Courtesy of Tuskegee University
An HBCU alumna in Ellenwood, Georgia has found a way to make ice cream better than it already is. As owner of the successful [N7] Kream Lab Nitrogen Ice Cream Lounge, Kelli Bain has attracted customers from far and wide. She uses one special ingredient to help her sweet treats rise above all the competition: liquid nitrogen! Unbeknownst to many, the unusual choice cuts down on freezing times and unnecessary ingredients.
The Tuskegee University graduate’s passion for ice cream took root in Indianapolis, where she learned the tricks of the trade from her grandfather. Affectionately called “Papaw,” the educator and gourmet chef would host sprawling Sunday dinners complete with his signature homemade vanilla ice cream. It’s very likely none of those who enjoyed the Sunday treat knew just how long it took to prepare it. Bain often came over her Papaw’s house to get started on Saturdays because the dessert took 24 hours to freeze. “I would be so excited to see all the things that he put into the pitcher to make the ice cream base, even though it would take so long to freeze,” shared Bain. “Papaw would say ‘Kelli, this is a family recipe passed down from generations, so we have to make sure we get it right.’ We’d add the liquid to the metal insert, put the top on it, add it to the bucket with the ice, then begin the churning. Papaw would say ‘add the ice slowly around the can, then sprinkle the salt evenly over the top of the ice.’ I would reply ‘why,’ and he would say, ‘because that’s the only way to freeze the ice cream.’”
These treasured experiences with her grandfather would soon influence many important stages of Bain’s life. She was so inspired by the ice cream process that she pursued a degree in chemistry at Tuskegee University in Alabama. She considers that to be one of the best decisions she ever made. “While attending Tuskegee, I developed a genuine love for chemistry and all the opportunities that a career in the field could offer,” she said. “During my freshman year, I even discovered the real science behind my Papaw’s homemade ice cream and why we needed to add salt to the ice. I was finally able to answer the “why” to his delicious ice cream – it was chemistry!”
