iPod. iTunes. iMac. iBook. iPhone. iCream?

Last night I experienced the “i” invasion on a whole new level. Though I’m pretty sure the futuristic ice cream shop that we visited in edgy Wicker Park isn’t actually associated with the Apple enterprise, it’s certainly cashing in on the techie appeal of all things “i.”

I learned last semester, watching the addictive Bravo reality show, Top Chef, that there is an entire movement in the culinary world dedicated to playing around with food and technology. iCream is the closest I’ve come to enjoying the fruits of “molecular gastronomy” myself, and it was pretty awe-inspiring (both in taste and experience).

The design of the shop was not entirely unique. Given the recent popularity of frozen yogurt and the proliferation of trendy spots to enjoy it, the bright, modern, space-themed interior was nothing new. But, what I saw where vanilla, chocolate, rocky road, etc. are usually listed made my head spin.

According to the menu board, picking your dessert is a four-step process

1.     Decide exactly what kind of delicious dessert you want: ice cream, light ice cream, yogurt (fat free or otherwise), sorbet, or even pudding!

2.     Pick your base flavor. They have all the typical choices, plus a few interesting ones like honey and hazelnut.

3.     Choose some mix-ins: candy, fruit, nuts, etc

(I know you are thinking this is pretty standard, but does DQ or Hagen Daaz let you choose your…

4.     Color! Vanilla can be green, or mint purple!

I ended up staying pretty tame with my creation: vanilla with nutella and graham cracker crust, and I left out the last step (It’s a fun idea, and I know it wouldn’t change the taste, but something about blue ice cream grossed me out).

Tough decisions out of the way, you get to watch them literally take the concoction of ingredients you selected, and transform it into ice cream, all with the help of liquid nitrogen and a custom version of the old Kitchenaid MixMaster. With a cloud of smoke, a whir of the blender, and some skillful stirring by the girl behind the counter (I hope she’s getting paid more than the one who works at Ben & Jerry’s), your own unique iCream materializes. Smooth and airy, my masterpiece was honestly some of the best tasting ice cream I’ve ever had, and it certainly was the most fun