The latest issue of Edible Iowa River Valley has, in fact, hit the streets, featuring a cover story on Iowa-made ice cream written by yours truly. I saw a stack of copies through the window of Devotay when I walked by yesterday afternoon, but you can also find one at a number of other spots from the Quad Cities to Newton.
The three ice cream stores I profile include
- Moo Roo, 3015 Kimball Avenue, Waterloo, 319-234-3309;
- Isaac’s Creamery, 25 East Cherry Street, North Liberty, 319-665-4707; and
- Heyn’s Ice Cream, 811 South 1st Avenue, Iowa City, 319-354-1981.
Can’t find a copy? Don’t live in Iowa? Then comment away! I’d love to hear where your favorite source of locally-made ice cream is in your part of the country.
Ice cream! Sounds wonderful! Don’t live in Iowa and haven’t had any warm suumer days to get the cravings going; all that being said, we did stop at a street-side gelato stand last week. There’s something about an ice cream stand in the street that I find almost irresistable!
Congratulations on your article!
Katiez, I would kill for a streetside gelato stand. I had some of the best cantaloupe gelato of my life in Venice back in 1994…oh…I can still taste it 13 years later.
When I lived in DC, I personally loved Larry’s off Dupont Circle. On hot hot days, there would be a line and every flavor would be sold out. An all time high was when one of Bill Clinton’s top economic advisers was chatting away with Larry, myself, and a friend.
I guess when I come out in the spring to plant you a new bulb bed, you can show me all of these ice cream spots. What a delight. There are a number of exceptional dairies in the Lancaster area that cell fresh, honest-to-goodness homemade ice cream. Nothing better.
Of course, I’d be remiss not to point out that the dairy at the University of Wisconsin makes an extraordinary cone. Oh yeah.
In Paris, go to Bertillon on Ile St. Louis. There are no English words to describe that ice cream. I visited it often when I lived there, which is probably why I didn’t come home thin as a rail.
Congrats on a cover story!
In Seattle there was a great gelato place on Pike and 3rd (or was that 4th? I can never remember). They had all the fruit and nut flavors and spade-like spoons for eating it with. No idea what the name was or if they’re still around, though. Here in Toledo, my favorite ice cream source is my kitchen. My husband and I are making a hobby of ice cream making. We’ve perfected a devastating strawberry and are working on chocolate and its variants (the chocolate orange is fantastic), and I’m going to figure out the perfect chai ice cream…eventually.
Nirmala, I love those DC brushes with political greatness. But you know, the whole time I lived there, I never tried Larry’s ice cream? Can you believe that?
AB, I forgot about the U of W dairy — I’ve heard they do a killer job. I can report that Penn State’s dairy also rocks the solid-good ice cream. And that’s closer to you, a bit, right?
Jenny, thanks! I envy you your hobby. I’m afraid to start, because I’m afraid I would make myself ice cream every night. But that sounds awesome. I am all about the devastating strawberry.
larry ice was the best in town all the children like it i will try it somedays
Quick Longacre Dairy story … it’s a dairy east of Lancaster, Pa. (Put it on your list of spots to visit … near perfect) We made a jaunt down there one afternoon, because I was on the edge of death from lack of good ice cream. When we sallied up to the counter to get our cone, there was a woman who weighed 500 pounds if she weighed an ounce. She was waxing poetic about all of the great flavors, and she had these coolers all collected around her feet. I said: “I see you’re serious about your ice cream.” She said: “Serious? Serious? I drive 2 hours each way for this stuff. Every week!” (My husband gasped behind me. You see, he knows that I’ll go to GREAT lengths to find the perfect cone, but he had never seen anything like THIS.)
Num7, where would Larry’s Ice be, exactly? Or are you talking about Larry’s in DC?
AB, that rules. Hey…when food is good, it’s so worth making the drive. Although I don’t know that I’ve ever driven two hours for ice cream. Yet. I can’t rule anything out, really.
GENIE – you are talking my game now! I LOVE ice cream. I owned and operated an ice cream francise called SWENSON’s out in the SF Bay area in the mid-’80’s. We made all of our own ice cream with a high butterfat cream and let me tell you – there is NOTHING better than fresh ice cream right out of the batch freezer. However, the saving grace was that we were so busy selling the stuff – never got fat because of all the calories we used up to serve the customers! The over-weight issues started AFTER the ice cream store. CONGRAT’s on the article – I wish I could find someplace on-line so I could read it!
Linda, it should be online eventually…but not until the next issue comes out. I didn’t realize you had an ice cream store of your very own — how delicious!
if you come to SE PA, I love Merrymeade Dairy.
OH my! Where is that? I should know about Merrymeade.
Wayne, consider that on the list.
AB, I second your question. Where is Merrymeade, exactly?
In Harvard Square, there is a fierce debate between the people who like Herrell’s and the people who like Toscanini’s. Herrell’s is more fun and kid-friendly and Tosca’s is more eclectic and refined. I like Tosca’s best, personally. But all can agree that Christina’s Ice Cream in Inman Square is better than either one. It’s really the best in the whole Boston area.
The couple of times I’ve been to Boston, I have not eaten a single scoop of ice cream. Now I have three places to try next time I go. I think I can definitely fit that in around a trip to Fenway. ;-)