Every year, when the temperature nears one-hundred, my thoughts turn toward a scoop of Rocky Road. I treat myself to a cone at Braum's every once in a while.
How anyone can not love ice cream is incomprehensible to me. It is akin to not loving chocolate, or strawberries, or sunsets, or Gina Lollobrigida. Indeed, Americans have a long history of ice cream love, going back to the first Gelateria (ice cream shop) established in New York in 1770 by an Italian emigrant.
Locally, Blue Bell ice cream is a favorite. I also like Braum's. Both Braum's and Blue Bell do their own manufacturing, which I like. A good and inexpensive grocery store ice cream is the Archer Farms Brand, sold by Target. It scored high in a recent Consumer Reports on ice cream, as did Haagan Daz and Ben & Jerry's, but the latter are expensive and I don't care for the high fat content ice creams.
My wife makes our ice cream at home these days. It is easy and quick, and tastes great. We leave the ice cream mixer-bowl in the freezer until ready for use. It takes about thirty minutes to get good fresh ice cream. My first ice cream maker was a hand churn. I used it twice, I think.
Ice cream by the scoop in Fort Worth:
The new ice cream shops are Sweet Sammies and Paciugo, both off 7th Street. Sweet Sammies sells Blue Bell and Paciugo the homemade Italian gelato. I love them both.
The old stand-bys are: Braum's, drive through and get one scoop of for about $2. My usual choice. And Marble Slab. Not my favorite and it is expensive. And Baskin Robbins.
And just in case you are on the East Coast this summer, my favorite ice cream shop in the world is the Royal Treat, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Something about ice cream, a cool summer evening, boardwalk sounds, and salt air that works well together.
Frozen Yogurt: Ice cream has the advantage of taste-memory in most of our minds, but frozen yogurt is a refreshing summer treat, especially when it is served with fresh fruit. There are almost too many frozen yogurt vendors to mention this summer, but we have to include in our favorites, Yogolait, Menchies, and Pinkberry.Finally, I like ice cream so much I worked as a ice cream salesman one summer. I drove an ice cream truck not unlike the one in this picture. The biggest seller was the Bomb-Pop. My favorite was the orange creamsicle.
8 comments:
I'm one of those nutty people who don't care for ice cream. Now - I can stomach Rocky Road and I do like milkshakes once or twice a year and peach cobbler absolutely must have a scoop of Blue Bell vanilla served alongside. But on it's own? Eh, I'll pass. This infuriates my husband who, like you, can't imagine someone not liking ice cream.
I tried Pinkberry for the first time at the Texas Scottish Festival this past Saturday. It was pretty good.
It was also pretty hot out, and I was surprised at how much melted before I finished.
Jennifer -- I saw the posted picture of your strawberry ice cream. Are you sure?
Occam -- given the recent temperatures that doesn't surprise me. The Pinkberry fro/yo is made fresh as are the fruits -- together it's a pretty tasty creation, imho. Thanks.
What do you think of Milwaukee Joe's? We used to get ice cream there a lot when we lived in Bedford. I thought it was really good. Now that they're in Southlake Town Center (and Joe has gone back to Milwaukee) we don't make it there too much anymore. Besides, who wants to battle the mess that SLTC has become in terms of traffic and snotty suburban tweens and teens?
As for Marble Slab, the concept of beating ice cream on a rock is completely incomprehensible to me.
Don't forget Curly's.
John -- I had not heard of Milwaukee Joes. And No offense to my suburban readers but even ice cream is not enough incentive for me to make a trip to SLTC.
Thanks.
Gary, sorry, I should have mentioned Curly's. Thanks.
Yup Francis. I make it, but I don't eat it. :)
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