Ask George: The place in St. Louis can I get a contemporary peach sundae?

As a child, I lived close to a Bettendorf’s grocery retailer (later a Schnucks), and certainly one of summer season’s biggest pleasures was the contemporary peach sundae at its soda fountain. After lunch, my buddies and I might declare a row of swivel stools and order one apiece: ripe native peaches ladled over vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and served in a footed sundae glass. The value was 19 cents. As lengthy as we had 1 / 4 in our pockets, we had been good to go.

Today, peaches are all over the place this time of yr—in margaritas, lemonade, pies, cobblers, barbecue sauce, even salsa. Yet when native peaches are at their juicy peak, contemporary peach sundaes within the metro space don’t exist, and it is unnecessary. In peach-growing areas, a contemporary peach sundae is a summertime establishment. Given that the metro space peach crop peaks in July and August, it’s a seasonal alternative hiding in plain sight.

The lone exception we might discover is Mr. E’s Donut and Custard Shop at Eckert’s in Belleville. Nothing on the Missouri aspect. Consider this a plea to each ice cream store, frozen custard stand, old-school soda fountain, and anyone with a bath of vanilla and entry to contemporary peaches: Bring again {the summertime} contemporary peach sundae. I’ll gladly grow to be your finest buyer.

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