Contributing Writer: Nichole Wolf of www.atladventurer.com

Do you scream for ice cream? Do you love tasting every flavor behind the counter at your favorite sweet shop? Would you kill for the chance to sample delicious ice cream for 7 days in a row?

Believe it or not, that’s the premise behind The Classy Critic’s Atlanta Ice Cream Challenge, a week-long tour of the best ice cream around the metro Atlanta area.

The Classy Critic Ice Cream Challenge Sunday, August 9th to Saturday, August 15th
Experience 7 local ice cream shops around Metro Atlanta in 1 week!

6:00pm every weekday Monday - Friday and 2:00pm on Saturday & Sunday

It’s burning up in HOTlanta this year! Being out in the sun makes us crave one thing…. ICE CREAM! There are several local ice cream shops that are unique to Atlanta, and no, I’m not talking about Cold Stone and Baskin Robbins. Locally made products and unique flavors made us pick these ice cream shops around Atlanta. Now here’s the challenge… can you handle them all in 1 week?!?

For The Classy Critic Ice Cream Challenge, we will be visiting 7 local ice cream shops, 1 location each day of the week, and learn about their scientific creative processes. Get your taste buds ready because we'll be tasting the best of what each ice cream shop has to offer! Each participant will get to critique and vote on their favorite ice cream. Then we’ll present the award for “The Classy Critic’s Best Ice Cream 2015”!

What is Chocolate?

Chocolate is a solid mixture. In its basic form it is composed of cacao powder, cocoa butter, and some type of sweetener such as sugar; however, modern chocolate includes milk solids, any added flavors, modifiers, and preservatives.

Cacao is the plant matter which lends the unique tast and bitterness to chocolate. The chocolate mixture is made of aggregations of micro particles of cacao and sugar, and globules of cocoa butter fat milk solids.

The word "chocolate" comes from the Nahuatl word Xocolatl for "bitter water", referring to its original incarnation as a hot, spiced beverage in the Mayan and Aztec traditions.

**Note: Spice Market has been replaced with a new restaurant called TRACE since Fall 2014.

Spice Market is a hidden gem within Midtown. Unless you frequent the W Hotel or visit Atlanta and stay at the hotel as a guest, Spice Market isn't usually on your radar for places to eat in Midtown Atlanta... however, it should be!