Special to Road Trips for Foodies
From Mindy Bianca Public Relations

July is “National Ice Cream Month,” providing Americans with 31 days to get super-excited about a dessert that’s been enjoyed in this country since its colonial days. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, of course, but he’s also credited as the first American to jot down a recipe for ice cream.
In the past 250 years, countless other Americans have found ways to put their own unique spin on ice cream creations, from infusing them with local ingredients to developing over-the-top presentations.
In honor of National Ice Cream Month, we asked our client destinations to dish about the best places for visitors to enjoy summer’s favorite treat.

• ALABAMA

The Yard Milkshake Bar, 3800 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, Alabama
What happens when a 28-year-old with six years’ experience running an ice cream shop with her mom decides to literally shake things up a bit by graduating from simple scoops to over-the-top blended masterpieces? Within two years she’s had to move to a bigger location … and she’s opened four other locations in neighboring states. This is the story of Chelsea Green, who with her husband Logan owns a specialty milkshake bar where glass garnishes include huge gobs of cookie dough and oversized lollipops. In short, The Yard is a giant sugar rush in a jar. Kid favorites include The Unicorn, which is cotton candy ice cream inside a marshmallow cream-dipped jar and loaded with jewel sprinkles, then topped with whipped cream, marshmallow cream, cotton candy clouds, a sour rainbow, and a “unicorn horn” made out of a sugar cone. For those with more adult tastes, the Doughnut Touch My Coffees and Cream is coffee ice cream in a chocolate icing-dipped jar dipped in crushed chocolate cookies. It’s topped with whipped cream, chocolate-covered coffee beans, chocolate fudge drizzle, crushed chocolate cookie topping and a doughnut on top.
• DELAWARE

UDairy Creamery Market, 815 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
Funded by grant money and private donations and intended to help students at the University of Delaware learn about both business and sustainable foods, the UDairy (that’s UD for the University of Delaware) has managed to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs while simultaneously churning out amazing flavors. Throughout the year the shop is run by more than 50 student employees and managed by three undergraduates. They learn about dairy production, food science and safety, environmentally sound agriculture, business management and finance … and, of course, the power of creativity. The students help develop the flavors, which include Nom Nom Nom, a blue, cookie-studded concoction named for the sound the Cookie Monster makes; All Nighter, a coffee-based treat that makes round-the-clock studying more palatable; and The Port of Wilmington, which pays tribute to the fact that Wilmington is the top banana port in North America, the top U.S. gateway for imports of fresh fruit, and the leading port of entry for Chilean winter fruit. The namesake flavor is a fresh banana ice cream with fruits right off the boat – peaches, apricots and bing cherries – all wrapped up in a sweet guava swirl.
• LOUISIANA

BOOMBOX Frozen Pops & Ice Cream, 104 West Pujo Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Childhood friends Robbie Austin and Nick Villaume grew up in the 1980s, and they were ardent fans of the decade’s music and culture. Lucky for all of us that they were also fans of sweet treats and the entrepreneurial spirit. Fast forward to 2014, when they decided they wanted to do something fun and creative together. They settled on making gourmet ice cream pops – sweet, frozen concoctions on a stick – that were inspired by the music of their favorite era. Their creations include names like Sweet Child O Lime (a key lime-flavored pop), Pop You Like a Hurricane (cherry mango), and Every Little Tea She Does Is Mango (sweet tea with mango and cherry). In all, they offer more than 40 funky flavors with clever names. For added fun, their “pop lab” also features classic arcade games (yes, Pac Man and Space Invaders!) and epic tunes from the ‘80s. It’s hard to choose from all the possibilities, but if you want to go with something like ‘80s singer Cyndi Lauper (you know, “She’s So Unusual”), we recommend Bacon the Law, an ice cream blend of bacon and maple syrup.

Hoodoo Ice Cream, 405 North Columbia Street, Covington, Louisiana
It all begins early in the morning in the little town of Progress, Mississippi, where Jamie Mauthe and her daughters, Sarah and Katie, milk their herd of 14 grass-fed Jersey and Holstein cows. That milk finds its way to a thoughtfully sourced dairy parlor one state over, in Covington, where owners Billy Sussky and George Schenck churn it into flavors that let you know it’s officially arrived in Louisiana. They offer a Creole Cream Cheese flavor that pays homage to the tart farmer cheese that was served on New Orleans’ tables back in the 1800s. They incorporate local berries and citrus – including locally grown satsumas – into their fruit flavors. They have their own take on the quintessential Bananas Foster, with a caramel-cinnamon-banana treat that should NOT be lighted on fire. They even offer a Red Bean and Rice ice cream that harkens back to the Louisiana tradition of serving red beans and rice on Mondays. Their version has an Asian twist, substituting local red beans for the traditional Japanese variety and adding sweet coconut sticky rice.

