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Couqito is one of those flavors we only make once a year - and with good reason! Coquito (in its liquid form) originated in Puerto Rico and traditionally served during the Christmas season. Translating to “little coconut”, Coquito (the drink) consists of coconut milk, coconut cream, sweet condensed milk, and Puerto Rican Rum. But since recipes vary family to family and evolve as generations pass it down you may never taste the same drink twice! In fact, it was one of our J.P. Licks team members with a family recipe for Coquito who approached Vince about 12 years ago, proposing they turn his own family’s traditional recipe into one of our featured ice cream flavors. He and Vince worked together to turn a generations old recipe into what you taste today in our stores. We use real rum in our ice cream and load it with coconut and cinnamon.

Several Caribbean countries have variations of the drink - Cuba has Creme de Vie, in Haiti they enjoy Kremas, Mexico serves Rompope, and in Venezuela the holiday drink to savor is Ponche Crema. Here at J.P. Licks, come in starting December 16th to enjoy our Coquito Ice Cream, especially on December 21st, National Coquito Day!

August 9th is National Book Lovers Day and we decided to team up with our Assembly Row neighbors, All She Wrote Books. we're celebrating with our Somerville neighbor, All She Wrote Books. All She Wrote Books, founded by Christina Pascucci Ciampa, opened in Assembly Row just over a year ago. We thrilled at the edition to a bookstore in the Row - we picture people picking up a new book to read and then sitting down in any of the copious outdoor seating made available by the folks at the Row with their favorite flavor of ice cream and getting lost in stories. So when we saw this year's National Book Lovers Day coming up on the calendar, we reached out to Christina and asked if she would like to partner. The plan we came up with is simple - purchase a children's book, a chapter book, or a young adult novel on 8/9, then come into our Assembly Row store with proof of purchase for a $1.00 off your order.

The day was successful! Lots of you stopped by to pick up books by familiar and new authors for your little ones. We're looking forward to future events with the All She Wrote Books team - stay tuned for more as we move into the Fall!

Back in 2020, we began a collaboration with our Newbury Street neighbors, Johnny Cupcakes. Johnny Earle, founder of Johnny Cupcakes, and Vincent Petryk, founder of J.P. Licks, sat down to talk unique flavors and t-shirt designs.

We were all set to go come early Spring, 2020. Obviously, things were put on hold for a while. It took several tries to get just the right level of smokiness in our new Applewood Smoked Vanilla ice cream last year but we had the recipe and kept it tucked in our big recipe book. Once we knew we could launch everything in 2021, Johnny and Vince worked together to update the t-shirt design to reflect their 20th anniversary and our 40th.

Both the tee and the ice cream flavor are available for a limited time in all J.P. Licks stores and you can order the t-shirt from our website. Vincent and Johnny love seeing these sweet treats as unique as their businesses now available to you!

It has been two Marathon Mondays since we have seen a sea of runners go past our stores. We have seriously missed the energy this day brings to our "race adjacent" stores. Both the runners themselves but all of the people who come out to cheer them on. Both strangers and friends alike stand on the sidewalks and cheer and we revel in the energy you brint to our "race adjacent" stores - Wellesley, Coolidge Corner, Newbury Street, Boylston Street, Charles Street - we love being so close to the route that we can hear the cheers, see the silver blankets, and help you refuel for more cheering! The race is supposed to return to the street this Fall - until then, keep training and stop by to say HELLO anytime. Thanks to WBZ for bringing us all together for this Spring's Marathon Monday.

Have you ever wondered why you don't find our Infused White Coffee Chunk Ice Cream anywhere else? Simply put, it's because we infuse the ice cream with coffee beans we roast right here in Jamaica Plain! Our production team put together a little video of the process. Enjoy and then come on in to any of our 17 stores to enjoy the flavor in a cup, cone, in a lixwich, or sundae!

Janae Marks wrote the book “From the Desk of Zoe Washington”, set in Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge, MA. One of the places Zoe and her friends and family visit is the J.P. Licks in Davis Square and we just had to sit down and chat with her about how she came to set some of her story at J.P. Licks!

1. How did you decide where to set Zoe’s story? Did you grow up or go to school near Davis Square?

I went to college at Tufts University, so I lived on campus down the road from Davis Square for several years. I loved walking to Davis Square to hang out, watch a movie, and grab J.P. Licks!

2. Where did your idea for Zoe’s story come from?

What inspired me to write this story was a podcast! Back in 2014, I was obsessed with the first season of Serial, which told the story of a man who is in prison for murder, but many believe could be innocent of the crime. After the season ended, I kept thinking about wrongful convictions, and wondered how often they happen. Since I write for kids, I started to wonder what it’s like to have a parent in prison, and what it would be like to find out that they might actually be innocent. Zoe Washington was born from there!

