Life With Food

Founder of Jeni's Ice Creams and published cookbook author, Jeni Britton Bauer answers our foodie questions in this new feature, "Life with Food".

- Dallyn Maresco

Q&A WITH JENI

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO THE ICE CREAM MAKING BUSINESS?

I was hooked the first time I made ice cream. I was an art student with a hobby of blending perfumes at home. One day I decided to add cayenne essential oil—which doesn’t have a scent, but packs a lot of heat—to a tub of chocolate ice cream. It was cold, and sweet, and spicy. It was a eureka moment. I knew in that instant that American ice cream had so much potential.

WHAT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF STARTING YOUR BUSINESS?

At first I didn’t understand that entrepreneurship is a two-way conversation with customers. When I opened my first ice cream business, Scream, in the North Market, I thought of myself as some sort of ice cream artiste. I made the flavors I wanted to make each day, which was problematic. Like when someone fell in love with Salty Caramel and brought friends back to try it, I wouldn’t have it.