Webster's first annual Tallest Ice Cream Cone Contest was coordinated by Barb Ehnes, director of media and community relations. The ice cream was provided free of charge by Joe Harvey, campus dining manager.

"Years ago we challenged the development office to a tallest ice cream contest," Ehnes said. "It was a lot of fun and I think it's a good idea to have activities in the cafeteria. Plus, it involves everyone."

The ranks poured into the cafeteria shortly after noon. Many were surprised and delighted to learn of the contest and more importantly - free dessert. Contestants received a small ice cream cone after registering and waited in the constantly moving line for the ice cream dispenser.

The frozen treat of the day was actually non-fat and low-fat frozen yogurt, which swirled out of the dispenser as each hopeful walked the path of victory or doom toward the judges.

"It's really a skill, because it is soft-serve yogurt it can be runny and making it to the judges is hard without it falling down," Ehnes said.

While none of the contestants lost their creations on the way to the judges, several experienced disaster at the machine.

Christine Wells-Eason, director of media relations, participated in the contest after learning about it through e-mail. She considered herself a shoe-in, having recently married an engineer, and felt she could easily make a sound structure out of the runny mess. She was wrong.

"The speed at which the ice cream comes out of the machine and the softness were not working in my favor," Wells-Eason said. "It really is a battle between the person, the machine and the materials."

Another victim of the dispenser was sophomore Brett Mueller, an education major, whose ice cream ended up in a bowl, upside down.

"I was going for a massive one," Mueller said of his attempt at a towering masterpiece.

Continued...

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