HELLO JULY! Summer is Here!
Historically, longer winters meant it was easier for the average New Englander to maintain a year-round supply of ice. So dairy met ice, and an ice cream culture was born — one that eventually begat Hoodsie Cups, Ben & Jerry's, and Herrell's.
According to Yankee magazine, A stop at Gracie’s is a must. Named after owner Aaron Cohen’s daughter, the Somerville shop has a charmingly homespun vibe and a steady stream of loyal customers. Cohen may be a stickler for quality, but he’s got a great imagination, too — hence flavors like salty whiskey (a perpetual favorite), fluffernutterbutter, and ube (purple yam, a Filipino ice cream mainstay).
Another highly rated Ice Cream spot in Massachusetts is: New City Microcreamery. Boston Magazine voted them the best in Mass.
Liquid nitrogen is the medium for flash-freezing this Hudson microcreamery’s made-from-scratch base (the milk comes from local cows). This method is colder and quicker and produces a super-creamy texture with no discernible ice crystals, one that’s “silky as a puppy’s ear,” as they like to say. We hear the cookie dough (all house-made), the peanut butter banana fluff, the s’mores, and the strawberry basil are super fab! There are vegan flavors, too. And attention, Bostonians: They are just so darn good they had to expand due to demand: There’s now a New City scoop shop in Hudson, Cambridge, and Sudbury.
There’s so much ice-cream to love, and Devon and Renée’s favorite is the one and only Kimball Farm in Westford, Mass. Kimball started in 1939, when Jack Kimball and his wife Clara, converted the family’s woodshed into an ice cream parlor. A cone of one of their famous flavors... Maple walnut, frozen pudding, or peppermint stick, would run you five cents. 80 years later, Jack and Clara’s grandson is running the farm, and the family’s commitment to serving up award-winning ice cream has withstood the test of time.
And at Kimball’s, it’s not just the ice cream that continues to draw the crowds, it’s the perfect combination of food, family fun, and tradition....Imagine an ideal one stop summer destination... Well, Kimball has it all....
Kimball farm in Westford Mass. not only do they make some of the best tasting ice cream, but they also have bumper boats, a country store, a café, miniature golf, batting cages, and 50 acres of fun for the whole family! Come for an hour or come for the day!!! We KNOW Devon will be taking Henry because this is the perfect place for kids, and adults who are children at heart.
Can’t get enough of the ice-cream dream....well, it may sound cliché but we also want to remind you about, and give a shout to DQ! Come on now...we grew up with DQ (Dairy Queen) and they are still going strong! That says a lot. They have so many super great ice-cream treats, including the good ol fashioned butterscotch dip, and their famous...Oreo Blizzard. And speaking of DQ Blizzard...did you know that there’s a Blizzard in the Guinness Book of World Records. The record making blizzard was more than 22 feet tall and weighed over 8000 pounds!!! If your appetite isn’t that big, but you’re still craving some ice cream , DQ has the no sugar added Dilly Bar. There’s something for everyone at your nearby Dairy Queen. Get into the swing of summer and bring the kiddies in for a Cotton Candy Blizzard! Calories sold separate 😊
Did you know that George Washington loved ice cream so much that he even brought a bunch of ice cream making and serving supplies to the White House with him. And that’s not all... more locally, JFK loved the ice cream at Four Seas on Cape Cod. His favorite flavors were Vanilla and Peach. Our first ice-cream this season will be Peach in honor of our 35th president. We may even take a summer drive down to the Cape (Centerville) to Four Seas ourselves.
The oldest ice cream brand in America is Bassetts Ice Cream. This is the fifth-generation family business in Philadelphia and proudly known as America’s oldest ice cream company! You can find this old time favorite in certain supermarkets across the county.
More of Devon’s favorites (and she’s not alone)...
JP Licks: One of the very best ice-cream shops around. They now have seventeen stores in the Boston area, and they even feature a flavor called Everything Bagel Ice-cream. It’s the perfect combination of a sweet and savory treat! Or try their Unicorn Crunch, or the Brownie Brownie Batter. We love them all!
Arlington’s Capitol Creamery: If it’s summer in Arlington, its time to stop at the Capitol Creamery! They feature Richardson’s Ice-cream and Richie’s Super Premium Italian Ice. We suggest their delectable ice-cream sandwiches which feature cookies from their amazing next-door neighbor, Quebrada Bakery. You may want two!
Lizzy’s Homemade Ice-Cream: Waltham and Harvard Square. They offer over fifty delicious home-made flavors!!! They even offer yogurt and Dairy-free Sorbet! Now they feature Sundae Parties too. And you can have an ice-cream party delivered to your door! Call Lizzy’s for more info.
Cabots: Old-fashioned Ice-cream parlor and Restaurant: This popular destination in Newton offers family friending dining, dozens of ice-cream flavors all in a nostalgic setting. At Cabot’s they like to say “its all about taking life one scoop at a time.”
Captain Dusty’s in Manchester-by-the Sea: Top quality, hand-crafted ice-cream near a dreamy beach! Great selection of ice-cream with a super friendly staff. Stop by on your way to or from the incomparable SINGING BEACH. (one of our featured beaches in our June newsletter)
Bedford Farms in Concord: Award winning Ice cream in historic Bedford and Concord Mass. Serving over sixty flavors of locally sourced ice-cream. They’ve been serving happy customers for over 140 years!!! Now that’s hard to beat.
Moozy’s Ice Cream in Belmont: Right down the road from Devon’s old house! She used to walk there all the time, be sure to check it out to get the authentic Devon vibe!
Another Fun Tip!
For those of you who may not have time to pick your own berries, you can still enjoy selecting some fabulous delights at one of Devon’s favorite shops....Formaggio Kitchen in the South End. This is a unique gourmet food shop in Boston’s historic South End. They hand-select the finest artisan products from Europe and North America, including small production cheeses, charcuterie, handmade sweets, rare spices, pantry staples, natural wines, craft beers, and freshly baked breads from local bakeries. This is certainly one of Boston’s finest gourmet shops. Devon gives it two thumbs up, a perfect ten, and a high five! One of Dev’s favorite products is the Caramel Sauce De Saint-Malo. We recommend pouring it over all the delicious ice-cream we just told you about😊.... ENJOY!