When Klondike discontinued the beloved Choco Taco in 2022, the internet mourned. Social media erupted with nostalgic tributes to the waffle cone taco filled with vanilla ice cream, coated in chocolate, and studded with peanuts. Most people moved on. Sasha Perl-Raver did not.
The Obsession Begins
For Perl-Raver, a Brooklyn-based food enthusiast and self-described “ice cream archaeologist,” the discontinuation felt personal. The Choco Taco represented more than just a frozen treat—it was a piece of culinary Americana, a bridge between childhood summers and adult indulgence. While others posted mournful tweets, she rolled up her sleeves.
“Everyone was complaining online, but nobody was actually doing anything about it,” she recalls. “I thought, how hard could it be to make one from scratch?”
The answer: significantly harder than anticipated.
Deconstructing an Icon
Perl-Raver’s first challenge was reverse-engineering a product designed for mass production. The original Choco Taco wasn’t simply assembled—it was manufactured using specialized equipment that shaped warm waffle cones into perfect taco shells, machinery unavailable to home cooks.
She started by testing various waffle cone recipes, searching for the right balance of crispness and flexibility. Too brittle, and the shell would shatter when folded. Too soft, and it would become soggy under the ice cream’s weight. After seventeen failed attempts, she developed a custom batter incorporating a higher fat content and slightly less sugar than traditional recipes.
The Technical Hurdles
Shaping proved equally problematic. Professional Choco Tacos were formed while still hot, pressed into molds that created their distinctive ridged texture. Perl-Raver experimented with everything from taco holders to custom 3D-printed forms before discovering that a simple tortilla press, lined with parchment paper, produced the closest approximation.
The chocolate coating presented its own complications. The original used a specific compound chocolate that remained pliable even when frozen, preventing the dreaded crack-and-shatter effect. Standard chocolate seized or became impossibly hard. After consulting with a chocolatier friend, she formulated a tempered chocolate blend with added coconut oil—not authentic, but functionally equivalent.
Perfecting the Details
Details obsessed her. The original featured a specific peanut-to-chocolate ratio. The vanilla ice cream had a particular texture—not premium artisanal, but not basic either. She tracked down the exact peanut variety used in production, roasted and chopped them to precise specifications, and even adjusted her ice cream recipe to match the original’s slightly softer consistency.
Friends and family became unwilling taste-testers, subjected to endless variations. “Version thirty-two is close, but the shell’s too sweet,” she’d announce, already planning adjustments. Her freezer became a museum of failed prototypes.
The Viral Moment
When Perl-Raver finally posted her successful recreation on social media, the response was immediate and overwhelming. The video garnered millions of views within days. Recipe requests flooded her inbox. Food publications reached out for interviews. She’d accidentally become the Choco Taco whisperer.
What started as personal mission had evolved into something larger—a demonstration that beloved discontinued products need not remain extinct. In an era of corporate consolidation and disappearing regional favorites, her project represented a form of edible activism, proof that passionate individuals could resurrect what corporations abandoned.
Beyond the Taco
Perl-Raver’s success has inspired similar projects. Online communities now dedicated to recreating discontinued foods have emerged, sharing techniques and troubleshooting together. She’s currently working on reverse-engineering the McDonald’s fried apple pie, tackling the notoriously difficult bubble texture of its crust.
“These foods are cultural artifacts,” she explains. “When they disappear, we lose part of our collective memory. If I can help preserve that, even in a small way, it feels meaningful.”
The Choco Taco may be gone from store freezers, but thanks to one obsessive’s determination, it lives on—one homemade taco at a time.
