Denmo’s Snack and Dairy Bar

Denmo’s Snack and Dairy Bar, Southbury, Connecticut

July 16, 2017

Seasonal

Denmo’s is located  on Main Street in Southbury, Connecticut, just past Poverty Drive  – ( NOT a street I want to live on – I assume it is somehow connected with “Easy Street”).  We visited  on a very warm afternoon in July – what better time to get ice cream?  Driving in we saw lots of picnic tables with festive umbrellas  which were needed today.  We walked up to the order window.  There was a wide variety of picnic food (burgers, dogs…) and more importantly a nice selection of Lawson ice cream.  I ordered Oreo and their feature flavor Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl,  with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.   I love peanut better in or on ice cream, and I was not disappointed today!  Linda being significantly more disciplined than I am ordered something smaller.  We took our treats to relax at a picnic table.

In the area:  The third weekend in July is a wonderful time to be in Connecticut!  it is  the weekend of the Deep River Ancient Fife and Drum Muster – a weekend of music , jamming, parades and performances by dozens of the best corps on the world.  Incidentally ancient refers to the style of the music and instruments (rope tension drums for instance).  For me this weekend gets even better when I get to see my good and long time (not ancient) friend Linda – we palled around together at SUNY Potsdam so many years ago.  I am always amazed that when we get together the years melt away.  We still talk like we did then, and we do not even look much different.  Well at least Linda hasn’t aged much!

Gabel’s

July 9, 2017

Gabel’s, Tannersville Pennsylvania

Seasonal

We went to Gabel’s was a very warm night in July – a dream come true for an outdoor ice cream shop.  As we rode down Route 611 in Tannersville, PA,  Gabel’s looked like an old style ice cream stand- the traditional ice cream cone sculpture mounted on the top of the building.  It has traditional walk-up windows to order at, the traditional wide variety of great frozen treats – hard (Turkey Hill) and soft ice cream, novelties, milkshakes, sundaes… as well hot food such as burgers and dogs.  We stepped right up and ordered – I got a Reese’s Pieces Sundae with Cotton Candy ice cream.  The orders were taken and picked

up at a pick-up window.  A employee would shout out the orders and if it was yours, you  walked (or ran) up and got it. A little comic relief came as we watched the employee shouting out “banana milkshake” multiple times and finally giving up.  I guess who ever ordered it forgot and drove away.   When she called out our orders we did not hesitate!  The portion sizes were very generous and the help friendly.  As an added bonus the place had a playground for the children including a pirate ship, playhouse and slide.

In the area:  We come to this area to shop at the Crossings – an “outlet mall”.  It offers a great selection of shops with no tax on clothing.   I am told that this place is a favorite shopping place of Europeans as well – one of the shops that sells mainly jeans said that close to 70% of their customers were foreigner visitors – especially from Europe!

Alstede Farms

July 4, 2017

Alstede Farms, Chester, New Jersey

Wow – Alstede Farm has a lot going on  – pick your own fruits and vegetables, a farm store, a farmers market and an ice cream walk-up window.  It was all a bit overwhelming for a simple ice cream blogger who just wanted a cone of the good stuff.  But I successfully found the ice  cream source and it included many flavors of both hard and soft ice cream. The server offered me samples, so I tried both blueberry  and raspberry – both very flavorful, but I chose soft vanilla ice cream with strawberries and chocolate sauce.  It was very attractive, but the artistry was amazing, the ice cream swirl from the soft serve machine was hollow in the middle – it looked like an ice cream cave reminiscent of  a hollow chocolate bunny.  I didn’t feel gypped – more intrigued – I should have taken a picture of it.  I guess the soft ice cream was really not so soft.  Don had Strawberry Chip and said it was great.  Their ice cream is all home made, and comes in variety of interesting and fun flavors.  There are picnic tables to eat at – situated between the farmers’s market, the craft booth and assorted other tents.

In the area- we were actually passing Alstede farms going between parades, – Brookside, New Jersey this morning (with an enthusiastic hometown crowd – always a fun parade) and Washington, New Jersey in the afternoon – another great parade, well run with a great crowd cheering us on. Marching  and ice cream, Independence Day does not get much better than this!

