Category: Destination Ice Cream

Ice Cream in Estes Park – Part 2

October 13, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Round Up, Roundup, travel, , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Munchin House was my second stop in Estes Park, and it’s a narrow but fun sweet shop whether you’re craving ice cream or other treats. (If you missed it, be sure to read last week’s blog for Part 1 of Estes Park ice cream.)

The narrowness of the store, like some others nearby, makes the forming of a line challenging, but customers were very nice so I wasn’t bothered by it. Munchin House, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Prices were reasonable at $3.89 for a scoop, and the staff was friendly and helpful, agreeing that I could get two flavors in one scoop. They also didn’t rush me as I tried several flavors, despite the long line behind me.

Here’s what I tried:Munchin House, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Slam Dunk – This is a red raspberry base with fudge and chocolate chips. It’s very busy, with fun chocolate chunks, but it felt kind of cheap and wasn’t my fave.

Mint Chocolate Chip – Yum! These were very tasty chips. They’re dark and have a touch of bitter. I enjoyed the pretty classic mint flavor here. It’s very smooth and consistent.

Chocolate – I was surprised that this is a pretty light chocolate flavor . I found it similar to a typical chocolate soft serve in flavor. This was creamy and smooth. It’s not a heavy flavor. It’s almost like a really mild, milky coffee. In terms of texture, this was slightly more of a fudge-like texture than the mint chip, which was a little smoother and creamier.Munchin House, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

I definitely enjoyed my ice cream here. Of the flavors I tried, the mint chocolate chip was the most traditional, but I enjoyed the chocolate as well.

I can’t believe all of the great homemade ice cream options available in Estes Park! I look forward to returning and trying more of them in the future. Wherever you go, have a scoop for me!

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

Ice Cream in Estes Park – Part 1

October 6, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I recently visited Estes Park, CO as part of my visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. I presumed I knew what Estes Park would be, and while it is indeed touristy, I really enjoyed it, because it still had a lot of character and reminded me of New England tourist and ski towns.Laura’s Fine Candies, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

The biggest surprise? Estes Park is FULL of ice cream shops – and many of them carry homemade ice cream! After a visit to urgent care, I felt I had earned some ice cream, so I got online and started researching. Hayley’s looked great, so off I went. I was surprised to see several other stores with homemade ice cream (according to their signage) on the walk to Hayley’s, but I stuck with the plan.Laura’s Fine Candies, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Hayley’s had really friendly staff. They let me do up to three flavors in one scoop! The store was relatively small, but the street is lined with benches perfect for enjoying a cup or cone.Laura’s Fine Candies, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

They had several distinct flavors, and it was those flavors that clued me in, when I visited Laura’s Fine Candies, that it is Laura’s who makes Hayley’s homemade ice cream! Laura’s is a gorgeous candy store, with fantastic popcorn, lots of homemade treats and a beautiful section in back for their forty flavors of homemade ice cream.Laura’s Fine Candies, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a ScoopLaura’s Fine Candies, Estes Park, CO | In Search of a Scoop

I loved the phrase “Spoiling Dinner Since 1970” on their window.

So here’s what I got at Hayley’s, but could have also gotten at Laura’s, which is the more beautiful and impressive store on the opposite side of the street.

Huckleberry – This was super creamy. I think it tastes similar to blueberry, as a fruit. I’ve only had it occasionally. The ice cream has a nice balance, living somewhere between creamy and fruity. It manages to be pretty smooth, taste super creamy, have really great flavor and a nice texture. Honestly, I could eat this every day. It’s probably in my top ten favorite fruit ice creams right now!

Sea Salt Caramel – This was a more subtle flavor. There’s no cheap caramel aftertaste here, and the Black Sea salt crystals are a nice touch. I found a couple of ice crystals, but it was otherwise creamy, so the crystals surprised me and kind of didn’t bother me.

Mexican Chocolate – This is about a medium chocolate base, with cinnamon and some heat that comes after the rest is completely gone. It’s a really surprising kick and I enjoyed it a lot. I got a big ice crystal though.

Overall, Laura’s is a truly solid ice cream company. Even if the ice crystals aren’t their fault (perhaps it was how they were stored), I wouldn’t rate any of these ice creams as a top five selection. But I would enjoy eating Laura’s any day of the week, and I’m especially fond of that Huckleberry. Yum!

