History and Renewal Surround Coneflower Creamery in Millwork Commons

By Jon Brooks 

During a recent Sunday afternoon excursion in downtown Omaha, Bridget and I visited the Coneflower Creamery location in the Millwork Commons development. 

The ice cream shop is one of three locations in the metro area. The other Coneflower storefronts are located in the Blackstone District in Midtown Omaha and in Elkhorn along the historic Main Street corridor. 

We hadn’t been to any of the locations before, but were interested in trying it out (the popular destination is known for long lines during warm-weather months.)  

As I mentioned, the downtown Coneflower Creamery is located in the Millwork Commons development in the Ashton building. Millwork Commons is part of the “NoDo” area nestled around Creighton University, Charles Schwab Field, and the CHI Health Center. 

(No one in Omaha really refers to the area as “NoDo,” but it is the moniker given to the various developments making up the urban renewal efforts the past two decades, so I figured I should reference it.) 

On the afternoon of our visit, I had just finished filming a walk at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge for my Walk Nebraska YouTube channel (peaceful, first-person P.O.V. walks featuring ambient and natural sounds for relaxation.) 

It was a mild August afternoon with temperatures hovering in the mid-70s. We weren’t particularly warm after the walk, but we were definitely ready for a cool snack after the 40-minute trek to Council Bluffs and back. 

Since Millwork Commons is about a mile from the bridge, we decided to drive over and check it out. 

Coneflower Creamery is advertised as offering “farm to table” ice cream. The marketing materials use words like “artisanal” and “heirloom” to describe the ingredients and menu offerings. 

It has proven to be a popular destination for Omahans looking for sweet treats that land more on the “fresh, pure” end of the food spectrum. 

There is construction currently going on around Millwork Commons (so be prepared!), but it wasn’t an issue on this particular afternoon. 

We found a parking spot in front of the Mastercraft building (just north of Coneflower Creamery). 

It was nice to see the Mastercraft building (a low-slung structure — the length of three football fields — that used to house a furniture factory) being put to good use as a home for various entrepreneurial ventures and non-profits. 

Traffic inside of Coneflower Creamery was light as we walked through the doors. We soon discovered all sorts of tempting treats on the chalkboard menu. 

Bridget and I decided to try two of the sundaes. 

I ordered the S’mores Sundae; Bridge had the Tin Roof Sundae. 

My order featured a homemade, toasted marshmallow. It required the use of a blowtorch to get the desired effect. Impressive. 

The sundae also featured vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, and two graham crackers. 

The graham crackers appeared to be homemade, and had a rich texture — something akin to a shortbread cookie. They were delicious. (Bridget was a BIG fan of the graham crackers.) 

Bridget’s Tin Roof Sundae featured vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, Spanish peanuts, and a cherry on top. 

She opted not to get the Spanish peanuts. 

The Tin Roof Sundae was actually invented in 1932 in Potter, Nebraska, at The Potter Sundry soda shop. (It is still in operation!)

Considering the historical context of this concoction, it seemed only fitting that we were sampling the sundae at one of Nebraska’s newest ice cream emporiums. 

Coneflower Creamery is the brainchild of co-owners Brian Langbehn and Katie Arant Chapman.

According to the Coneflower Creamery website, the “coneflower” in the name was chosen because it evokes the “Midwest, open prairies, and summer” (a number of coneflower species are native to Nebraska prairies). 

I look forward to returning to Coneflower Creamery in the future. There are a number of flavors I want to sample (“Grandma Minnie’s Lemon Bar” sounds intriguing!) and desserts I’d like to try. 

Coneflower sells standalone pints of ice cream as well as a unique selection of beverages. 

It is neat to see the continuing urban renewal efforts going on in the north part of downtown. 

If you haven’t seen how things are developing in the area, it is definitely worth checking out. 

And get a tasty treat at Coneflower Creamery while you are at it! 

>> If you enjoyed this blog post, follow me on X/Twitter for more great content — @TheJonCrunch 

>> Check out my walking video filmed at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge: 

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Snow Ice Cream

We’ve had a lot of snow the past month here in Omaha. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try some homemade ice cream made with snow. 

First of all, I recommend putting a bowl or container of some sort outside to collect fresh snow as it falls. (We use a stainless steel mixing bowl.)  

I suppose if you’re feeling more “adventurous,” you could try and find a clean patch of already-fallen snow in your yard and scoop up some of the white stuff to make ice cream.

Here are the instructions for making snow ice cream (courtesy of Paula Deen via The Food Network).

Ingredients:
8 cups of snow, or shaved ice
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour condensed milk over snow (or shaved ice). Add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately in bowls. If desired, add sprinkles.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Time: 5 minutes

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Tried Something New This Thanksgiving...

