It's Big Chill season again, and that means I'm back in the kitchen experimenting with flavors that are probably a little more ambitious than they need to be.

For the past two years, I've embraced the challenge of creating an ice cream that celebrates Winston-Salem. Last year, my Texas Pete/Krispy Kreme-inspired "Hot & Ready" ice cream took home the award for Best Use of Local Flavors. The year before that, my Moravian Sugar Cake Ice Cream earned First Place overall. This year, I'm hoping to make it three years in a row with a flavor inspired by another North Carolina classic: Bojangles' Bo-Berry Biscuit.

Introducing my 2026 creation: a "Blueberry Buttered Bliss" Ice Cream. Think rich buttermilk ice cream, sweet blueberries, buttery biscuit pieces, gooey icing, and just enough nostalgia to make you want seconds.

Of course, the competition is only half the reason I participate.

The Big Chill is the largest annual fundraiser for The Shalom Project, an organization that serves thousands of our neighbors across Winston-Salem through food assistance, healthcare, pharmacy services, financial wellness programs, and other vital resources. Every scoop served and every dollar raised helps make that work possible.

If you're able, I'd be grateful if you would support my campaign with a gift of any size. Your donation doesn't just help me chase another ice cream trophy—it helps ensure our neighbors have access to the care and support they deserve.

If you'd prefer to mail a check, you can send it to:

The Shalom Project
P.O. Box 6
Winston-Salem, NC 27102

Thank you for cheering me on, supporting The Shalom Project, and (hopefully) helping me prove that biscuits really do belong in ice cream.