It’s the time of year when the hum of hard-working air conditioners can be heard from city streets. But there are days (plenty of them) when a low-tech cold or frozen treat provides the sweetest relief.
BANANARAMARight outside the Green Grape Provisions gourmet market, former Pies ’n’ Thighs baker Cecile Dyer works a frozen banana stand like a pixie carnie at a fun fair. Get your jumbo potassium-fix chocolate-dipped and on a stick for $4.Wednesdays-Fridays at Green Grape Provisions, 753 Fulton Street, at South Portland Avenue, Fort Greene.
DAYLONG BUZZNew Orleans Blue Bottle on ice takes refreshment to a new level at the New Amsterdam Market. The secret is in the roasted French-chicory. Once you’re hooked, you can learn to make it at home. Sundays at the Blue Bottle stand, New Amsterdam Market, South Street between Beekman Street and Peck Slip. Blue Bottle Coffee Co., 160 Berry Street, between North 5th and 6th Streets (718-387-4160).
COOKIE DOUGH BURIALBesides serving them in a brick-and-mortar shop, Je & Jo peddle their handcrafted organic ice creams (packed in compostable cups with pull-tabs) on a tricycle with a freezer. Which means you might have to do a little running to catch a scoop of honey grapefruit, fresh mint, or vegan coconut -- laden with cookie dough chunks.Je & Jo Organic Ice Cream, 515 West 47th Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues (212-967-4856).
SWEET BURNThere’s a southern belle behind Imperial Woodpecker sno-balls, Big Easy-inspired piles of shaved ice (in dozens of flavors including Dreamsicle and Butter Cream). Gild the lily with condensed milk or Mardi Gras King Cake syrup and a dash of sprinkles at the West Village pop-up shop. Imperial Woodpecker, 145 Seventh Avenue South, between Charles and West 10th Streets (251-366-7777 or @ImperialSno).
STROOP EFFECTThe Good Batch bakers -- of handmade Dutch stroopwafel fame -- are keeping things cool with complex ice cream sandwiches. We’re particularly fond of The Goodwich: Adirondack vanilla ice cream smashed between crisp oat chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt and dark fudge drizzle, and the S’more Sandwich: Adirondack chocolate ice cream and homemade fire-roasted marshmallow between two cocoa waffle cookies with a graham cracker crumble. Saturdays at The Good Batch Stand, Smorgasburg, East River Waterfront, between North 6th and 7th Streets. Sundays at The Good Batch Stand, Brooklyn Flea, 176 Lafayette Avenue, between Clermont and Vanderbilt Avenues.