Another vote for Ted Drewes Frozen Custard!!

And for what I can buy locally and put in my freezer -- MOOSETRACKS!! Can't believe how many chocolate chunks they can pack in a half gallon.

Cass - Oberweis Dairy has excellent Peppermint ice cream with large chunks of peppermint crushed in it. As far as I know, Oberweis stores are only in the Chicago area. Edy's also has peppermint ice cream but I think it is only around the holidays. I have not had it so I can not attest to the quality.

Just have to put in a plug for Ben & Jerry's "Chubby Hubby" -- it has peanut-butter filled chocolate-covered pretzels in it that are so good!!!

If you live in the Detroit "burbs" you know about "Rays". It's on an obscure side street between two mile roads, but a testiment to their popularity are the long lines out the door year-round. I first went there because it was the only place I could get cinnamon ice cream. They make so many luscious flavors, not the least of which is whole-almond chocolate and real rum raisin (my two favorite flavors.) And...their scoops are so huge, I defy you to eat more than one!

Cass, I have an idea for your peppermint fix. Find an ice cream shop with a machine which softens/mixes in what ever you choose to frozen yogurt. Then have them mix in some peppermint candy. It's one of the choices around here. It's not quite ice cream, but the fresh peppermints make up for it, and it's still vanilla-white with pink crunchy specks. You might like it.

Kate and Ann - thanks for suggestions. I don't get back to Chicago that often, but I will remember Oberweis. Ann, if you are at B.U. (acc/your email address), you are in "HoJo" territory, and the last time I had the Good Stuff was at a HoJo's, before its horrible deterioration. There also used to be a chain of ice cream parlors/candy stores called Schrafft's in Mass., long since passed into history; but my memory is that their caramel sundaes set the standard for any others I've had since.

But I do have a local est. in NC that will mash almost anything (except garlic) into vanilla ice cream, so I'll tote some candy thither and give it a try. Thanks!

Happy Hallowe'en to all and stay away from that abomination called pumpkin ice cream!

I beg to differ with "Maggi," whose post appears three above mine. Ray's is not on an "obscure side street," but is on Coolidge Hwy., which is a main north-south road in busy Royal Oak, between 13 and 14 Mile Roads.

Ann, I knew it was a boner as soon as I posted it - so sorry!

I've gotta put in my vote for Graeter's Ice Cream. I can't leave the Cincinnati area without a turtle sundae made with mocha chip ice cream. All of their chip varieties are to die for!!!
You can get pints shipped packed in dry ice and overnighted to you. It's not cheap, but it is fabulous!!!

Eder's Ice Cream - Route 87 Montoursville, PA

The Creamery, Penn State University, State College, PA

The InterContinental Hotel, Stuttgart Germany (try the cinnamon)

Ghirdelli's in Chicago! The sundae kings!

ROLO ROLO ROLO ICE CREAM! - have only seen it in Ontario - get it every time - to die for! - don't know why Nestle does't make it in the states!

Cass, yes, that is Boston University in my e-mail address (I just can't seem to bring myself to use an alias, but we'll see in the future ;-)). Unfortunately, all the local HoJo's seem to be history. They closed the last one which was near Dorchester I believe, recently. They join the other wonderful but now gone establishments here...Bailey's, Brigham's (though I believe there are a few of them left and they sell quarts in the supermarkets). I don't remember Schrafts at all, so they may have been closed even before I came to Boston. There is the old Schraft's building, now converted into offices or something, which is a traffic marker on the media traffic reports (i.e. traffic backed up to the Schraft's). I sort of remember them as being a New York establishment, but they must have been based near Boston.

We have a local ice cream parlor called Cabot's in Newton which comes closest to the old Bailey's with sundaes dripping over onto little silver plates. Fortunately, the place is very busy, so I hope it stays around a while.

Ann,

Cabot's is a great place. They are the only place I've been to that offers two kinds of Hot fudge....Dark and milk chocolate...and they still pack pints the old fashioned way(overflowing).

I worked at Bailey's, while in college, and we were instructed to always make sure that the hot fudge dripped over the sides of the dish.

Too many years ago to count, my favourite was HoJo's chocolate chip -- my mother would make a regular run to Howard Johnson's and I'd watch them hand pack it for us. But that was another time and another place.

I also microwave ice cream -- unless it is Haagen Daz, which is too watery to microwave -- and IMHO not very good anyway.

I agree that Berthillon makes delicious ice cream, especially their chocolate, but the best I've had is gelati in Rome -- I can't decide which of several places yet, must go back and do some more sampling. The range of flavours is immense -- San Crispino does several mousse flavours also. Probably one of the reasons I like it is because it is soft.
Having said that, one of the best flavours I've had was from Baskin Robbins in January -- their special of the month, which had cinnamon ribbons of some sort in it.

Doug

What fabulous information! This thread should be elevated to the status of a Fodor's Classic.

I forgot to mention guanabana ice cream in Puerto Rico; fabulous! Hey, we could all plan a great vacations around the information shared here But, and pardon me for asking...isn't it a bit cold in the northern latitudes to be thinking about ice cream right about now?

Thinking ahead to the summer, we'll be staying across the street from the ice cream mecca at Ile St-Louis in June. Small rooms but wonderful location,
*aahhhh*....Maybe we should start this thread in the Europe forum as well(?)

Kimball's in Littleton, MA; the homemade chocolate with REAL fresh raspberries is my favorite, but it's ALL good. Get there if you can!

Next time you are in San Francisco, try Mitchell' at 688 San Jose Ave. Bit of a jaunt, but a consistant award winner. The coconut-pineapple and the mango flavors are fantatstic. Many tropical fruit flavors here in addition to your standards.

This thread is having a fabulous run! My favorites include the Bridgeman's licorice ice cream (in and around the Twin Cities), the gelato stand just behind Notre Dame cathedral in Paris when you cross over to Ile St. Louis (the guy on the right side as you're coming across) and I would add my vote to Oberweis in Chicago. There was (hopefully still is) an ice cream parlour in St. Charles just off the bike path near the river that was a great favorite as well. The hot fudge malts are great. Can't forget the Malt Shop locations in Twin Cities - a classic in that part of the country.

The CANDY KITCHEN in St Petersburg FL. homemade ice cream !! We found this hidden treasure while visiting the area in January umm umm good. Had to make a few stops before we left !!!