best ice cream?

[shugah]

Poll question: best ice cream?

alright - i already know the answer but anyone who has never lived in texas might not ;-)

[spooky3]

1. Graeter's (HQ in Cincinnati)

300 calories per half cup and worth every one

[XboxWarrior]

50. Godiva....

i once bought a box o chocs from them

had my GF got the diamond prize.......

i'd be payin mo child support!

[Lindacooks]

2. Ben & Jerry's, because they're a blue company.

and their ice cream is spectacular.

[shugah]

3. i'm very fond on ben & jerry's

i even get a free pint a month since i switched my long distance to working assets! yet still, i would gladly trade 12 months of ben & jerry's for one heavenly half gallon of bluebell tin roof sundae or chocolate decadence...

have you ever had bluebell ice cream?

[Lindacooks]

10. Never had bluebell ice cream - I'll have to look for it!

[fudge stripe cookays]

22. It's a Texan thang.

You have to look for it down here, because they don't market too many other places.

But they're red. Stick with the Ben and Jerry's. The company's bluer, and the ice cream is better too!

FSC

[GOPisEvil]

13. You know Ben & Jerry's was sold to Unilever, right?

http://www.unilever.co.uk/ourbrands/foods/Ben_Jerrys.asp

[Lindacooks]

41. It's still my choice.

Because Ben & Jerry are very liberal.

[Lars39]

4. What?! No Purity?!

That just ain't right.

[hyphenate]

5. I like ALL ice cream

I do have to admit the original Steve's Ice Cream in Somerville was THE best in the world. But they're long gone from what I hear. :(

Friendly's is still very good, and Dairy Queen can't be topped for soft serve. Ben and Jerry's is always excellent, and even Baskin Robbins has its good flavors. But for sheer chutzpah, I would add Coldstone Creamery to the list of rising stars in the ice cream world. :)

[shugah]

7. all ice cream is good

except pseudo ice cream trying to be what it is not. i choose healthy 9 out of 10 times - but if i'm going to eat ice cream, i want the real thing!

[Shell Beau]

11. But then you would have to add The Marble Slab.

[hyphenate]

34. Afraid I'm not familiar with that one, though

I got introduced to Coldstone on a trip to Vegas, where they have one at the New York, New York Casino.

[Shell Beau]

36. It is basically the same thing.

Just a different chain.

[Squeech]

20. Yeah, but

Boston is still a great city for boutique ice cream.

Steve did sell his business, to another local entrepreneur, who then sold the name and the recipes to a multinational, who distributed ice cream with the Steve's name and his (trademarked) mix-ins to supermarkets. But I don't think that still exists.

Steve came back a few years later (I was told that the reason he got out of the business in the first place was that his mother was very sick) and opened another local chain, under his *last* name: Herrell's. It's not as good as the original Steve's, IMHO. In particular, the flavors are more subtle (read: wussier)-- things like Sweet Cream.

But there's competition now. The following establishments make their own ice cream, and they're all really good: Christina's in Inman Square (they make a Middle Eastern flavor called khulfi, containing pistachio nuts and cardamom), Rancatore's in Belmont (they make the best coffee ice cream ever), J.P. Licks (started in Jamaica Plain, now all over town), and Toscanini's (they have a flavor called nocciola, which is an Italian hazelnut cream, totally awesome).

All of the above are my favorite, depending on the phase of the moon.

[hyphenate]

33. Funny about JP Licks

That used to be my old neighborhood back in the 70s and early 80s. I remember when the first one opened....we used to be there every day, it seemed. My now 27 year old niece was all of 3 or 4 when it first opened. I haven't been over to JP for a long while now, but it used to be one door removed from the corner of Boylston and Centre, just as Centre branched and became South Huntington Ave and Centre. There was a Greek pizza place on the corner, which my mom loved. Amazingly, I still have dreams which include that area!

The original pistachio there was white. They didn't mix in the food coloring to the mix, but there were nice big pistachioes in the ice cream, and that's what mattered. They also had a "Sweet cream" ice cream which I enjoyed, because while I'm a chocoholic, I wanted something a little lighter on occasion.

I had forgotten about them, though. Thanks for making me crave some old 'hood taste! :)

Also, thanks for the names of a few others as well. Next time I get in to Boston, I should explore a few of them!


PS: As for Herrell's, I do remember one opening near Harvard Sq. at one point, but that's about it--I never went to it. Selling out to a big company is all well and good if they insist on retaining the charm they were famous for, but if they lose that, it's not worth bothering with anymore.

