Only one of the previous 78 posters mentioned the Creamery at Penn State U. in University Park, PA - which is surprising because it is truly the best anywhere - made fresh daily with fresh ingredients (the cows at the Ag. School do their part) and really high in milk fat content. Ben and Jerry themselves studied ice cream making at Penn State as have many other purveyors. Visitors can get a cone and then order half-gallons to go, which are packed in dry ice by the student workers for your trip home. I'm going up there this Wednesday and intend to come back with some Peachy Paterno and their pure chocolate, which is 100% self-indulgence.

Obviously, this is a question aimed at adults with quite a sweet tooth. Ask any kid what their favorite ice cream is and they might say 'chocolate'. As far as I'm concerned, any double scoop on a hot summer day is the best ice cream around. Heck, even a Bomb Pop or an Alexander the Grape Otter Pop will do. If I have to throw in a vote, Matsumoto's near the North Shore is worth a plane ticket. The red bean ice cream sitting under the Hawaiian Shaved Ice is awesome. Scenery isn't bad either.

On Cape Cod, Sundae School and especially the Four Seas near Hyannis (supposedly a Kennedy family favorite). I can't imagine better ice cream.

In my freezer: Breyer's Vanilla Ice Cream. Tastes like homemade vanilla ice cream.

Arwen..

I take it you have never made ice cream using an old fashioned paddle mixer....surrounded by ice...there is a difference...you should try it sometime.

Meanwhile..I miss ice cream in Hanalei with the shave ice and syrup on top.

Boston is certainly high on the list as Ice Cream capitol of the US. I too have heard the stats about highest consumtion per person. Back during the famous blizzard of '78 there were lines to get into the Ice Cream Factory in Brookline!
Well, in case any of our plan to be in Boston during Sept. you might consider attending the annual Ice Cream Fest at WGBH (our local, though nationally known public TV outlet). Here's the copy from their own web site:

Sweet September
The WGBH Ice Cream FunFest, an annual tradition for 'GBH member-families, features more
than 50 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt and entertainment by Rick Goldin, Jah Spirit,
Mickey Bones, Dollee the Clown, plus guest appearances by Wimzie (Wimzie's House), Noddy
(Noddy) and many more.
When: Saturday, 9/18-Sunday, 9/19 from 12-4pm each day
Where: WGBH parking lot, Allston
Tickets: Two free admissions with MemberCard; $10 for non-member adults, $5 for children
Info: 617-300-3300

Many of the above mentioned New England ice cream outlets participate, and you can do your own taste testing all day! It's lots of fun. The studio is a manageable walk from Harvard Sq. and I think they run shuttle buses from Cambridge as well.

Dick,

Actually we have made homemade ice cream the old fashioned way. We had to take turns cranking the maker because it was too hard on the old arm. The Breyers vanilla tasted just like the homemade ones. Breyers might make several types of vanilla ice cream, but the one I'm talking about contains only cream, vanilla, and sugar.

I tried the shaved ice in Kuaui and yes, it was DELLICIOUS!

Happy with the island breezes blowing through here And I'll definitely refer to this thread when traveling on the mainland!

Kalena, You're in the land of Lapperts! Lucky girl! Their Hula Pie is worth flying to Hawaii for - coffee ice cream, coconut, fudge sauce, macadamia nuts - to die for! And a mango ice cream, which is extraordinary! Here in Raleigh, I go for Edy's (Double Chocolate Chunk is THE BEST), and Ben & Jerry's alway comes through!

What a yummy thread! Oh, yes, that Creamery at Penn State can really churn out good stuff, too!

Kalena, You're in the land of Lapperts! Lucky girl! Their Hula Pie is worth flying to Hawaii for - coffee ice cream, coconut, fudge sauce, macadamia nuts - to die for! And a mango ice cream, which is extraordinary! Here in Raleigh, I go for Edy's (Double Chocolate Chunk is THE BEST), and Ben & Jerry's alway comes through!

What a yummy thread! Oh, yes, that Creamery at Penn State can really churn out good stuff, too!

Dan! I was waiting for someone to agree with me on the Creamery at Penn State! It is second to none! (Are you an alum, too?)

K. Aikin, I missed your post about State College my first time through. I'm not familiar with Meyer's Dairy, but it sounds great. Where is it?

WE ARE...PENN STATE!
(that's for all the PSU alums on the board)
I do agree that The Creamery has excellent ice cream. The $1 cones are especially welcome on those hot Arts Fest nights. I prefer Meyer's because it is a bit less sweet than The Creamery, and they will make milkshakes in any flavor they have ice cream. Meredith- you can find Meyer's Dairy on South Atherton, across the street and just south of the Bi-Lo (on the right as you're going toward Boalsburg).

Thanks, K.! I'll be in State College for a game in September, and I'll definitely have to visit Meyer's! I take it you are an alum, too. I'm so happy to see other Penn Staters on this site!!! (By the way, we're going all the way in football this year, right?)

Thanks, K.! I'll be in State College for a game in September, and I'll definitely have to visit Meyer's! I take it you are an alum, too. I'm so happy to see other Penn Staters on this site!!! (By the way, we're going all the way in football this year, right?)

(oops, didn't mean to post twice!)

Try the Creamatorium in Blackwood, NJ.

Jaxson's Old-fashioned ice cream parlor on Federal Highway in Dania Beach, FL. (near Fort Lauderdale). Best stuff you'll ever have.

A hot fudge sundae at the ice cream parlor at Sarris Candies in Canonsburg, PA (south of Pittsburgh). I also like their chocolate almond ice cream. (And they have the best dark chocolate covered pretzels in the candy part of the store.) Uh oh, I'm getting chocolate cravings!!

Three great places for ice cream that rank as regional favorites:

UConn Dairy Bar ice cream in Storrs, Connecticut. It's part of the agricultural program. The freshness (and the views of cornfields and cows!) can't be beat.

Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream in Mystic, CT. One of the most unusual buildings in which to sample GREAT homemade ice cream.

Ashley's Ice Cream--a couple of locations in the New Haven, CT area. It's a local phenomenon that students in the area return to whenever they can--even after they graduate. The flavors are excellent and the rich texture is indescribable.