People think I’m strange.

I don’t own a TV. You’d be surprised how many times I have been offered free television sets. One friend who also doesn’t own a TV was once asked by a bewildered co-worker, “What do you face your furniture towards?” Honestly, there are really only a few reasons to own a television: Cubs games, syndicated Simpsons reruns, Playstation hook-up capabilities (for the purpose of playing Guitar Hero), and rare events that change the course of human history. On Friday, September 21, 2007, Good Morning America broadcast one such event.

The winner of Scoop: The Häagen-Dazs Flavor Search was unveiled Friday morning: Caramelized Pear and Toasted Pecan. Moon landing, eat your heart out.

I welcome this new flavor into the Ice Cream Kingdom, even though I was actually pulling for Blueberry Belgian Waffle, excited at the prospects of chewy/crispy waffle pieces mixed in. It seemed simple, yet unparalleled. I did get concerned, though, when one of the webisodes mentioned the possibility of using a maple syrup-flavored ice cream base, which sounded a bit overwhelming…disgusting, actually. It also could have used a waffle-flavored ice cream base, which sounded, in a word, glorious.

Still, I went to the grocery store on Friday and picked up a pint of Caramelized Pear and Toasted Pecan. Its subtle flavor and texture makes it a great alternative to vanilla for pairing with pies and cobblers, while also adding a gourmet touch. Surprisingly, this winning flavor was actually created by accident, much like potato chips and many other great inventions of man.

But what is to become of last year’s spectacular winning flavor, Sticky Toffee Pudding? Häagen-Dazs reports that the flavor has been a big success, and they will promote the flavor from their Limited Edition line to become a full-time flavor! (Yes, “!”)