Americans and ice cream. Our torrid affair continues even as other countries such and China and New Zealand have begun to outpace us in the market. Still, we are champs when it comes to per-capita consumption.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, our voracious appetite for ice cream peaked in 1946 when the war ended and sugar rations were lifted. We were consuming 20 pounds each per year. Holy cow!

Today, that figure is about 9 pounds per person per year and doesn’t include frozen yogurt and all the other ice cream wannabes.

Boy, does ice cream make us happy. Do you even remember your first taste? Probably not as it was likely spooned into your mouth before you could even speak. Studies show that in the winter we typically swing by the market and pick up pints. But in summer we love to go out for cones, malts, shakes, sundaes and other fancy incarnations of the cool stuff.

So here are our favorite places to enjoy ice cream treats. You’re sure to find something to lick the summer heat.

A la Minute serves toppings on almost all their scoops. Pictured here: Salt Caramel Ice Cream comes with caramel sauce and fleur de sel. (Anne Valdespino)

Dame Blanche vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, roasted sliced almonds and a signature red dark chocolate “x,” center, is surrounded by Cafe Liegeois of coffee ice cream topped with whipped cream, coffee coulis, almond tuiles and chocolate confectionery on either side at Laguna Beach’s Moulin. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Vive la France. Dame Blanche vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, roasted sliced almonds and a signature red dark chocolate “x” symbolizing Moulin which means windmill in French. Growing up in Paris, some of owner Laurent Vrignaud most memorable childhood moments involved getting lost in the simple indulgence of a coupe glace. The former action sports executive-turned-restaurateur opened the first Moulin in 2014 in Newport Beach. The Parisian sundae is set again the French flag at Moulin’s newest Laguna Beach location. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A almond-laced cookie gives Dame Blanche vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, roasted sliced almonds and a signature red dark chocolate “x” a crunch at Moulin in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An old-fashion tulip glass holds a Parisian sundae of Dame Blanche vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, roasted sliced almonds, a signature red dark chocolate “x” and is topped with whipped cream at Moulin in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Moulin, French for windmill, was named by the owner’s mom. The bistro is reminiscent of owner Laurent Vrignaud’s childhood home in the Montmartre district of Paris. English and French is heard at this Laguna Beach sidewalk cafe. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

X marks the spot at Moulin, French for windmill. Laguna Beach bistro offers a Parisian sundae that’ll make you homesick for France. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Laguna Beach’s Moulin will cool down your summer deliciously with Laurent Vrignaud’s favorite childhood dessert, dubbed Coupe Glace. It’s located is at 248 Forest Ave. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Cafe Liegeois (coffee ice cream topped with whipped cream, coffee coulis, almond tuiles and a chocolate confectionery) has an X marks the spot dark chocolate wafer at Moulin in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Good old-fashioned malts are on the menu at Carnation Cafe at Disneyland. (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG)



Banana marshmallow ice cream at Rich Farm in Placentia. (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Forget American sundaes. At Moulin in Laguna Beach, you’ll swoon over Laurent Vrignaud’s favorite childhood dessert, Coupe Glacée. The ice cream-sundae style treat is served in vintage tulip glassware and meant for “daydreamers” sitting on bistro chairs imported from cafes surrounding the Eiffel Tower, the ever-romantic Vrignaud says. (Photo courtesy Moulin)

Parisian sundaes at Moulin: Forget American sundaes. At Moulin in Laguna Beach, you’ll swoon over Laurent Vrignaud’s favorite childhood dessert, Coupe Glacée. The ice cream-sundae style treat is served in vintage tulip glassware and meant for “daydreamers” sitting on bistro chairs imported from cafes surrounding the Eiffel Tower, the ever-romantic Vrignaud says. The former action sports executive-turned-restaurateur opened the first Moulin in 2014 in Newport Beach. From its authentic decor to its menu, Moulin is meant to bring the Paris cafe experience to Orange County.

This year, in honor of his first summer in Laguna Beach, Vrignaud decided to add the coupe glacée, a “simple indulgence” from his childhood, he said. Our favorite flavor is the Poire Belle Helene, a poached pear slathered with chocolate sauce and served with a side of vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream and wafer-thin almonds. Other flavors: Banana Split (a fresh banana with vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream, topped with whipped cream, chocolate coulis and almond wafer); Dame Blanche (vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and roasted sliced almonds), Cafe Liegeois (coffee ice cream with whipped cream, coffee coulis, almond tuiles and a chocolate confectionery) and Boules de Glaces (choice of three scoops: vanilla, coffee, chocolate, strawberry, or exotic sorbet). 248 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, 949-715-6990, moulinbistro.com/laguna.php –Nancy Luna

Old-fashioned malts at Carnation Cafe: My favorite thing about summertime at Disneyland is the milkshakes — or, more specifically, the malts — at Carnation Cafe. They are awesome, pure and simple. And contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing plain Jane about vanilla. Vanilla is the king, especially when it comes to shakes and malts. Cherry is good, too, though. It’s probably the same ice cream as Gibson Girl Ice Cream parlor next door, but the ice cream shop doesn’t make shakes, which are purely the domain of Carnation Cafe. Disneyland, Main Street, disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/disneyland/carnation-cafe. –Brad A. Johnson

Ultra-creamy scoops at Rich Farm Ice Cream: This relatively new ice cream parlor makes ultra-creamy ice cream in-house every day. It is amazingly rich, like the gelato you find in Italy. My favorite flavors here are banana-marshmallow, pineapple-coconut and peachy cream. The selection changes constantly but certain flavors are always available, such as caramel swirl, German chocolate brownie and mocha almond fudge. 901 E. Yorba Linda Blvd., Placentia, 714-854-7424, richfarmicecream.com. –Brad A. Johnson

Accessorized ice creams at A la Minute: Dark, butterscotchy caramel overflows the cup, dripping gently down a mound of silky ice cream. Suddenly your tongue hits a pop of fleur de sel and the world seems in balance. If you love salt caramel ice cream, A la Minute’s is the holy grail. At this nitrogen joint, nearly every scoop comes with a flavor coordinated topping so it’s like getting a mini sundae: chocolate lavender wears a crown of crunchy cacao nibs, orange is drizzled with honey, strawberry gets a tangy surge of balsamic vinegar reduction. The flavors may be fancy but they rarely change. Still, you’ll stand in line on busy nights. Be patient, it’s worth the wait. Locations in Orange, Redlands, Claremont and Temecula. alaminuteicecream.com –Anne Valdespino

Velvety smooth scoops with a dollop of topping in every bite at Creamistry: If you live almost anywhere in Southern California, chances are you’re within a few miles of a Creamistry. This fast-growing franchise is capitalizing on the demand for liquid nitrogen ice cream, and they certainly have the technique down. Their product is velvety and smooth, everything a nitro ice cream should be. Some of the 30 flavors, though, aren’t as intense as they could be. Their chocolate, for example, doesn’t contain any of that flavor’s more intense characteristics. Of the 35 toppings, 10 are sauces, and you can add many of them with a little medical syringe — a technique that seems gimmicky at first but actually comes in handy. If you want a perfect little dollop of caramel in every bite, this is the delivery system for you. 18502 Beach Blvd. #108, Huntington Beach, 714-377-0427, creamistry.com.