I decided to make Zoe an aspiring pastry chef because I love watching baking competition shows, like Kids’ Baking Championship on the Food Network. I thought it’d be fun to have Zoe be as passionate about baking as the kids on those shows.

3. Can you tell us a little bit more about the Innocence Project, the organization that helps Zoe?

The Innocence Project is an organization that uses DNA testing to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. They also help reform the criminal justice system. You can learn more about them on their website: innocenceproject.org/.

4. Did you have to spend a lot of time researching for the book? Did you describe Davis Square and Harvard Square from memory or did you come back and take a lot of pictures?

Yes, I spent a lot of time researching wrongful convictions, systemic racism within the criminal justice system, The Innocence Project, and baking! I actually described Davis and Harvard Square from memory, with the help of Google images.

4. Did you have a best friend growing up that lived next door to you? And did you have a fight with them one summer too?

I never had a best friend live right next door to me. The conflict between Zoe and Trevor is fictional, but I did have an experience in the sixth grade that led to me losing friends. It’s so common for friendships from elementary school to change once kids get to middle school, so I wanted to explore that theme.

5. What’s your favorite song? Do you write about it in “From the Desk of Zoe Washington”?

Growing up, I loved Mariah Carey, which is why I included “One Sweet Day” (her duet with Boyz II Men) in the book. I listened to that album, Daydream, constantly when I was Zoe’s age. Listening to it now still brings back memories of that time!

6. Do you also bake cupcakes? Or do you enjoy eating them more? What’s your favorite flavor of cupcake?

When I wrote this book, I wasn’t much of a baker, even though I love those baking competition shows. But I’ve been baking more lately! I’d still rather eat cupcakes than bake them, but it’s pretty satisfying to make them yourself. My favorite flavor is similar to Trevor’s - chocolate!

7. When you were growing up, did you want to be a baker? Or have you always wanted to be a writer? Or have you always had more than one dream and what do you say to young people who want to grow up to be more than one thing?

I never wanted to be a baker. I didn’t even know I wanted to be an author until I was in college! Growing up, I actually wanted to be a Broadway actress. I eventually realized I liked writing stories more than performing in them, so I pivoted to creative writing. I think all young people should figure out what they love, and follow their passion - wherever it takes them!

8. Zoe’s cupcake flavor invention reminds us of our Fruity Pebbles Cereal Milk ice cream. Have you ever tried it? Have you ever baked Zoe’s cupcake invention?

I’ve never had that ice cream but it sounds good! I have made Zoe’s cupcake invention, and I also posted it to my website here!

9. Was the Davis Square J.P. Licks your go-go ice cream store when you were here?

Yes! I went to the stores in Davis Square and Harvard Square all the time. Even now, whenever I visit Boston or Tufts, I always stop by to grab some.

10. What is your favorite flavor? (Is it the same as Zoe or her mom’s?)

My favorite flavors are Coconut Almond Chip (what Zoe’s mom orders in the book) and Coffee Cookies ‘n’ Cream!

11. Do you still write letters to people and send them via the mail (with stamps!!)?

I hadn’t in a long time, but now I get to send mail to readers! I try to reply to all fan mail I receive, and I also include notes when I send signed bookplates or bookmarks to readers. (If anyone wants one, they can reach out through my website!)

12. Are you writing another book now? Will ice cream or cupcakes be a big part of that book too?

I’m finishing up edits on my second middle grade novel, which will be out in September 2021. Unfortunately ice cream and cupcakes don’t play a part this time, but there is a scene featuring snickerdoodle cookies!

Thanks so much for reading From the Desk of Zoe Wasington, and interviewing me. I can’t wait to be able to visit Boston and have your ice cream again!

Last month we started making deliveries to firehouses in our different neighborhoods. So far, we've visited 15 around town and we have noticed a bit of a pattern. Each time we ring the bell with our big freezer bag packed with a tub of ice cream, spoons, cups, napkins, and 3 different types of toppings, the door is answered by a firefighter with a slightly guarded, concerned look on their face. "Can we help you?" And then we start to explain who we are and why we're there. "Hi, our customers supported the campaign to bring you ice cream as a thank you for all you've done and continue to do during this pandemic so we have some ice cream for you and everyone in the house."

To a person, their faces fill with huge grins (that we can sometimes see because we stay more than 6 feet from the door) or their eyes crinkle up with excitment, or they say, "really? for us?" and then they call over one of their crew mates. "Hey, check it out, ice cream!" They universally seem to turn into little kids for a moment, full of delight. It brings us so much joy to see how happy it makes them, to see that ice cream truly does make people happy, no matter how old they are. And we are so grateful to everyone who has made these interactions possible. Who have made it possible to bring this joy to these first responders in our neighborhoods.

We have a few more deliveries to do and we look forward to each and every smile.

Thank you.