Naples bride-to-be devours 6 pounds of ice cream in eating challenge
Shelby ReynoldsSamantha Duffy's reason for devouring approximately 6 pounds of ice cream?
It was a Monday.
Duffy, a Naples resident 12 days away from her wedding day, shoveled in spoonful after spoonful of cookie dough ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream — 20 scoops of it, to be exact.
She never wavered. Never slowed.
Her challenge: Finish the soupy concoction in under an hour.
Her strategy: Just eat.
The "Kitchen Sink Challenge" at Royal Scoop Homemade Ice Cream at Berkshire Plaza, 7335 Radio Road, No. 104 in East Naples, is the brainchild of Where to Eat 239, a small team of local foodies that promote local restaurants.
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"We brought it here to Southwest Florida because it hadn't been done," said Guy Clarke, a co-founder of the group that's prominent on social media. "As the foodie culture is becoming more mainstream and more foodies are taking pictures, I think the challenges are experience-based."
Duffy was the first woman to attempt the challenge — and the first person to complete it. Another hungry competitor fell short last weekend.
It's "everything but the kitchen sink":
- 20 scoops of homemade ice cream (you pick the flavors)
- 5 waffle bowls
- 1 cinnamon vanilla waffle cone
- 1 peanut- and chocolate-dipped waffle cone
- 1 rainbow sprinkle chocolate-dipped waffle cone
- 1 chocolate-dipped waffle cone
- 4 bananas
- 2 cans of whipped cream topping
- 6 heaping tablespoons of fudge rainbow sprinkles
- 20 royal maraschino cherries
- Three wet and 3 dry toppings of choice
- Chocolate syrup drizzle and sparklers
Duffy dug in with a giant spoon, scooping out gobs of ice cream congealed with chocolate and caramel sauce. The timer started ticking.
"There's a chance I can do this," she said between bites at the 7:30 minute mark.
At 18:13: "I'm feeling a little cold now."
The four bananas were her favorite part. The cherries were her least favorite.
Somewhere around the 30-minute mark, with nothing left but the waffle cones and bowls, she contemplated getting a pizza delivered.
She added extra chocolate syrup instead.
Duffy took her last bite at 42:25, with time to spare.
"I feel good," she said after putting down her spoon. "Let's go get pizza."
For conquering the Kitchen Sink Challenge, Duffy received a $25 Royal Scoop gift card, a Royal Scoop T-shirt, a $25 restaurant gift card from Where to Eat 239 and her photo on the video wall of fame.
Try the The Kitchen Sink Challenge, which costs $49.99 for those who can't stomach the sweet treat, by calling Royal Scoop at Berkshire Plaza to reserve a time.
The bragging rights, Duffy said, are worth the effort.
"Told you I could do it an hour," she said triumphantly.
Royal Scoop Homemade Ice Cream at Berkshire Plaza
- Where: 7335 Radio Road, No. 104, East Naples
- Hours: Noon to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday
- More information: 239-231-4544; royalscoop.com