Linda Petty is an editor at CNN Living. She likes boxed mixes, tarted-up vegetables, letting produce rot in her crisper, eating breakfast at her desk, raiding your pantry, and ice cream cones.

I sweat a lot for a not-very-skinny girl, and Atlanta summers can be sweltering. They were even hot before some smart aleck weatherman invented the heat index so we could feel hotter than the thermometer reading.

But even before I moved South, I had a habit of chewing on cold things to beat the heat. As a child and even past the point where I was old enough to drive, I would pour grape Kool-Aid into ice-cube trays and freeze it.

Sucking on the purple cubes was a great way to cool off - that is until I overindulged and almost developed frostbite on my tongue.
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Linda Petty is an editor at CNN Living. She likes boxed mixes, tarted-up vegetables, letting produce rot in her crisper, eating breakfast at her desk and raiding your pantry.

First of all, there is a big difference between “enjoying” ice cream and “needing” ice cream - so for the sake of time, we will not even discuss the one-person, one-spoon and one-carton method of scarfing down the frozen medicine of your choice.

But during your saner moments – do you prefer your ice cream in a bowl or a cone? Easy question, right?
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While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Do you want a chocolate, strawberry, peach, vanilla, banana, pistachio, peppermint, lemon, orange, butterscotch ice cream cone? - July is National Ice Cream Month!

We can't think of a a better way to beat the heat than scooping up some of our favorite ice cream all month long.

Whether you're a single-flavor purist or a multi-scoop taster, get your ice cream fix this July.  Visit the neighborhood ice cream shop, take an ice cream tour (if you can handle the brain freeze) or whip up some of your own.

If you're ready to spread the love and soak up some good karma, take a cue from the Ice Cream Man by giving away free scoops around the world (or neighborhood).
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Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to get our grub on, we listen up.

Hurray for the 4th of July! You can have an all-out grilling marathon, eat unlimited amounts of potato salad and even more ice cream.

But wait – there are some frozen desserts you might think twice about before serving at the holiday picnic. We’re not saying they’re not tasty (though some of them sure sound disgusting). We’re just saying keep the mint chocolate chip handy, just in case.
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Ah, summer lovin'. It's that time of year where we rekindle our romance with that old flame of ours: Mister Softee.

Not really your type? There are plenty of other cool creations to help you beat the summer heat. Just don't have a meltdown because you're not exactly sure what the local freezer aisle is churning out.

So chill out - we've got you covered ... with a cherry on top.

From Custard to Sorbet: Your Guide to Deliciously Beating the Heat
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One night at a party, many years back, talk turned - as it often does at the very best soirees - to incumbent governors of Massachusetts. I've always asserted that the friend with whom I was chatting that fateful evening could, if he so chose, pass for member of the Kennedy family. Fine head of hair on that kid to this very day, and so I just assume everything that comes from his mouth as pertains to Bay State politics to be indisputable fact.

"Mint Romney," he said, "Will run for president someday."
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5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

An ice cream parlor in Columbia, Missouri, caused a lot of buzz on Wednesday when we revealed their latest flavor had a, shall we say, "unexpected crunch."

The secret ingredient? Cicadas, duh.

So we took a poll, and 65 percent of our readers answered there's not a holy chance in heck they'd try the specialty of the house.

Regardless, we were intrigued and reached out to the mad scientists over at Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream for their side of the story:

When the news started to spread about our cicada ice cream, our biggest concern was that people would think we were going for a shock factor. In reality, our goal at Sparky’s is to always come up with new flavors that challenge people’s perceptions of what a dessert can be but also taste really, really good.

...But we’re more than just an ice cream parlor that serves bugs. During the especially hot days of summer, it’s up to us to make sure people can cool off and enjoy themselves no matter what the thermometer may read.

Five Ways to Cool Off this Summer that Doesn't Involve Bugs in Your Ice Cream
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Mark Hill is Director of Photography for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. He really loves coffee.

I know it is hot outside. Really hot. But what can you do? It's still technically spring, but the heat isn't likely to break for another day or two.

We all search for relief in sterile, air-conditioned homes and offices, but is that really the solution that will bring a true smile to your face? I have an idea: have an ice cream cone.

Close your eyes and try to remember the first time someone handed you an ice cream cone on a really hot day. You walked out of the store and the heat of the afternoon sun blasted your face. You held the cone tightly, but gently so as not to crush the delicate waffle that held your scoop. As you gently licked, your tongue burned with the cold and then succumbed to the creamy goodness that is unique to ice cream - and you were happy. Really happy.
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We're all for wacky ice cream flavors and can sorta wrap our heads around insect eating, but the combo of the two kinda bugs us out.

This recipe for pumpkin ice cream seems a tad more savory, no? Stay cool and you may live to see your 112th birthday!

From KCRG

Sounds like a pretty sweet way to live. Make your own ice cream at home - here's how.