I enjoyed a second homemade ice cream in Estes Park as well. Stay tuned for next week’s entry for the full scoop!

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

Finding The Big Dipper

September 29, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Gelato, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

During a recent visit to Cheyenne, Wyoming, I got a craving for ice cream. Although there wasn’t any homemade ice cream there, it told me I could visit Big Dipper Ice Cream in Laramie for my fix. So the next week, I did just that.

Big Dipper is in a college town, and that seemed to show itself in the staff and students. The shop is adorable, with stools by the windows and some comfy seats for lounging, and the staff, while not forthcoming on their own, were friendly when I asked questions.

A sign told me I had to limit myself to trying only three flavors. Though that is always a bummer to see, three is more than two and certainly more than none, which I sometimes see in tourist towns, so I set out to choosing flavors.p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

The staff told me I could get two flavors in one scoop, so that helped me with my decision.

Here’s what I went with:

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!Chocolate – The chocolate ice cream here is very rich and dark. It’s full of flavor and very satisfying.

Watermelon Sorbet – This was fun, if you like sorbet, but it wasn’t anything special. It has the icier quality typical of sorbets.

Wyoming Black Bear – This is a pretty rich raspberry base with decent chocolate bits, and it’s very satisfying. The chocolate chunks weren’t the best, but they were okay, and Ross enjoyed the base a lot.

Chocolate Covered Marshmallow – This is a simple, refreshing and fairly creamy base, probably vanilla. The chocolate covered marshmallow mix-ins were very fun.

Grapefruit – This was the surprise win of the night! It’s super grapefruit-y, perfect if you love grapefruit like me. It’s so creamy! I interrogated the staff about how it could be so creamy if it’s sorbet, but they said it must be the stirring process. This is wildly awesome and blows the average sorbet out of the water. Smooth and delicious.

Despite the signage for gelato, they didn’t have any gelato in stock while I was there. The ice cream felt a little pricey, but the portions made it fairly reasonable.

I am so glad I got to visit Big Dipper. They have very tasty ice cream, even if it didn’t stop me in my tracks, and I love their downtown location. Plus, the grapefruit sorbet may be the best sorbet I have ever had!

Thanks, Big Dipper. If you’d like to read about my adventures getting ice cream in nearby Fort Collins, I wrote about gelato here and ice cream from Walrus and Emporium.

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

Big Dipper, Laramie, WY | In Search of a Scoop

A Cafe Treat from Noosa

September 22, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Noosa may be known for their delicious (and sweet!) yogurt, but when I learned their plant was near Fort Collins, CO, I made visiting their local cafe, on site at their plant, a priority.

Howling Cow Cafe, Bellevue, CO | In Search of a Scoop

The cafe specializes in coffee and tea drinks and offers a lot of options to customize a sandwich or bagel, plus they offer a few other specials. They carry some fun non-dairy milks, including oat milk. You can also purchase their own yogurt, milk (including root beer milk), eggs and a few other items that seem chosen for their own staff. They also offer several sweet options and carry gluten-free goodies too.

Howling Cow Cafe, Bellevue, CO | In Search of a Scoop

On a quiet day, I headed to the cafe to try their own soft-serve ice cream, at the recommendation of a friend.

I was surprised to see that they don’t list the prices for sandwiches, bagels and most baked goods. I’m sure I could have asked, but I always prefer to be able to find that information for myself.

They offer soft serve chocolate, vanilla and a twist option. Watch carefully for your order because they may not announce when it’s ready.

I thought the prices were kind of cheap! I went with a twist. They charge $2 for a cone or $2.50-$3.50 for a cup.

Howling Cow Cafe, Bellevue, CO | In Search of a ScoopThe ice cream was very smooth. It tastes very fresh, and I imagine it doesn’t use a lot of preservatives. It wasn’t super rich, but it’s very pleasant. If you love soft serve, I’d rate it an 8/10. However, they also make shakes (which are also cheap), so those are probably worth a try too.

I do recommend eating inside (there is no outdoor seating) to avoid the smell of cow dung.

Howling Cow Cafe, Bellevue, CO | In Search of a Scoop

This cafe is out of the way, and you may lose cell service entirely, but if you are looking for a fun escape for a treat near Fort Collins, definitely visit Howling Cow Cafe!

