Jared Goodman made his first batches of ice cream while adjusting to the isolation of being a stay-at-home dad.
Although he never imagined his ice cream hobby turning into something bigger, there’s no denying that it has.
Goodman now runs Morgan St. Theater, a “dessert popup” that originated in his own dining room. He presents events around town that feature ice cream sundaes inspired by theater, puppetry, books and other arts.
He’s also the “Culinary Artist in Residence” at the Portland Art Museum, where he hosts special events serving elaborate ice cream sundaes inspired by works of art in the museum.
Jared Goodman prepares for the Edible Art History event at the Portland Art Museum.
OPB
The former educator said he tries to base his sundaes on pieces of art that he might not fully understand.
“One thing that I’m learning in this process is to think about the process of those artists. So when you look at an object, a sculpture or whatever it may be, what did it take to create that? It's the art history that really sparks my interest, almost more than the art itself,” he said.
Goodman tries to source flavors from seasonal ingredients that will reflect the artist’s background and creative process.
He said it’s his focus on the ice cream sundae that distinguishes him from other Portland ice cream makers.
A traditional sundae includes ice cream, sauce and toppings that allow Goodman to create a level of contrast not present in a single scoop of ice cream. He makes all the components of his sundaes from scratch.
“The best part of any event is when someone licks their plate,” Goodman said.