Our friends Arlen and Jill Robichaux (who live in our circle) offered to cook our turkey in their smoker this year for Thanksgiving. 

We had never had a smoked turkey for Thanksgiving. The most “adventurous” we had been before was prepping a turkey in a fryer in 2013.

Bridget took our 9 lb. turkey breast over to the Robichaux’s at 7:55 a.m. this morning. We rubbed it the night before with a blend of fresh basil and rosemary, ground pepper, sage, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil. 

Arlen has a digital smoker with a Bluetooth thermometer that connects to an app on his iPhone. Pretty cool deal...

Our turkey reached an internal temp of 165 degrees a little after 1 p.m.

My dad and Bridget’s mom really enjoyed the turkey — more than any turkey we’ve previously prepped. That is the best testament for smoking a turkey. 

Special thanks to Arlen and Jill for offering to smoke the turkey. Really appreciate their friendship and thankful that they helped make our Thanksgiving celebration a success!

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My Last Foray Into This Silly Trend: Pumpkin Spice Mini Wheats

For the sake of this blog — and for the sake of my curiosity — I decided to try my favorite breakfast cereal in the “pumpkin spice” variety. 

Last month, I reviewed Pop-Tarts flavored like pumpkin pie. They were alright. 

We’re nearing the end of “pumpkin season.” In a matter of hours, everything “special” will be peppermint. 

I’ll probably review some of those items too... mainly because they are super easy blog posts to write, and they get a lot of clicks (I kind of get obsessed with analytics on my hobby blogs). 

So there you go. You’re probably like, “So what did you think of the cereal, Jon?”

Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats are a staple of my diet. I’m sure they have too much sugar. I also know pop culture’s obsession with the “evils of gluten” won’t win me any health awards. 

I don’t care. The cereal is high in fiber and protein. 

The “pumpkin spice” edition of the cereal wasn’t too bad. I prefer the regular ol’ standby, to be honest. 

One “side effect” of the pumpkin spice coating is that it turned the milk an orange color. Some mornings that was sort of a turn off, to be honest.

That’s all I got. But don’t worry, I’ll be back with some weird food gimmick in December! 

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Do These Pop-Tarts Replicate the Pumpkin Pie Experience in Your Toaster?

It’s the season of pumpkin spice. 

These days it seems like everyone tries to do a pumpkin spice-themed “something”...

I found these Frosted Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts at Wal-Mart. 

First of all, I want to say what a joke it is that the “Nutrition Facts” on the side of all Pop-Tart boxes only show the information for one (1) pastry. They know damn well I’m going to eat both foil-packed tarts.

But I digress. 

The reason you’re all here is to find out if “pumpkin pie in a rectangle” is a credible facsimile of the holiday favorite.  

Let’s just say they’re “not that bad.”

I’m not the biggest pumpkin pie fan in the world (I prefer caramel apple at Thanksgiving), but these Pop-Tarts are a surprisingly decent representation. 

It has a filling similar to the cinnamon-based Pop-Tarts, but the pumpkin is more subdued. It's not as strong as some other pumpkin spice foods. 

If you want to be all ironic and have a low-brow Thanksgiving meal, these pastries would capably complement a sampling of chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, and chilled cranberry juice. 

They are also acceptable on their own...I guess. 

I’m just thankful they weren’t totally “underwhelming” like some of the other novelty food items I’ve sampled on this blog.

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Are These Mickey Mouse Oreos a Birthday Party For Tastebuds??

I love novelty foods...

A couple months ago I wrote a blog post on Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal. I reviewed the cereal because it was bright, colorful, and odd to make for great content. The response to that post was terrific. 

I’m back on the “novelty food" beat with a review of Nabisco’s Limited Edition Celebrate Mickey Birthday Cake Oreos (the name alone is a mouthful). 

I’ve sampled a number of these peculiar, special edition Oreo cookies in the past. I’ve had everything from Peep-flavored cookies at Easter to apple pie Oreos in autumn. 

Some of the flavors are good. Others taste awful. 

These Mickey Mouse Oreos are somewhere in the middle. They aren’t awful, but they aren’t spectacular. 

The cookies feature traditional chocolate Oreo wafers on the outside. The filling is somewhat similar to regular Oreo filling, but has birthday cake confetti pieces in it, and the overall experience leaves a strong aftertaste.

There are three unique wafers on the cookies in the pack. One features the number “90,” another features a party kazoo, and the third features Mickey Mouse. 

I hate to be a party pooper, but I wouldn't recommend this variety of Oreo. 

