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Dawn Dummer of Houghton Lake (center) is the first place winner in the Pure Michigan “Create a Flavor” ice cream contest. Standing with her are judges (from left) Jimmy McGrath, 15, of Carleton; Noah Ekdom, 12, of Roscommon; and Lexi Loehfelm, 11, of Ada, along with Meijer Corporate Research Chef Ray Sierengowski.
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And the winner is...Pure Michigan Caramel Apple! This flavor, created by Dawn Dummer of Houghton Lake, has been selected as the Official Ice Cream of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Pure Michigan. The lightly flavored green apple ice cream swirled with Michigan apple and Michigan caramel was voted the winner out of four finalists at a tasting event held Feb. 21.
The DNR joined with Hudsonville Ice Cream and Pure Michigan to launch the “Create a Flavor” contest in January, and interest was immediate. More than 3,000 flavor suggestions were submitted, ranging from Tahquamenon Falls Root Beer Sundae to Hex Hatch Jubilee, each evoking the sights, sounds and nostalgia of getting away from it all in Michigan’s great outdoors.
As the winning flavor, Pure Michigan Caramel Apple will serve as the official ice cream of Michigan state parks and Pure Michigan, and will be distributed to Meijer and other retail outlets and ice cream parlors throughout Michigan and the Midwest.
The ice cream also will be handed out at stops along the DNR’s statewide RV ice cream tour to help promote Recreation 101, the DNR’s popular outreach/education program at Michigan state parks. Meijer will serve as the official retail partner in this campaign, set to begin in early May.
For submitting the winning flavor combination, Dummer has earned sweet bragging rights, along with free Hudsonville ice cream for a year, a one-week stay in a Michigan state park or harbor of her choice, a $1,000 Meijer gift card and Pure Michigan merchandise.
The other finalists were:
- Michigan Chocolate Covered Cherries, submitted by Heather Klaver of Grand Rapids.
- Pure Michigan Jubilee, submitted by Gary Kesler of Grandville.
- Shiver MI Timbers, submitted by Carla Reczek of Oak Park.
Serving as the contest judges were the 2012 Outstanding Outdoor Kids selected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Lexi Loehfelm, 11, of Ada; Noah Ekdom, 12, of Roscommon; and Jimmy McGrath, 15, of Carleton, along with Meijer Corporate Research Chef Ray Sierengowski.
“Pure Michigan focuses on the people, places, opportunities and treasures that are uniquely Michigan,” Finney said. “Meijer, Hudsonville and several state agencies found a fun way to connect people to our wealth of recreation opportunities, while embracing the unique taste of Michigan.”
Look for Pure Michigan Caramel Apple ice cream this spring in stores and ice cream shops throughout Michigan.
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