Meet the Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Team at Barrett Bookstore in Darien on July 11

Laura O'Neill and Connecticut natives Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen started Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream in 2008 with pair of buttercup yellow ice cream trucks and a mission to revitalize traditional ice cream making by using only whole, natural ingredients. Less than a decade later the business has grown to include several bricks and mortar shops, a fleet of trucks, and a gorgeous new cookbook with 100 classic and new ice cream recipes.

Barrett Bookstore in Darien will be hosting a talk with authors Ben and Laura on Saturday, July 11 at 12 pm with a Q/A session, book signing, and of course, an ice cream tasting.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream chronicles the inspiring launch of their business venture as well as a brief history of ice cream. The majority of the hardcover recipe book is filled with 100 ice cream recipes that span the seasons and include ingredient spotlights. Many recipes–which also include a number of vegan, sorbet, and yogurt recipes – include a note from Ben, the "mad genius" of recipe development at Van Leeuwen, and are accompanied by the stunning photography by Sidney Bensimon.

If you're a lover of ice cream or a collector of cookbooks, you will absolutely want to add this stunning book to your collection. If you have a question for the authors, please drop it in the comments below, and I'll  do my best to include it in our upcoming conversation on July 11 at Barrett Bookstore.

I hope to see you there!