2026-07-09 Author Talk + Demonstration l An Evening with Ice Cream Queen Lokelani Alabanza

Author talk & chef demo with Lokelani Alabanza, author of Ice Cream Queen. Live recipe demonstration, scoops, and book signing!

In the 1840s, a free Black woman named Sarah Estell built a thriving ice cream saloon in Nashville — and earned herself a title that's lived on ever since: the Ice Cream Queen.

This July, that crown comes home. Join us for an evening with Lokelani Alabanza, pastry chef and author of Ice Cream Queen: Flavors from Black America's Past, Present, & Future, as she shares the stories, history, and flavors behind her debut cookbook.

With over 20 years in pastry and 300+ original ice cream flavors to her name, Lokelani has built a career — and now a cookbook — around the idea that ice cream can be an act of memory, identity, and celebration. Her recipes span the boozy, the fruity, the adventurous, and the downright nostalgic: think Nashville Hot Chicken, Juneteenth Sorbet with raspberries and hibiscus, a PB&J swirl, and Chocolate-Covered Kettle Chip.

During this special evening, Lokelani will:

• Talk through the history and inspiration behind Ice Cream Queen
• Demonstrate a recipe live, straight from the book
• Share scoops with guests to taste the magic for themselves
• Sign copies of Ice Cream Queen

Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to meet the next Ice Cream Queen.

📅 Date: Thursday, July 9
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Coastal Table and Tales, Savannah, GA
📖 Book: Ice Cream Queen available for purchase and signing at the event

About the Author:

Lokelani Alabanza is a pastry chef with over 20 years of experience and the creator of more than 300 original ice cream flavors. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, she is the founder of Saturated Ice Cream, a brand built on plant-based ingredients.