I is for Israel's Ice Cream

My theme for A- Z is the year my book takes place, 1881. I'll be posting about people, places, and random facts about the year as it relates - however distantly - to my book, West of Paradise.

While researching the town of Tombstone (which figures prominently late in the story), I came across mention of Israel's Ice Cream, much to my surprise. Who knew they had ice cream back then? Not me! But I had to incorporate it into my story:

 

Jack was gone before she could protest, but instead of finding someone to bring water for a bath, he headed back to where they’d first gotten off the stage. Because he’d spotted something he hadn’t seen in a long while: ice cream. Israel’s Ice Cream to be precise, and Jack was willing to bet Katherine had never had anything like it.

Katherine had barely gotten comfortable in the chair by the window when Jack returned.

“You’ll never guess what I found,” he said.

She sat up, trying to see what he had. Her eyes lit up as he drew closer.

“Where did you get that?” she asked.

“Israel’s Ice Cream,” Jack said with a pleased smile, handing her the dish. “I spotted it as we walked.”

“You are a man of many talents, Jack McCabe,” Katherine said. She dipped the spoon in and closed her eyes as she savored the taste, sighing with pleasure; it was cold and sweet and very vanilla.

She had eaten it all before she noticed Jack didn’t have any. “Oh! I should’ve shared!”

Jack shook his head with a smile. “It’s okay. I think it was actually more enjoyable watching you eat it.”

***