Scarlet Scoop, 300 Barrow Street, Houma, Louisiana
For 51 years, Scarlet Scoop has been a favorite dessert spot in south Louisiana. The current owner, Bryan Nelson, started working at the ice cream parlor when he was only 15; three years later – yes, when he was only 18 – he purchased the shop and has been developing unique local flavors since then. One seasonal favorite is King Cake, which is served during Carnival and made with locally baked king cake. Another favorite is Mr. Ronnie’s Donut, which is a creamy mix of vanilla and another confection that’s a hit with locals and visitors alike. Tarte a la Bouille is made with Cajun custard pie – something you must taste to believe – and Red Velvet incorporates actual chunks of fresh-baked red velvet cake and icing. When it comes to local flavors with a frozen twist, this place has the scoop!

• MARYLAND

Broom’s Bloom Dairy, 1700 South Fountain Green Road, Bel Air, Maryland
You might not expect to find award-winning, old-fashioned, hand-dipped ice cream being served on a working farm … but there’s honestly no better place to get it. The Dallam family has been farming this land for nine generations – dating back to the early 1700s – and they’re huge supporters of their neighbors and the entire agricultural community around them. At the farm, visitors can purchase meats, honey, produce, spices, sauces and salsas, and other locally grown and crafted products. But you’ve sort of missed a big opportunity if you leave this cow-centric farm without a scoop of their ice cream. Over the years they’ve developed at least 100 flavors, but they only offer 12 to 18 at a time. Options vary by day, which means you just have to keep coming back to figure out your favorite. The farm is incredibly family-friendly, offering plenty of activities to keep kids busy and interested in all aspects of agriculture … not just the frozen parts enjoyed on a cone.

Princess Restaurant, 12 West Main Street, Frostburg, Maryland
Since 1939, this restaurant has been in the hands of the Pappas family, now on its fourth generation of ownership. What started as a candy counter that served a “businessman’s special” for lunch has evolved into a full restaurant that has even had the honor of serving President Harry S. Truman (“his” booth is marked and any guest can sit there now). When Lauren Pappas, great-granddaughter of the original Pappases, took over the restaurant in 2014, she reinvented some parts of the menu and introduced “SuperShakes.” Each of these 16-ounce milkshakes is an original, hand-dipped and handmade creation; flavors change weekly and are announced to a huge gathering of fans via social media. Fan faves include the Mermaid SuperShake (blue raspberry-flavored ice cream, vanilla frosting and sprinkles around the rim of the glass, topped with a rock candy stick, lollipop, “mermaid tail” ring, mermaid pick, whipped cream and sprinkles) and the Go Nuts for Donuts SuperShake (strawberry-flavored ice cream, vanilla icing and rainbow nonpareils around the glass, topped with cake, powdered and chocolate donuts, lots of whipped cream, chocolate syrup and rainbow nonpareils). In addition, old-fashioned favorites such as banana splits, malts and sundaes are all on the menu. The Princess is one of nine stops on the Allegany County Ice Cream Trail.

Scottish Highland Creamery, 314 Tilghman Street, Oxford, Maryland
Victor, the husband in the husband-and-wife team that runs this award-winning operation, grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, and lived above an ice cream parlor that dated to 1907. He began working there when he was 15 years old, eventually becoming the production and facility manager. That made him the only person outside the Italian family that ran the shop to learn their secret recipes for the most perfect and delicious ice cream. Fast forward a few decades, and Victor hopped across The Pond and eventually settled on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Now he and his wife Susan have set up shop in the village of Oxford, a sailing center on the Chesapeake Bay. No matter how folks arrive in town – by boat, bicycle or car – it’s a sure bet that they pass by the creamery along the way. And when they don’t come to the parlor, Victor goes to them, wearing a kilt and bowtie and wheeling his signature ice cream cart to special events around the region. Favorite flavors include Crushed Strawberry and Double Belgian Chocolate … but they’re all delicious.

• MISSOURI

Hannah’s Ice Cream Factory (Located inside Silver Dollar City theme park, Branson, Missouri)
Located on the “Square” of Silver Dollar City’s Main Street, the building that now houses Hannah’s used to be the park’s fictional “hotel.” As such, it was used as a main setting in five episodes of the classic CBS comedy “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which was the top-rated show in the late 1960s. (Silver Dollar City played the role of the Clampetts’ hometown.) These days, the building is an ice cream parlor that churns out 9,000 gallons of ice cream each year. Flavors change regularly, but the tried-and-true top seller is Vanilla and a regional favorite here in the Ozark Mountains is Blackberry. If those aren’t over-the-top-enough, no worries: some of the theme park’s famous roller coasters have their own signature flavors. Outlaw Run (named the steepest drop on a wood coaster by Guinness World Records in 2015) gets a delicious combination of caramel, sea salt, chocolate chunk and vanilla; Time Traveler (the fastest, steepest, tallest spinning coaster in the world) has a flavor that’s French chocolate silk with chocolate ribbons. Hannah’s is a favorite meeting spot in the park, perhaps because families know that as the parlor’s ice cream crafters help the historically themed ice cream machine finish churning, guests get to taste test the latest, freshest concoctions.

