Off Topic: Ice Cream

spectacular-speculoos-landingWell, it’s been another crazy week here and I haven’t even had a chance to crack open any scents, new or old. One of the things I was able to indulge in was some ice cream, which was wonderful in the unseasonably humid heat. I love ice cream, but don’t eat a lot of it. I used to get a cone every once in a while at the Thrifty Drug store on Canon Drive after going to yoga class with my friend Marietta. Mint Chip was the default, end even now I will stop in and grab some. When I lived in New York, I used to stop at the Haagen Dazs on Christopher Street to have some cookies and cream, then only available in the boutiques, and still a favorite. Does anyone remember the brief competitor to Haagen Dazs, called Frusen Gladje? I also used to go somewhat regularly to the Ben and Jerry’s on Main Street in Santa Monica, but fell out of the habit since it’s such a trek.

But every once in a while I get the yen. Early in the week I had a sudden passion for a quart of Rum Raisin, and happily found it was even on sale. It’s still just as satisfying for me as it was back in the 80’s when I’d buy it at the corner market, and, g-d help me, eat it for dinner.

So what’s your favorite flavor? Let us know in the comments..

Image: Ben and Jerry’s, also a favorite.

  • Diana says:

    Frusen Gladje–a blast from the past. Yes, I remember that brand! I don’t have a favorite brand, but my go-to flavor is coffee with chocolate pieces in it. When I was living in PA, I loved going to New Hope PA once or twice a year and always stopped at the mom and pop there that made its own ice cream. They had “exotic” flavors like rose ice cream and african tree bark. Its the first place I had pumpkin spice ice cream in fall, although everyone seems to have pumpkin spice flavored stuff nowadays.

  • Laura says:

    Growing up in Texas, I have deep love for the recently maligned Blue Bell. For the almost 30 yrs I’ve lived outside of BB sales radius, I miss it every summer. It will always be my #1. And it appears to have been resurrected by a wealthy benefactor. Yea!!

  • nicole says:

    I adored Ben & Jerry’s Wavy Gravy, Haagen Dazs Coffee, & ButterScotch from 50 Licks

  • Tena says:

    I am very fond of Haagen Daz Strawberry, B&J Cherry Garcia or any brand of Grapenut or Pistachio. Also, there may or may not be 1 litre of each of these in my freezer right now :).

  • Nemo says:

    I love Ben and Jerry’s, coffee heath bar crunch is my favorite 🙂 I won’t turn don’t most flavors though…I am strongely tempted to have it for breakfast now.

  • Wendysue says:

    I adore Ben and Jerry’s, but cannot indulge often. Brewed To Matter is a new flavor exclusive to Target that is yummy. I miss Wavy Gravy!

  • eldarwen22 says:

    The flavor I REALLY miss is the Haagen Daz is their Creme Brulee. That was hard to find when it was in production but now I can’t find anywhere and haven’t for a long time. After that, I kind of quit eating ice cream save for the periodic cone or blizzard. But all is not lost, my waistline is thanking me for no buying ice cream on a regular basis.

  • Tiffanie says:

    Thrifty’s chocolate chip ice cream was my favorite back when 3 scoops cost just 25 cents. Sigh. I miss those oddly cylindrical scoops, too.

  • Claudia says:

    I loved Wil Wrights ice cream. There was a shop on Coast Hwy in Newport Beach. Wish they’d come back!

  • Roxana says:

    I just went to a new ice cream place in Tarzana called Wanderlust Creamery, they use organic ingredients. Love supporting local and small businesses. My fave was their Palo Santo since cream, amazing! When I attended high school in the 80’s I worked at Haagen Daz. 🙂 Here at the Whizin Market Square we have Tifa Chocolate & Ice Cream, which is also really good, lately I’ve been loving their Salted Caramel and Fig & Mascarpone.

  • Heidi says:

    Ben & Jerry’s used to have a flavor I only saw in the store, and which they don’t carry anymore — White Russian — which I absolutely adored. I also really love Haagen Dazs’ Green Tea, which they make occasionally. But I’ve started making my own ice creams, and I love vanilla made with vanilla bean (cooking with vanilla bean, or saffron, always makes me feel totally decadent), rosemary dark chocolate (the rosemary isn’t prominent — just adds a something-something that leaves you going, what is that?), and watermelon basil sorbet. (Besides perfume, I also enjoy fondling and smelling fresh herbs.)

  • odonata9 says:

    Frusen gladje! Yes, I remember the name at least – don’t recall if I ever went there, but do remember we had a shop nearby. I also pick up mint chocolate chip if I have time when I am in Rite Aid and waiting for a prescription (Thrifty ice cream). Mint chocolate chip is my default flavor but vanilla, cookies & cream, strawberry, raspberry, butter pecan and lots of others will do quite nicely! I have an ice cream maker at home which I use very rarely, but when it’s hot, I make a very simple lime sherbet that is super refreshing. I should do that since it’s supposed to be another warm weekend (I’m in San Diego, so I assume you will be getting that too!).

  • jen says:

    Chocolate gelato eaten sitting on a bench in Venice.

  • JillM says:

    We are big fans of Talenti Gelato in this house. The Sea Salt Caramel, caramel apple pie and toffee coffee…ok basically all of them. But for a classic B&J Pistachio which I would get in a cone at the shop near NW 23rd in Portland.

  • Ann says:

    Yum! I don’t keep ice cream in the house usually, as too much dairy upsets the system — and my teenager would probably eat most of it in a sitting or two 🙂 . But when I must have it, Breyer’s Butter Pecan and any good mint chocolate chip will scratch the itch nicely. Thanks for a delicious Friday, Tom!

  • Susan Nygren says:

    Ben&Jerry´s: Chocolate Fudge.
    Haagen Dazs: Strawberry Cheesecake AND plain Strawberry; this latter mentioned cannot – unfortunately – be found where i live in Stockholm, Sweden, but my SO and I bought it in a corner market when visiting New York in 2010 and it was the BEST strawberry flavored ice cream we had ever tasted. 🙂
    JÄRNAGLASS (ecological ice cream): Caffé Latte (yes, this is the spelling :-)), flavored ice cream. So delicious!!! Yep, you guys will have to visit Sweden in order to get hold of their FABULOUS ice cream…
    Had never heard of the “Frusen Glädje” brand before. An American brand with a Swedish name (translated Frozen Joy).

  • Dina C. says:

    I like many flavors of ice cream, but my favorite is coffee. It’s amusing because I don’t drink coffee. Friendly’s used to make a choffee ice cream soda with chocolate syrup, coffee ice cream and soda water that was bliss. I’ve guided a soda jerk at Haagen Dazs through the process to recreate it, and it turned out great. Man, I could use one right now! Thanks for a nice walk down memory lane, Tom.

    • Gwenyth says:

      Funny! Me, too…..I don’t drink coffee but I adore coffee ice cream.

      I love ice cream but I don’t have it very often. I’m fond of Vanilla Bean and usually keep a carton in the freezer because my family loves it with homemade hot fudge sauce.
      I’m fond of caramel, nuts, chocolate and any combination thereof. 🙂

    • Tom says:

      Oh how I miss Friendly’s!

  • Lemoncake says:

    Graeter’s Raspberry Chip….perfection!

  • rosarita313 says:

    We have a wonderful local ice cream shop that is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Their peanut butter ice cream is fantastic, no chunks of anything, just smooth silky perfection. In general though, it’s hard to beat a good vanilla bean.

  • Portia says:

    RUM & RAISIN!!! Snap. My favourite too.
    Followed by strawberry.
    Portia xx