By admin 
Inside The Original Hagen’s Orange Freeze in Carmichael, on one recent August morning, owner Temme Hagen had a lot on his mind.
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He was in that morning making batches of the restaurant’s well-known fruit freezes. At the same time, the upcoming soft opening of a second Hagen’s loomed. Not only that, but two of his daughters-in-law were due to give birth at any moment. That, he said, would bring his count of grandchildren up to nine.
Nevertheless, Hagen kept his cool. He’s been in the frozen treat business for nearly half his life, working alongside his wife, Toy. They met while working at Merlino’s Freeze, a now-defunct local chain that made the same smooth, sweet-and-sour orange freeze that Hagen’s sells today.
What is a fruit freeze?
A fruit freeze isn’t ice cream, nor is it sorbet or a snow cone. It’s scoopable, often fruit-based, and it has a slightly softer texture than ice cream. You can find fruit freezes at Gunther’s, or at Sutter Health Park, where they’ve been sold since 2008 under the Merlino’s name.
But while Merlino’s always limited their flavors to a small handful, Hagen’s sells a whole rainbow of fruit and dairy options. Though orange is still the bestseller, the Hagens have whipped up seasonal flavors such as a seasonal pumpkin spice, as well as concoctions suggested by customers.
“It gets boring in the back if you’re only making three flavors,” Hagen said. Once, some customers came in and asked if they could have a root-beer float freeze. “They described to me what they liked to do when making a root-beer float,” Hagen said. “They mix it up, let it melt, then put it in the freezer and take it out later.”
“And I said, ‘Come in tomorrow, and I’ll have root beer for you.’”
Ice cream, Hagen said, can sit for a month in a freezer without the flavor and texture being affected. The same cannot be said for fruit freezes, in his opinion. “It has a certain lifespan to it,” he said. “So the trick is to always keep it fresh.”
That, he added, was how he was taught. “I tried to do it a lot like Ray,” he said, referring to his former boss Ray Merlino. The two families maintain a good relationship to this day, as evidenced by Trent Hagen coming over to ask his father about an order of frozen treats for a charitable event one of the Merlinos was hosting that day.
“When the Merlinos want freezes, they come here,” Trent said.
The freezes ($6.48 for a small) have a passionate fanbase for a reason. The classic orange has a delicate flavor from the fresh-squeezed fruit used to make it. If you opt to add more than one flavor to your freeze cup, staff will ask which one you’d like on top—a nice touch.
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There’s more than just dessert at Hagen’s. In fact, there’s a whole menu of burgers, sandwiches, and salads as well. The Hagen burger ($8.49) is a meaty two-hander that comes topped with Thousand Island dressing and an onion ring. According to Hagen, the buns and bread the restaurant uses for their sandwiches is sourced from Sacramento Baking Company.
The next generation of fruit freezes
When Toy and Temme first met, she was in high school, and he had just left military service. But they didn’t start dating until eight years later, when they went on a motorcycle ride together.
“That was 38 years ago,” Hagen said with a laugh. “And five boys.”
Both Temme and Toy eventually moved on to other jobs. But then, a certain building became available.
Hagen and his wife opened The Original Hagen’s Orange Freeze in 2003, inside a former Merlino’s location at 2520 Walnut Ave. in Carmichael. Funnily enough, it was the same location where they had first met.
“It’s kind of full circle,” Hagen said. Four of his sons, he added, work for the business part-time. “It’s still a real family business.”
Not only that, but the family is growing. At the second Original Hagen’s Orange Freeze, now open in Fair Oaks, Hagen said his sons will be making all the business decisions. But he plans to keep helping out, one way or another.
“I don’t play golf,” he said. “What else am I supposed to do all day?”
The Original Hagen’s Orange Freeze
Address: 2520 Walnut Ave., Carmichael
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday to Thursday.
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Phone: (916) 489-7842
Website: hagensfreeze.com
Vegetarian options: A handful of veggie food options are available