Nettie Marie’s College Creamery, College of the Ozarks’ Keeter Center, 1 Opportunity Avenue, Point Lookout, Missouri
The College of the Ozarks, nicknamed “Hard Work U,” is a fascinating school where students offset the cost of their education by working various jobs around campus. Some work for the campus dairy, making and serving 4,665 gallons of ice cream per year to fellow students and visitors alike. Each day they make more than a dozen flavors of ice cream and the waffle cones the scoops are served in. Popular flavors include Salted Caramel Custard, Raspberry Mascarpone and Espresso Custard, but a true favorite is Bobcat Crunch. Named for the college’s mascot, it’s a vanilla base that’s delicately blended with Oatmeal Turndown Cookie crumbles, toasted almonds, toffee pieces and white chocolate chips. (The oatmeal cookies are what guests at the college’s hotel – also run by students – get at the end of the day.) Each month the ice cream production team is challenged to come up with a special, limited-edition flavor that represents the season. These have included Earl Grey Tea, Peaches and Cream, and Peanut Butter and Jelly. On select dates in the month of July, children who can recite the Pledge of Allegiance from memory get a free scoop of ice cream from Nettie Marie’s.

• NEW YORK

The Otesaga Resort Hotel, 60 Lake Street, Cooperstown, New York
At this celebrated hotel in the picture-perfect village of Cooperstown, New York, the culinary team – under the direction of Executive Chef Jim Perillo – is busy crafting menu items worthy of induction into a culinary hall of fame. The team makes all its own ice cream, generally relying on local ingredients enhanced by a good dose of creativity. A case in point is the French Toast Ice Cream, which was the pastry team’s vision of using local ingredients to incorporate their favorite meal of the day – breakfast – into a frozen dessert. The team makes sweet and crunchy croutons out of cinnamon swirl bread, brown butter, cinnamon and sugar, then folds those into fresh maple ice cream as it comes out of the kitchen’s specialty ice cream maker. Though this ice cream isn’t yet a permanent part of the resort’s menus, it’s suspected that it will soon be a regular offering … perhaps at 1909, a new steakhouse that opened this month and which pays tribute to the year the resort opened.

• SOUTH CAROLINA

’55 Exchange Ice Cream Shop, Clemson University’s Hendrix Student Center, 720 McMillan Road, Clemson, South Carolina
The university’s class of 1955 made a generous gift to their alma mater, one that’s been benefitting Clemson students for decades. This shop is where students from the university’s food science program use recipes that have been handed down for generations to blend unique ice cream flavors and serve them to students, faculty, staff, parents, prospective students and their families, and visitors and locals alike. The shop is completely student-run and is a self-sustaining operation, and it’s the only place where Clemson’s ice cream is sold. The most popular flavor is “Golden Tiger,” named for the school’s mascot; it’s caramel ice cream with ribbons of chocolate fudge and salted caramel. The blend is said to represent various aspects embossed on Clemson’s class ring, and it was created in 2015 as a 60th anniversary tribute to the class that made the ice cream shop possible. ’55 Exchange sells scoops, shakes, smoothies and a full array of coffee chillers – perfect for students who need a boost of caffeine before an exam – along with the university’s most famous dairy creation, Clemson blue cheese.

Strawberry Hill U.S.A., 3097 Highway 11 West, Chesnee, South Carolina (pictured, above left)
What could be better than fresh fruit from a classic family-run farm? Umm … fresh fruit mixed into hand-churned ice cream? Strawberry Hill U.S.A. is the retail portion of Cooley Farms, a family farm that dates to the early 1900s and that today offers 1,000 acres of South Carolina’s most beloved fruit, the peach, and the largest strawberry farm in the entire state. Yes, visitors can go to The Shed, an open-air market that’s packed with all the farm’s best produce, to get a full selection of fruits and veggies. But it’s hard to visit the farm without stopping at its Café and Ice Cream Parlor, where visitors can settle into comfy rocking chairs and take in the views … all while eating one of the house-made flavors of ice cream. All those flavors are delicious, but take it from us: the Peach, Strawberry and Blackberry are truly the best because they’re made with Cooley Farms’ very own crops. The fruit is picked at its peak, peeled and sliced, and put right into the ice cream just hours after it’s harvested. If that’s not enticing enough, Strawberry Hill USA also offers seasonal strawberry shortcake, peach cobbler and apple pies.

(Photos courtesy of Mindy Bianca Public Relations)