[liberaltrucker]

6. HD Strawberry-to die for

Literally-high in saturated fat. If my doc said the next pint would kill me, that's OK-I've seen(tasted) HeavenO8)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. The best I ever had was in a little hole-in-the-wall place

in Hancock, Maine.
They made their ice cream on the premesis; and their blueberry cheesecake flavor was to die for!

[donheld]

9. Denver's own Liks Ice Cream

http://www.liksicecream.com/


Liks' Regular Ice Cream Flavors

BANANA - Banana Base BLUEBERRY - Blueberry Base BUTTERSCOTCH - Butterscotch Base CAPPUCCIN - Cappuccino Base CHOCOLATE - Chocolate Base CINNAMON - Vanilla Cinnamon Base COCONUT - Coconut Base COFFEE - Coffee Base

EGG NOG - Egg Nog Base ESPRESSO - Espresso Base FRENCH VANILLA - Vanilla Custard Base LEMON CHIFFON - Light Lemon Custard Base MOCHA - Chocolate Coffee Base RED RASPBERRY - Red Raspberry Base ROOT BEER - Root Beer Base STRAWBERRY - Strawberry Base with Slice Strawberries VANILLA - Bourbon Vanilla Base

VANILLA BEAN - Bourbon Vanilla Base with Vanilla Beans

Liks' Fancy Ice Cream Flavors

AMARETTO ALMONDS - Amaretto Base with Sliced Almonds AMARETTO COFFEE - Amaretto Coffee Base

AMARETTO PEACH BANANA - Amaretto Banana Base with Sliced Peaches BANANA RIPPLE FUDGE - Banana Base with Fudge Marble BING CHERRY - Vanilla Base with Bing Cherries BLACK RASPBERRY SWIRL - Vanilla Base with Raspberry Marble BLACK WALNUT - Black Walnut Base with Chopped Black Walnuts BLACKBERRY - Blackberry Base BUBBLE GUM - Bubble Gum Base with Gum Bits BUTTER BRITTLE - Butter Base with Butter Brittle Candies BUTTER TOFFEE - Butter Base with Butter Toffee Candies BUTTERFINGER - Vanilla Base with Butterfinger Candies BUTTERSCOTCH CASHEW - Butterscotch Base with Chopped Cashews BUTTERSCOTCH SUNDAE - Vanilla Base with Butterscotch Swirl

CARAMEL CINNAMON - Cinnamon Base with Caramel Marble CARAMEL ON CARAMEL - Caramel Base with Caramel Marble CHAI TEA - Chai Tea Base CHERRY VANILLA - Cherry Vanilla BASE CHOCOHOLIC - Chocolate Base with Fudge Marble CHOCOLATE CHIP Vanilla Base with Chocolate Chunks CHOCOLATE BANANA SWIRL - Chocolate and Banana Ice Cream Swirl CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP - Chocolate Base with Chocolate Chunks CHOCOLATE DECADENCE - Chocolate Base with Chocolate Showers CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT - Chocolate Base with Hazelnuts CHOCOLATE MALT - Chocolate Malt Base CHOCOLATE RUM - Chocolate Base with Rum Flavoring CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY - Chocolate Base with Sliced Strawberries CINNAMON CHOCOLATE CHIP - Cinnamon Base with Chocolate Chunks COCONUT CHIP - Coconut Base with Chocolate Chunks COCONUT FUDGE MARBLE - Coconut Base with Fudge Marble COFFEE CHIPS - Coffee Base with chocolate Chunks COFFEE OREO - Coffee Base with Oreo Cookies COFFEE TOFFEE - Coffee Base with English Toffee Candies COTTON CANDY - Cotton Candy Base CREME DE MENTHE MARBLE - Creme de Menthe Base with Fudge Marble

DARK CHOCOLATE - Ebony Chocolate Base DUTCH CHOCOLATE - Dutch Chocolate Base ENGLISH ALMOND TOFFEE - Almond Toffee Base with Almond Toffee Candies FRENCH CHOCOLATE MINT- Chocolate Base with Creme de Menthe Flavoring HAZELNUT - Hazelnut Base with Chopped Hazelnuts HONEY VANILLA - Honey Vanilla Base HUCKLEBERRY VANILLA - Vanilla Base with Huckleberry Marble IRISH COFFEE - Coffee Base with Creme De Menthe Flavoring LEMON CUSTARD - Lemon Custard Base M&M - Vanilla Base with M&M Candies MAPLE WALNUT - Maple Base with Chopped Walnuts MAPLE NUT - Maple Base with Chopped Almonds MEXICAN CHOCOLATE - Cinnamon Chocolate Base MEXICAN FLAN - Chocolate Custard Base with a Light Cinnamon Flavoring MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP - Creme de Menthe Base with Chocolate Chunks

