Jody Spraker-Pozen, flavor artist at Scoop ice cream shop (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
When Jody Spraker-Pozen landed a job scooping ice cream at Baskin-Robbins during college, she never imagined that one day she would earn the title of ice cream flavor artist. Although that early gig started as a way to earn extra cash between classes, Spraker-Pozen says she always remembers the smiles that ice cream brought to customers’ faces.
Today, Spraker-Pozen is the cool curator behind the 10 year-round signature flavors at Strawberry Street ice cream parlor Scoop. She was the shop’s first official employee, and after managing the kitchen for a year and building the team, she transitioned into her current role.
When Scoop first opened in 2018, Spraker-Pozen had been experimenting with ice cream in her own kitchen for several years. Without much professional experience in the ice cream industry, but with uninhibited enthusiasm for the creativity it inspired, she reached out to Scoop founder Morgan Botwinick (current owner Paula Demmert took over the shop in early 2020), who suggested taking a Penn State course on commercial ice cream production. Originally serving as a kitchen manager, Spraker-Pozen took over as flavor artist in 2019, but her impact on the business has been present from day one.
Aspiring to make every ice cream a unique experience for customers, Spraker-Pozen puts her own spin on the classics, creating flavors such as Brown Sugar Cookie Dough, Mint Cookies and Cream, and Roasted Strawberry.
“It’s a question of, how can I make this a little more interesting, still really good, but something you’re not just going to make in your own kitchen?” Spraker-Pozen says.
While she serves up classics with a twist, seasonal flavors are her forte, with the shop rotating through about 50 flavors each year.
“When I traveled in Morocco, I loved the scent of the blooming orange blossoms and how the flavor was used in many of their traditional desserts. So, when I wanted to re-create a Creamsicle flavor, one of my childhood favorites, that came to mind as a way of making it more delicate and interesting,” Spraker-Pozen says.
She also draws inspiration from closer to home. Last summer, while dining at Brenner Pass in Scott’s Addition, Spraker-Pozen tasted a strawberry parfait dessert that was coupled with savory sesame sticks. Discovering a love of sesame sticks paired with something sweet, she incorporated them into her Vegan Chocolate Sesame recipe.
Sometimes Spraker-Pozen’s childhood memories are the impetus for new flavors. The Chocolate Silk Pie flavor was inspired by a family recipe for black-bottom pie, often enjoyed in celebration of her father’s birthday.
"Ice cream is such a good medium for exploring memories and flavor, imparting your own viewpoint, and sharing experiences,” she says.
Spraker-Pozen crafts each flavor with an eye toward complementary tastes and textures, creating more depth than sheer sweetness by introducing salty, tart and even bitter notes, as showcased in her Tahini and Halva ice cream that features the sesame-based Middle Eastern condiment and confection.
“I love sweet, salty combinations, so you’ll see a lot of that in the menu,” she says. “I like incorporating elements like a ‘tart fruit swirl’ or ‘salty oat crumble’ that gives your palate a break from the sweetness.”
Bringing a flavor from concept to production typically takes a few weeks. In Scoop’s fifth year, Spraker-Pozen is rarely starting from scratch anymore. There are elements of future flavors that have already been perfected, such as Scoop’s fudge swirl recipe, which can easily be incorporated into various recipes. When she’s testing a new ice cream, Spraker-Pozen starts by making a few small batches at home with her daughter as her first taste tester before making a larger batch in the Scoop kitchen.
Spraker-Pozen says Richmond is the perfect audience for intriguing flavors; she often pilots fresh creations through Scoop’s Pint Club, which provides members with three pints of ice cream each month: a signature flavor, a seasonal flavor and one that’s exclusive to members. It’s through this avenue that Spraker-Pozen often discovers the flavor profiles customers enjoy most.
“Richmond is a welcoming place for entrepreneurs, and there’s a home-team enthusiasm,” she says. “It’s a very accessible city to try something new.”
Spraker-Pozen says she’ll often go into Scoop and chat with customers to hear what they think of the flavors, while keeping her identity under wraps. An amateur turned connoisseur, her passion and imagination have allowed her to craft a sweet haven that aims to bring enjoyment to all who enter.
Spraker-Pozen continues to carry the same motivation and purpose that her college ice cream-scooping days sparked for her — bringing smiles to guests’ faces. “I just want to be the high point of people’s day — to bring a smile, to bring joy. It sounds simple, but I’m glad to be a part of that.”
Jody’s Top Picks by Season:
Summer
Blood Orange Creamsicle: Bright and refreshing blood orange meets sweet cream in Scoop’s sophisticated spin on this childhood favorite.
Fall
Maple Butter Pecan: Velvety maple ice cream studded with buttery, salty pecans
Winter
Peppermint Bark: Peppermint ice cream accented by dark chocolate bark made with candy cane pieces
Spring
Lemon Shortbread (gluten free): Delightfully tart lemon ice cream with chewy shortbread cookie pieces, made without gluten
Vegan or Nondairy Options
Vegan Chocolate Oreo (new to the menu) or one of Spraker-Pozen’s daughter’s favorites, Tropical Mango Sorbet