For another cafe at a dairy, you can read about Hopkins Farm Creamery in Delaware. Thanks for reading, and have a scoop this week!

p.s. Thanks for supporting the blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

Riding High in Denver

September 8, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I recently returned to Denver, which meant another opportunity for some homemade ice cream. After a stop at the zoo for God Save the Cream, I went to my most anticipated Denver stop: High Point Creamery.

There are tons of places to get ice cream in Denver, and if you ask why I chose this one, all I can say is it was a combination of reading reviews and intuition. By the time I arrived at one of their several locations, I was eager to get started. I do love ice cream!

I began by trying several flavors, which can feel indulgent on a busy evening. My friend Melanie quickly sampled and chose Tin Cup Whiskey with Pistachio Brittle for her double scoop (a small). After a couple of tries, got one of that and one Earl Grey with Shortbread. And I, of course, got the ice cream flight, which gets you five scoops and a topping in an adorable wooden tray.High Line Creamery, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Here are the flavors we tried:

Earl Grey with Shortbread: Ross enjoyed this a lot. It’s a fun alternate to coffee and the shortbread made it even more interesting. However, this very tasty ice cream wasn’t in the same league as the Earl Grey from Van Leeuwens in New York City.

Coconut Creme Brûlée: This fabulous and fun flavor is both vegan and gluten-free. It would have been a fun and exciting stand-alone flavor if you enjoy coconut.

The remaining five flavors were what I got in my flight, and I paired them with hot fudge.High Line Creamery, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Salty Dog Chocolate: This is a lighter chocolate with a bit of sea salt. It reminded me of a classic chocolate shake in its flavor and maybe even its smooth texture. It’s not going to shock you and it’s very enjoyable. Especially with hot fudge.

Rose Gold: This is strawberry and rose with white chocolate ganache. I found that the bites seem alternately floral and fruity. I really dug this. It’s an experience. Not bad with hot fudge.

Chamomile with Strawberry Swirl: I honestly thought this was a grownup version of rainbow sherbet. Ross found it almost like a lemon cake, which I get. It wasn’t quite as smooth as some other flavors.

Tin Cup Whiskey with Pistachio Brittle: I found all the elements here super tasty. It’s crunchy and delicious brittle. Perfect pairing and it’s all awesome. Great texture for ice cream here! This one definitely stole the show.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon: This is heavy on the cinnamon; the sweetness is great but I don’t know if it stands out as brown sugar particularly. I am in love with this! It’s super smooth and still had a touch of graininess, perhaps due to the brown sugar? Surprisingly good with hot fudge.

The hot fudge itself was a grainier, high end chocolate that they either make themselves or order from a high end chocolatier. It’s very tasty and a thinner consistency than your average hot fudge. Yum.

Prices here were very reasonable for a city. $4.25 for two scoops, $5.25 for three or if you need a flight it will cost you $9.25.

High Point Creamery was well worth a trip. There were several addition wacky and normal flavors I never got to try. Definitely a great place to visit in Denver!

If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy my reviews of Sweet Action and God Save the Cream in Denver.

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

God Save the Cream in Denver, CO

September 1, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

On a recent visit to the Denver Zoo, trusted friends informed me that we should be sure to visit the BBQ food truck for a meal and for their delicious, artisan ice cream. Being no fools, we did exactly that, and got to sample God Save the Cream, a Denver company bringing their small batch ice cream to the area.God Save the Cream, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Unlike a more traditional ice cream shop, there were limited flavors, and we didn’t want to monopolize the counter by trying all of them. We were impressed that in addition to the five listed flavors, they had an additional three seasonal flavors, and all of them sounded amazing. Between the two of us, my husband and I got to taste some great flavors. I went with a double scoop and he went for a single, and at $5.49 and $4.29, the prices felt very reasonable for a scoop or two in a bigger city.

Here’s what we thought of God Save the Cream.God Save the Cream, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Berry Cobbler – According to Ross, this has a base similar to cheesecake, with very tasty cherries and a crumble that resembles a good graham cracker crust. The focus is on the base and the cherries (it’s very good), with the crumble complimenting those flavors without overpowering them. Ross found the base almost cake-like, and tangy.

God Save the Cream, Denver, CO | In Search of a ScoopHoney Smoked Vanilla – This wasn’t the creamiest base, but it’s very nice and pleasant, and I found it creamy enough. Honey and a smoky flavor makes for a fun accent with the vanilla.