The “birthday cake” concept is popular among artery-hardening snack foods, but this is a party you want to leave early...

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Is Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal a Magical Breakfast Experience?

Is there anything more fun than novelty breakfast cereals?

Of course there is... but for the sake of this blog post, let’s go with the notion that loud, colorful, and sugary breakfast cereals represent the pinnacle of daily life experiences. 

My friend C.J posted a picture on Facebook a few days ago of a box of Kellogg’s “Limited Edition” Unicorn Cereal. I said to my wife, “a review of that cereal would make a great blog post.”

It’s so ridiculously pink and girly — pandering to the current unicorn fad — that I had to try it. 

The cereal itself is shaped in “Os” — similar to Kellogg’s Fruit Loops — purple, red, and blue. There are little white crusty frosting pieces on the outside. 

Upon opening the box, you are greeted with a smell similar to processed frosting. So far, so good. 

I’ll bet you’d like to know how they taste...

Imagine — if you will — that a glazed donut and a Fruit Loop decide to have a baby. The resulting offspring is sort of like a fusion of both parents, but is ultimately unremarkable on its own...

... that’s what Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal tastes like. 

(On the box it describes the flavor as “Magic Cupcake”...)

It’s not going to offend you, but it’s likely not something you’d buy again. 

Keep in mind, though, that this box of cereal offers fun that goes beyond a bowl of crunchy “Os” doused in milk.

There is a “key” on the side of the box that allows you to discover your unicorn name. You use the “first letter of your name” and the “month you were born” to determine this:

It turns out that my unicorn name is “Sunbeam Feather Wind”...

There’s also a “unicorn coloring page” on the back of the box — featuring a unicorn you can decorate all fancy with a box of crayons:

  

I’m not sure I’d recommend Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal. I’ve heard from a number of our “mom friends” that their unicorn-loving kids didn’t care for the cereal. 

It’s not magical, but it won’t offend you...

But... If you have a blog and are looking to meet your monthly post quota, the $4 price tag is well worth the novelty value. 

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Food From a Really Nice Camper...

The Omaha Food Truck Association held a Food Truck Rally at Cabela's in La Vista.

Did you ever see the 2014 movie "Chef"...? 

Starring (and directed by) Jon Favreau, the movie focuses on a disillusioned gourmet chef who ditches the competitive culinary scene for a food truck -- cooking the food he loves. 

Here's the trailer:

We saw it at Aksarben Cinema when it was a released, and the movie captures how food trucks have become a significant part of the food lexicon in recent times -- kind of like how cupcakes have become the trendy dessert item of the day.

The food truck movement has grown in Omaha over the past few years. The mobile vendors have become more prominent and popular (thanks, in large part, to the wonders of social media).

In recent months, food trucks in Omaha have come under fire for not being part of Omaha's controversial "restaurant tax." (But the Omaha Food Truck Association has worked to bring them into compliance).

Food trucks serve up some delicious treats, and have the ability to take their wares all over the area.

There is something quaint and nostalgic about the steel beasts with compact, galley-style kitchens.

Today we had the opportunity to visit the Cabela’s Food Truck Rally at Cabela's in Sarpy County, NE. I was able to grab the prime rib dip sandwich and tots from Anthony Piccolo's Mobile Venue (a favorite of mine -- I first had it at the summer arts festival in 2015).

Fish and chips from The Dire Lion Grille and Chippy.

Prime Rib Sandwich with Tots – $11.99

Mmmmm.....

There were a variety of vendors there including: Ox ’n’ Bull (BBQ), Hawks Pizza, Johnny Ricco’s Brooklyn Pizza, Taste of New Orleans, Big Green Q, Chicago Dawg House, and Kona Ice (among others). Bridget got her food from the The Dire Lion Grille & Chippy.


According to mobile-cuisine.com's 2015 data, this is the seventh year of consistent growth for food trucks — they’ve experienced 12 percent growth in the past five years. It is a $1.2 billion industry (compared to restaurants, which is a $709 billion industry).

The average order is $12.90, and the average annual revenue per truck is $290,556. It costs more than $90,000 to startup the average food truck.

It's a far cry from the kind of money brick-and-mortar restaurants can make, but food trucks can be a lucrative business for vendors who visit busy urban areas, carnivals, concerts, office parks and rallies (like the one we visited today).

Chicago Dawg House's food truck was also there.
No Italian Sausage today, though.

Waiting to place my order at Anthony Piccolo's Mobile Venue food truck.

The Anthony Piccolo's Mobile Venue Food Truck set up at Cabela's.

The menu at Anthony Piccolo's Mobile Venue.

Yesterday's blog post: Wish I Would Have Kept My Trapper Keeper