I scream, you scream, and here’s the best ice cream
Christina's Ice Cream -- Cambridge, Mass.
In its 25-plus years, Christina's Ice Cream has developed something of a cult following in its hip Inman Square neighborhood. Located among several popular restaurants, it is a perfect spot for an after-dinner cone, or a destination in and of itself. Christina's is known for its more uncommon flavors -- like Red Bean, Green Tea and Kulfi -- that customers are unlikely to find at other ice cream shops. But owner Ray Ford says vanilla is still the top seller, with Gina's Mocha Explosion, Mango and Coconut Butterfinger not far behind. There are 40 flavors available at all times; 94 on the shop's list. Flavors change seasonally and customer suggestions are welcome. "It can be really unusual," says Ford, "but it has to taste good."
The Bent Spoon -- Princeton, N.J.
The Bent Spoon, in Princeton, is dedicated to using local, organic ingredients, and its flavors rotate accordingly. There are always 18 on the menu, with five constants. The rest depend on availability of ingredients. "That's what's so great about little, small ice cream shops," says co-owner Gabrielle Carbone. "You come here to visit and you taste New Jersey. We call it our New Jersey terroir." With ready access to cheeses from a local vendor, Carbone and partner Matthew Errico make fresh ricotta and mascarpone ice cream, and have even tried goat cheese basil. Bourbon Sea Salt Caramel, Cardamom Ginger and Chocolate Earl Gray are other favorites. The pair make ice cream for 25 local restaurants and hand-pack pints to sell at a small number of local retailers, farmers' markets in season and the lucky students at nearby Princeton University.
Woodside Farm Creamery -- Hockessin, Del.
Jim Mitchell is a seventh-generation farmer whose family has been on his farm in rural Delaware, two-and-a-half hours outside Washington, D.C., since the late 1700s. In 1998, he and his family opened an ice cream stand on the farm. They make all the ice cream using rich, high-butterfat milk from their Jersey cows.
Woodside offers 35 flavors at all times, rotating for diversity. Mitchell says vanilla is the favorite, but his creamery is also known for its Peppermint Chip and Motor Oil. The latter is coffee ice cream with fudge ripple and caramel ripple that is dyed green to look like motor oil. The farm created the flavor for a local steam museum and it was such a hit they added it to their regular menu.
Jim Mitchell is a seventh-generation farmer whose family has been on his farm in rural Delaware, two-and-a-half hours outside Washington, D.C., since the late 1700s. In 1998, he and his family opened an ice cream stand on the farm. They make all the ice cream using rich, high-butterfat milk from their Jersey cows.
Woodside offers 35 flavors at all times, rotating for diversity. Mitchell says vanilla is the favorite, but his creamery is also known for its Peppermint Chip and Motor Oil. The latter is coffee ice cream with fudge ripple and caramel ripple that is dyed green to look like motor oil. The farm created the flavor for a local steam museum and it was such a hit they added it to their regular menu.
Jake's -- Atlanta
With signature flavors like Chocolate Slap Yo Mama, Brown Shugah Vanilla and Coffee & Donuts (with pieces of Krispy Kreme doughnuts mixed in), Jake's is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and going stronger than ever. Founded by Jake Rothschild, a self-taught chef who grew up hand-churning ice cream on his parents' back porch, Jake's grew from one small shop in Atlanta to three, supplies several local restaurants and will soon sell its ice cream at Whole Foods markets throughout the Southeast. Customers are part of the Jake's family, helping the company create and name new ice cream flavors. According to Rothschild, Jake's "isn't just an ice cream parlor; it's an experience." For those who aren't close enough to experience it live, Jake's ships anywhere in the country.
Graeter's -- Cincinnati, Ohio
At Graeter's, four generations of the same family have been making ice cream using the French Pot process since the late 19th century. The company churns out two gallons of ice cream at a time, 300,000 gallons annually. Known for its chocolate chip flavors, Graeter's also makes the chocolate that is broken up into pieces -- sometimes large chunks -- for its creamy frozen treats. "Nobody, but nobody makes ice cream like mine," says CEO Richard Graeter. Graeter's offers 19 regular flavors, with others rotating seasonally. Elena's Blueberry Pie, with real pieces of blueberry pie in it, was created as part of a fundraiser for pediatric brain cancer. Graeter's has 14 shops in Cincinnati, sells its ice cream at supermarkets in Denver, Houston, Dallas and Ohio, and ships it anywhere in the continental U.S.
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