Dishing on the local ice cream hot spots
May 8—With summer inching ever closer, ice cream season is coming along with it.
Not that we don't enjoy ice cream the rest of the year, but for many of us scoops in a bowl, in a cone, on a stick or as a sundae can be the ultimate summer-time, hot weather treat.
The truth is it doesn't have to be summer to enjoy this confection. Take a look at freezer sections in grocery stores — you'll find too many different ice creams and colors and flavors as well as yogurts, frozen ices, sherbets and gelatos to count. You'll even find gluten- and lactose-free versions of favorites as well as vegan choices. They're there all year long.
The thing is, having some in December out of our home freezer isn't the same as enjoying a spoonful or lick of creamy goodness now when the weather is warming up.
The history of this frozen treat is anything but vanilla. Those who brought it here in the early 1700s would be shocked at what this simple mixture of milk, cream and sugar has become. Then, and for many years until the mid-1800s, it was an exclusive for the wealthy upper class. Not so anymore. It's here for all of us to enjoy. Lucky for us in our area we have delicious choices of places specializing in it. Here are a few, some familiar, some maybe not. This is not a complete list at all — but just to give you a start:
One of the more popular is Flapdoodles. Here they make their own ice cream on site, something that most others do as well. They have close to 80 flavors including Salty Caramel, Coffee Chip, Butter Pecan, Banana Cream Pie (Yum!) and Blueberry Cheesecake. These are somewhat divided up between their two locations, one south, the other north. Interestingly, when a customer orders Oscar's Snack-a-Palooza, (vanilla laced with oreo and heath bar bits and chocolate chips) available at the south location, a portion benefits The Landing, a homeless support shelter. Wondering how they come up with new flavors? Mark Tierney, one of the owners, said, "Whenever we travel, wherever we go, we look and explore." New for the season are Strawberry Rhubarb and Peach Mango sorbet. Store locations: South is 1710 Broadway Ave. S, the North location 3525 22nd Ave. NW.
You might not expect to come across ice cream in a coffee shop but welcome to Café Aqui where you will, They're the only ones in town that carry ice cream from The Chocolate Shoppe in Madison, Wisconsin, (though the Chocolate Shoppe in Mantorville does as well.) That ice cream has been recognized as one of the best in the Midwest. Here, they carry four flavors that can vary, always a chocolate option (Exhausted Parent was one recently), Party Animal, a kids flavor with crunched animal crackers and sprinkles, Vanilla Bean and a Fruity Sorbet. They also offer milkshakes, malts, bowls and pints. A customer favorite is their Assogato, a scoop or two of vanilla with a shot of espresso. Acqui is at 1811 Second St. SW, inside Sargent's on 2nd.
The newest go-to spot is La Michoacana Purépecha, a Mexican ice cream parlor at 28 Ninth St. SE. Opened two years ago it is a busy place. Coolers filled with 50 different ice cream flavors as well as popsicles are all lined up on one side of a very large space. There is ample seating in booths and tables as well as seating outside. I also saw frozen bananas dipped in various toppings. I sampled a scoop of vanilla and chocolate, both delicious, a little softer in texture with the vanilla more pronounced and the chocolate filled with big chocolate chunks. Put this on your list.
What sets Cold Stone Creamery apart is that there you select your ice cream choices and it is then placed on a frozen marble slab. This lets you add in any number of endless mix-in ingredients from candies to cookies. Their ice cream is mixed fresh every day and like the others there is an amazing array of flavors. Siri Alturi, the new owner of both sites here in town, remarked that while their signature flavor is Chocolate Devotion, the best seller is Birthday Cake. The two locations: 3780 Marketplace Drive N, and 2650 Broadway Ave. S.
If gelato is what you're after head to Chocolaterie Stam, the very popular chocolate shop in the Galleria Mall at University Square. In addition to their chocolates they also specialize in gelato, which is made on site. There are 24 flavors including Crème Brûlée and Chocolate, two you'll definitely want to try. They also have Sorbetto, the non-dairy ice. Fresh Berry and Rosa Guava flavors are especially recommended.
As you go for a cone or dish during these warmer months, and you look over the flavors that abound, consider one thing: regardless of the hundreds of flavors available, the favorites nationwide are still vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.
Post Bulletin food writer Holly Ebel knows what's cookin'. Send comments or story tips to life@postbulletin.com .