MINT CHOCOLATE SHOWERS - Creme de Menthe Base with Chocolate Showers MINT OREO - Creme de Menthe Base with Oreo Cookies PEACH - Peach Base with Peach Slices PEANUT BUTTER CUPS - Vanilla Base with Chopped Peanut Butter Cups PEPPERMINT CANDY - Peppermint Base with Peppermint Candies PINEAPPLE - Pineapple Base with Diced Pineapples PUMPKIN - Pumpkin Base RASPBERRY CREME - Vanilla Base with Raspberry Marble RASPBERRY DREAM - Vanilla Base and Raspberry Sherbet Swirl RED RASPBERRY CUSTARD - Red Raspberry Custard Base ROCKY MOUNTAIN - Chocolate Base with Caramel Marble and Chopped Peanuts ROOT BEER MARBLE - Vanilla and Root Beer ice cream Swirl RUM RAISIN - Rum Raisin Base with Diced Raisins SMORES - Chocolate Base with Marshmallows, Fudge Marble, and Graham Crackers

STRAWBERRY BANANA SWIRL - Strawberry and Banana Ice Cream Swirl TIN ROOF - Vanilla Base with Fudge Marble and Chopped Peanuts VANILLA CARAMEL SWIRL - Vanilla Base with Caramel Marble VANILLA FUDGE SWIRL - Vanilla Base with Fudge Marble VANILLA ORANGE SWIRL - Vanilla Base and Orange Sherbet swirls WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP - Vanilla Base with White Chocolate Chips

Liks' Premium Ice Cream Flavors

ADOBE PIE - Mocha Base with Fudge Marble and Graham Crackers ALMOND JOY - Coconut Base with Fudge Marble and Chopped Almonds ALMOND ROCA - Almond Base with Chopped Almonds, Fudge Marble and Butter Toffee Candies ALPINE CHOCOLATE ALMOND - Ebony Chocolate Base with White Chocolate Chips and Chopped Almonds AMARETTO CHERRY CHIP - Amaretto Base with Cherries and Chocolate Chunks AMARETTO PEACHES - Amaretto Peach Base with Sliced Peaches

APPLE COBBLER - Cinnamon Base with Sliced Apples and Vanilla Wafers BANANA NUT BREAD - Banana Base with Chopped Almonds and Graham Crackers BANANA NUT CHIP - Banana Base with Chopped Almonds and Chocolate Chunks

BANANA SPLIT - Banana Base with Fudge and Marshmallow Marbles, Peanuts, and Cherries BILLIONAIRES - Ebony Chocolate Base with Caramel and Fudge Marbles, and Pecans BLACK FOREST - Ebony Chocolate Base with Marshmallows BLACK GOLD - Ebony Chocolate Base with English Toffee Candies BLACK RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Raspberry Marble and Graham Crackers BLACKBERRY PECAN - Blackberry Base with Chopped Pecans BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Blueberry Swirl and Graham Crackers BLUEBERRY COBBLER - Cinnamon Base with Blueberry Swirl and Vanilla Wafers BRANDIED PEACH - Peach Base with Brandy Flavoring and Sliced Peaches BRANDY ALEXANDER - Ebony Chocolate Base with Brandy Flavoring BRANDY BANANA NUT - Banana Base with Brandy Flavoring and Chopped Walnuts

BUTTER CASHEW PECAN - Butter Base with Chopped Cashew and Pecans BUTTER PECAN - Butter Pecan Base with Chopped Pecans BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE RIPPLE - Vanilla Base with Butterscotch Swirl and Fudge marble

BUTTERSCOTCH PECAN RIPPLE - Vanilla Base Butterscotch Swirl and Chopped Pecans CARAMEL APPLE SWIRL - Caramel Cinnamon Base with Sliced Apple and Caramel Marble CARAMEL CASHEW - Caramel Base with Chopped Cashews

CARAMEL FUDGE ALMOND - Vanilla Base with Caramel and Fudge Marbles and Chopped Almonds

CARAMEL IRISH STOUT - Caramel Fudge Base with Guinness and Chocolate Chunks CARAMEL PECAN SWIRL - Vanilla Base with Caramel Marble and Chopped Pecans CHEESMAN - Cheesecake Base with Strawberry Marble and Graham Crackers CHERRY ALMOND - Vanilla Base with Cherries and Chopped Almonds CHERRY CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Cherry Swirl and Graham Crackers CHERRY CHOCOLATE SHOWER - Cherry Base with Chocolate Showers and Cherries

