In light of all things ice cream related (this, this, and this), I would like to point out that Baldo’s, the posh and hip ice cream shop near SMU, has debuted a food truck. It will be scooping on the regular at Klyde Warren Park and extends a partnership that began in the spring between Ruthie’s Rolling Cafe and Café Momentum.
The recent development stems from the family connection between the two food businesses, Ruthie’s owners Ashlee and Chris Kleinert being parents to Tyler Kleinert, who founded Baldo’s with friends Will Ammons and Schuyler Grey.
Desiring an expansion of the program they had knotted with youth from the non-profit Café Momentum, who have been working the line as part of a paid fellowship program that has resulted in the rebranding of Ruthie’s as Ruthie’s Fueled by Café Momentum, Ashlee says she was primed to seek innovative possibilities. Meanwhile, news came that neighboring Klyde Warren Park truck What’s Da Scoop, was shuttering. The ice cream solution became feasible and tantalizing.
The ice cream truck, now emblazoned with the lengthier moniker Baldo’s Fueled by Ruthie’s and Café Momentum, will offer a chance for youth who have worked in the savory truck to pick up another skill set.
Chalkboards will announce seven flavors including smoked vanilla, strawberry milk, salted caramel, piña colada, mint chip, banana pudding, and cookies ‘n’ cream. They’ll draw from the shop’s roster of four categories of flavors that range from classic (“vintage”) to dairy-free (“vitality”) and inventive (“Why not?”). Café Momentum fellows have been training to fashion fresh cones on the truck.
It’s love all ‘round (naturally).
“We wanted to have more room for the kids at Café Momentum, who have knocked it out of the park,” Ashlee says.
“We’re thrilled to be affiliated with two great companies,” Baldo’s Ammons says. “Expansion is something we’re after. Six months in, to already be on to a new venture is thrilling for us.”
The upshot for us is that we get more ice cream in the park. And get to feel good about it.