Vincent’s Homemade Ice Cream

Vincent’s  Homemade Ice Cream, Mount Holly, New Jersey

May 21, 2017

seasonal

Entering Vincent’s Homemade Ice Cream shop with its colorful decor and friendly atmosphere gave me a happy feeling.  There were lots of small tables to sit at, including a Disney Princesses table for the very little kids.  There was a walk-up counter with display cases of great-looking homemade ice cream. I stepped up and ordered from a energetic, friendly barista.   She had my Peanut Butter Fudge Sundae -(soft vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and hot fudge toppings and Reeses Peanut Butter cups) ready in no time.   It was wonderful!

 

 

 

In the area (but not quite) – we stopped at Vincent’s on our way home from Fort Delaware in Delaware City, Delaware.   The fort served as a Prisoner  of War Camp to hold Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War.  It was on an island, so the tour included a boat ride over.  Very interesting  tour.

J & M’s Sweet Cravings

April 24, 2017

J & M’s Sweet Cravings , Blakeslee, Pennsylvania

J & Ms Sweet Cravings Ice Cream is a walk up ordering window shop that has both munchies and almost any type of ice cream you could want – hard ice cream (Turkey Hill and others), soft ice cream, ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, novelties – and several different types of cones to put it in.   I got A Mocha Mud Sundae (soft Mocha Ice Cream, Oreos, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry).  Don got a peanut butter and Jelly Sundae.  The ice cream was good, as were the combination of flavors  in the sundaes – we both totally enjoyed eating them at the picnic tables outside.  (The one interesting aspect here is the restroom which is located in the back of the fireworks store next door (yes, this is indeed Pennsylvania!) – check out the decorations.)  J & M’s Sweet Cravings is a great place to visit for a quick ice cream cone or sundae!

In the area (but not really): We were on our way home from the Lower Trail in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania.  We biked 32 miles (round trip) on the mostly flat, scenic trail with a crushed cinder and asphalt surface that follows the pretty Juanita River.  Plaques are placed periodically that give information about local wildlife or history of the Juanita Canal.  Very interesting!

 

Yuengling’s

July 3, 2017

Yuengling’s, Skylands Stadium, Augusta, New Jersey

Nearly every ball stadium has an ice cream stand, and at Skyland’s its Yuengling’s – Pennsylvania’s Finest Ice Cream – (not sure why we could not have New Jersey’s finest ice cream here).  Since I usually associate Yuengling’s with beer, I had to try their Black and Tan Ice Cream.(chocolate with caramel)  I also had strawberry at the barista’s suggestion.  Is it true that brewing equipment is similar to ice cream-making equipment so many new ice cream places popped up during prohibition?  Maybe Yuelingling was a natural in the ice cream world!

In the area – we were visiting  Skyland’s Stadium to watch the Sussex County Miners play baseball.  It was sort of a Bad News Bears type of team (the pathetic team at the beginning of the movie).  The score was 10 to 3 (Miner’s losing) when we left in the 7th inning.  Even so, live baseball is captivating so I will be for more games and Yuengling ice cream

 

 

Scoop House

July 2, 2017

Scoop House , Boonton,  New Jersey

open all year

Walking down Main Street in Boonton, The Scoop House was recognizable as a happy place by the banner over the shop and the blue cafe tables outside.  Stepping inside completed the image – large ice cream display cases,  window booths, a couch with comfortable chairs and cafe tables with polka dotted seats.  We stepped up to the counter to examine the varied choices  of Gifford’s Ice Cream – so many choices   After sampling a couple, I chose Maine Wild Blueberry and Peanut Butter Pie.  My first question – does Gifford’s send people into the woods to get their “wild” blueberries?  Or is there a variety of farmed  blueberries called “wild”? Either way the blueberry ice cream was loaded with blueberry swirls.  The Peanut Butter Pie Ice Cream was likewise loaded with peanut butter cups  (seems like it should have been named Peanut Butter Cup instead of Peanut Butter Pie) in a peanut butter ice cream – yummy!   I The portion sizes were generous.   We sat down in a window booth and discovered a shelf of games to play while we ate.  I challenged Don to a game of  Connect Four.  We tied at one game each – probably the best – Don hates to lose.

In the area:  Boonton, New Jersey is a delightful town to mosey through with boutiques, restaurants and bakeries.  We particularly enjoyed our trip today because the  Boonton Arts Council was presenting “The Dogs of Summer and Some Cool Cats”.  Creative dog and cat sculptures were located throughout the town.  While we totally enjoyed them all, my favorite was Sundae Fundae  by Kasey Tataruj which was located right outside the Scoop House!