CHERRY COBBLER - Cinnamon Base with Cherry Swirl and Vanilla Wafers CHERRY NUT - Cherry Base with Cherries and Chopped Almonds CHERRY WALNUT - Cherry Base with Cherries and Chopped Walnuts CHOCOLATE ALMOND FUDGE - Chocolate Base with Fudge Marble and Chopped Almonds CHOCOLATE CARAMEL NUT - Chocolate Base with Caramel Marble and Chopped Almonds CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Fudge Marble and Graham Crackers

CHOCOLATE CHERRIES - Chocolate Base with Cherries CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Chocolate Chunks and Graham Crackers CHOCOLATE CHIP RIPPLE - Chocolate Base with Chocolate Chunks and Fudge Marble CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Fudge Marble, Espresso Beans, and Graham Crackers CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA - Chocolate Base with Sliced Macadamia Nuts CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER - Chocolate Base with Peanut Butter Swirl CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE - Chocolate Custard Base with Raspberry Marble

CHOCOLATE WALNUT FUDGE - Chocolate Base with Chopped Walnuts and Fudge Marble COCONUT CHOCOLATE CHIP - Coconut Base with Chocolate Chunks COCONUT MACADAMIA CHIP - Coconut Base with Sliced Macadamia Nuts and Chocolate Chunks COLORADO MUD - Mocha Base with Fudge Marble and Oreo Cookies COOKIE DOUGH - Vanilla Base with Cookie Dough Bits COOKIE 'N CREAM - Vanilla Base with a Heavy Mixing of Oreo Cookies CREAMY PRALINE - Praline Base with Caramel Coated Pecans DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE SWIRL - Ebony Chocolate and Orange Ice Cream Swirl

ENGLISH ALMOND TOFFEE - Almond Toffee Base with Sliced Almond and Toffee Candies ESPRESSO ALMOND FUDGE - Espresso Base with Fudge Marble and Chopped Almonds GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE - Chocolate Base with Caramel Marble and Sliced Coconuts GINGER - Ginger Base GRASSHOPPER PIE - Creme de Menthe Base with Chocolate Chunks and Wafers GREEN TEA - Green Tea Base HEATH BAR CRUNCH - Butter Base with Fudge Marble and Heath Bar Candies

HONEY MACADAMIA NUT - Honey Vanilla Base with Sliced Macadamia Nuts JACK DANIELS CHOCOLATE CHIP - Chocolate Base with Whiskey Flavoring and Chocolate Chunks KEY LIME PIE - Lime Base with Vanilla Wafers

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE - Maple Base with Chopped Pecans and Fudge Marble MILLIONAIRES - Chocolate Base with Chopped Pecans and Butterscotch Swirl MOCHA ALMOND FUDGE - Mocha Base with Sliced Almonds and Fudge Marble

PEACH COBBLER - Cinnamon Base with Sliced Peaches and Vanilla Wafers PISTACHIO - Pistachio Base with Chopped Pistachios PUMPKIN PIE - Pumpkin Base with marshmallow Swirl and Graham Crackers RASPBERRY FUDGE SWIRL - Raspberry Base with Fudge Marble RED RASPBERRY HAZELNUT - Raspberry Base with Chopped Hazelnuts ROCKY ROAD - Chocolate Base with Chopped Walnuts and Marshmallows RUM HAZELNUT - Rum Base with Chopped Hazelnuts SLEEPLESS - Espresso Base with Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans SPUMONI - Pistachio, Chocolate Rum, and Cherry Ice Cream Swirl TEXAS TURTLES - Chocolate Base with Caramel Marble and Chopped Pecans WILD RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE - Cheesecake Base with Raspberry Marble and Graham Crackers VERY BERRY - Strawberry Base with Blueberries and Blackberries

And, of course, any favorites not listed can be made!

[GOPisEvil]

12. Blue Bell, of course, for store-bought brands.

Although, in a pinch, the HEB store brand is pretty good, too. heck, Blue Bell might even make it. I dunno.

[MN ChimpH8R]

14. Ben and Jerry's for grocery-store availability

but the best ice cream I've ever had in my life was Emack & Bolio's Chocolate Moose when I was a law student in Cambridge, Mass. It was to die for. :9 :9 :9

[malmapus]

15. Coldstone

Hands down

http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/main/index.asp">Coldstone Creamery

[tedoll78]

16. Blue Bell Cookies 'N Cream.

I always always have some in the fridge. It's a natural mood elevator.. yup..

