In 1986, I entered a contest.

Sponsored by Dreyer’s and Edy’s Ice Cream, I wrote an essay on “Why I Should Be A Dreyer’s and Edy’s Ice Cream Taste Tester.” Five winners were chosen including me.

The prize: we were flown first class to the company’s manufacturing facility in San Francisco. We stayed three nights at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley (a Frank Lloyd Wright building).

We learned the secrets of ice cream making and we chose two new ice cream flavors for special production. The prize also included a year’s supply of ice cream, a gold spoon, and a featured article, with photo, in the National Enquirer.

Ironically, I was not a fan of ice cream at all. I entered the contest because I enjoyed writing.

The ice cream brand was marketed in California and Texas as “Dreyer’s.” Concerned that the name would be confused with “Breyer’s,” it was marketed east of the Rocky’s as “Edy’s.”

Over the next year, I gave my supply of ice cream to family and friends.