Is there a fruit that gets a worse rap, rhetorically, than the humble lemon? In addition to being used to refer to defective devices and automobiles, it’s featured prominently (and rather pejoratively) in an age-old adage about making the best of a bad situation — simply because it’s sour! Well, we’ve had enough of such citric slander. In response, we’re introducing Trader Joe’s When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Ice Cream, a sweet, creamy, and delightfully tart frozen treat to serve as the seasonal celebration that lemons so richly deserve.

Unlike the idiom that inspired its name, When Life Gives You Lemons is an example of making a great situation even better. Starting with a base of sweet, velvety ice cream that’s been flavored with lemon juice and lemon zest, our supplier mixes in bits of buttery shortbread cookies to provide some textural contrast, then adds a bright yellow lemon swirl for even more citrus-y zing. Every spoonful is tart and sweet without ever becoming sharp or cloying, and with just enough toothsomeness from the shortbread bits to keep the palate engaged. It makes an excellent ice cream for scooping into a cone on a warm spring day, or for constructing superbly sweet and sour sundaes.