[redqueen]

17. I usually get Blue Bell.

[I Have A Dream]

18. Breyer's is my favorite. n/t

[chaska]

49. I'll second....

[Dora]

19. Hey Texans! Bluebell is on sale at Sun Harvest/Wild Oats!

Only $2.99 per half gallon, which sure beats the $5.99 they've been charging all summer long.

Time to stock up on some French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate.

[shugah]

27. *sigh*

i miss bluebell ice cream.

[lavenderdiva]

21. Amy's Ice Cream! Yummy!

they have the BEST Hot Fudge ever...

[fudge stripe cookays]

23. Gimme a cup...

of Sweet Cream and Grasshopper, and I'm in heaven! :9

reprehensor had his first Amy's a couple weeks ago on our 4th of July trip down. He understood what I was talking about after that!

FSC

[lavenderdiva]

25. Yummy!

me, I like Sweet Cream with Butterfinger bits worked in, slathered in Hot Fudge!!! ain't nothin' better!


unless of course, you're my husband who prefers Oreo with fresh Strawberries worked in, slathered in Hot Fudge!

Here's to 14% butterfat icecream!! :toast:

[fudge stripe cookays]

29. The one I had this last trip was AWESOME!

I can't remember the name of the flavor now, dammit, but it was like white chocolate with chocolate covered coffee beans! :wow:

Absolutely utterly decadent. I was silenced by its perfection among all other sweets.

:9
FSC

[derby378]

30. Gotta have their White Chocolate again...

...although Amy's Sweet Cream flavor is pretty damn good.

White Chocolate milk shake from Amy's at midnight. Mmmmmmmm.

[Felix Mala]

24. Market/Orchard/Pumpkin Patch about 40 miles north of Indy on

US 31... September - October they have Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream - You can taste the pumpkin pudding AND the whipped cream on top with big chunks of tasty, short, pie shell throughout. It's the best ice cream I've ever tasted. I'm really looking forward to September!

[edbermac]

26. Don't know the maker, but the flavor is Moose Tracks...

Yum, yum, yum...

[demnan]

28. Hand churned peach ice cream made with fresh ripe peaches

I've never tasted anything else that remotely compares.

[ashling]

31. Blue Bell

except that they arenot blue at all.

Even better is my homemade ice cream

[Greyhound]

32. Other. Any DUers live in Denver? Is Lickety Split Still there?

Time Magazine dubbed it the best ice-cream on earth, probably the galaxy. Was on 12th Ave. near Cheeseman Park. :loveya:

[noonwitch]

35. Joan's Ice Cream parlor in Baldwin, MI

I love ice cream, and theirs is home made and the best I have ever had.

Since that's not somewhere I get to very often, I like Baskin Robbins Chocolate Chip ice cream. It's as close to Howard Johnson's as I can find, which was excellent ice cream when I was a kid.

[shugah]

44. hm. where's bladwin?

i'm always looking for great ice cream! ;-)

[RedSpartan]

37. Jake's Ice Cream in Atlanta

Nothing can compare.

[catbert836]

38. You spelled Häagen-Dazs wrong.

That's the only truely high-quality ice cream I know of.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

39. Tchello in Rio de Janeiro

Totally independent, mom'n'pop store. Best. Ice. Cream. In. The. Goddamn. Universe.

[One_Life_To_Give]

40. Kimbals

The best I have found since Steve Herrel sold his original "Steve's Icecream"

But would like to add an honorable mention for
UCONN
The agricultural school runs a dairy bar.

[DemGirl7]

42. I don't have a brand of ice cream that I like the best...

As long as it's ice cream, I really don't care what brand it is:9 :9 :9

[hippywife]

43. For store bought stuff

it depends on the flavor.

Bluebell Dutch Chocolate
Blue Bunny Homemade Vanilla
Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip

Best "ice cream" ever, besides homeade, handchurned, was Ted Drewes frozen custard...make mine pistachio, please! :P

edit for spelling. It's time for me to go to bed.

[usedtobesick]

45. Hagan Daaz

[shugah]

46. hagen daaz chocolate chocolate chip

used to be my favorite but they discontinued it. or was that godiva? i've had too many love affairs with ice cream, i guess.

i actually rarely eat ice cream or any other sweets for that matter, but there is just something about ice cream! when it's good, it is just so damn good!

[In_The_Wind]

47. Ben & Jerry's

2nd favorite ~ Häagen-Dazs

[chaska]

48. I finally had to face it, Ben and Jerry's just plain sucks...

who wants all that candy and garbage in their ice cream. I'm paying for quality premium ice cream, not dime store candy.