Taste testing Regina’s most unique, beloved summer treats

With the heat wave in full sizzle Tuesday, lots of people were reaching for a cold treat.

For some, it’s a popsicle or an ice cream cone, while for others, it’s a “famous” slush shake from Brandee’s — or Brand’s as it’s known today — in Regina.

Brand’s employee Priya Patel said the slurpee-soft serve creation has been a tradition at the Dewdney Avenue convenience store for at least 30 years.

“It’s super famous — especially in summer — this is the perfect time for the slush shake,” she said. “After 2 p.m., people are coming for the slush shake from different cities and towns — everywhere.”

The slush shake comes in a number of flavours throughout the year — including Pepsi, orange, cream soda, grape, blue raspberry and lime — with a few others, like Dr. Pepper, tossed in seasonally.

“If you try it once, you’ll love it, and you will come again and again,” Patel said.

The ‘strangely good’ dill pickle sundae

Nestled in the Cathedral neighbourhood, Dessart Sweets has been a staple for Regina sugar lovers for more than a decade. However, it’s its latest invention — a dill pickle sundae — that’s been drawing some people in.

A dill pickle sundae sits on the ice cream counter at Dessart Sweets on July 17, 2017. (Jessie Anton/980 CJME)

“It’s strangely good,” Shelley Patterson, the store’s owner, said with a laugh. “I’m not a huge pickle fan, but the peanut butter and the pickle together is delicious.”

As a dill pickle connoisseur, employee Holly Worby was one of the first “guinea pigs” to try the new sundae at the start of the summer.

“I’ve never tried it with peanut butter before, I’ve always been a little weirded out by that idea, but it’s really good,” she said. “A lot of (customers) are really cautious about getting it because it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be your first pick, but we’ve had return-customers for it already.”

980 CJME’s Jessie Anton put the dill pickle sundae to the taste test.