The Sweet Origin Story Behind Lexington’s Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream

Thai Orchid Cafe brought back many of the favorite dishes from Toa Green’s parents’ Thai restaurant, but the menu also featured modern twists. Green wanted to add a fun dessert option to the menu and had her heart set on a coconut ice cream she remembered eating in Thailand. The Thai dessert was served in a hot dog bun and topped with sweetened condensed milk and peanuts. 

Not sure where to find such an item, she began making her own coconut ice cream using a Cuisinart and was able to replicate the taste nearly perfectly. Green could only make one batch a day, however, and would often have to post a sold-out sign at the restaurant. But the success of the dessert encouraged her to continue her ice cream-making efforts, and she teamed up with a local farm to make sweet potato pie ice cream with caramelized pecans. This flavor was also a hit, and Green kept dreaming. 

Next, she used local strawberries to make strawberry ice cream. She recognized that quality ingredients could make a huge difference in the taste and texture of her products. It was a turning point for Green, who observed that customers would visit the restaurant specifically for ice cream orders. Social media engagement with the restaurant’s ice cream-related posts also surpassed that of other dishes, and one customer even drove during a snowstorm specifically for ice cream pints — which, at the time, were packaged in soup containers.