Chocolate – The color looks light, but this is actually deep and dark, packing a punch like BBQ! This was a wow experience for sure. It’s super smooth and creamy, and it’s in the running for the best chocolate I’ve ever had! It’s seriously epic. So glad I tried this one.

It’s definitely worth visiting their website to find a scoop of God Save the Cream near you. Have some chocolate ice cream for me!

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!

In Praise of a Store Brand

August 25, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, Round Up, Roundup, travel, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Just a quick note, today. I love finding homemade ice cream in my travels. Going out for ice cream is literally one of my favorite things. But my budget and my waistline don’t allow me to go out every day. And much as I may try to convince myself to make other choices, I just love having ice cream every night, so I usually do.

I have a lot of favorite ice cream brands, including Tillamook, Gifford’s and Breyer’s. But I’ve really been enjoying trying store brands! It’s an easy way to save money, and often it’s really good too!

At Walmart, of all places, we discovered the tastiness of the cheekily named Hashtag Chocolate. And at King Soopers/Kroger’s, we’ve found that while their peppermint and mint ice creams aren’t worth the time of day, their chocolate-based ice creams, of all sorts, have really knocked it out of the park. Be sure to try French Silk – it’s outrageously indulgent. On the East Coast, we’ve always enjoyed Hannaford ice cream and frozen yogurt.

I’d love some insight into which companies make store brands for the respective stores. I’m quite curious, and I wonder if it varies by flavor.

Also, pro tip: if you’re prone to eating too much ice cream, get some adorable tiny ice cream bowls. That way you can stuff them to the brim and feel indulgent.

Do you ever get store brand ice cream? And do you have any favorites to share?

Return to Sweet Cow

August 18, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I don’t often give a second review to a place, but there’s an exception to every rule, right? Honestly, I’m not revoking my original review by any means. But my husband and I were in Boulder, Colorado and he wanted to return to Sweet Cow (rather than Glacier, which was our overall favorite in Boulder), and since I’d already returned to Glacier, I was happy for an excuse to visit Sweet Cow. Sweet Cow, Boulder, CO | In Search of a Scoop

We went to a different location than last time (not quite as large but with the same awesome merchandise), and we tried several new to us flavors. Here’s what we sampled: Sweet Cow, Boulder, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Hammonds Peppermint Bark – This was delicious and would be an awesome winter flavor. Peppermint was on pointe here, and the giant chunks of chocolate and white chocolate are high quality and very tasty. I’m not sure it all came together as one, particularly, but if you like peppermint and chocolate, there’s nothing to complain about here. It’s very tasty.

Bourbon Corn Flake – Obviously this has gluten in it, so only Ross tried it. He really enjoyed it. The bourbon flavor is subtle, but he found the cornflake texture to be somewhere in between soggy and crispy, and thought that was just right. Sweet Cow, Boulder, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Comida Horchata – Based on the drink, popular in Spain and Latin-American countries, this is rice-based with almonds and cinnamon and it was truly delightful. Ice cream texture was super creamy, basically perfect, and both Ross and I loved it and got a scoop. It was also surprisingly refreshing for summer – I would have imagined it would be heavier somehow.

Pica’s Watermelon Sorbet – I don’t know who Pica is, and I didn’t think to ask. But Boulder has a Mexican restaurant and if it’s the same Pica, I need to go there. This sorbet is so good! Keep in mind that I love watermelon, but Ross only likes artificial watermelon flavor (he thinks the fruit is too bland), and he actually loved this too. I found it to be a heightened, real watermelon taste. It’s so great! It’s a truly excellent texture for a sorbet, and it’s ridiculously refreshing. I got a scoop, which almost never happens when I’ve got real ice cream flavors to choose from!

Boulder is so lucky to have several great ice cream options. Homemade ice cream is the best, and you will do very well at Sweet Cow. This go around, the consistency was better than last time, so it does seem to vary somewhat from flavor to flavor.

Have you tried Sweet Cow? If you missed my first review, it’s here. And you may also enjoy reading about Glacier or Heifer and the Hen in Boulder.

A Quick Trip For Custard

August 11, 2018Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

As you know, I’m all about the ice cream, but the extra creaminess (due to the eggs) of custard is tough to resist.

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve made two visits to local chain Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard here in Fort Collins. I highly recommend it!Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard, Fort Collins, CO | In Search of a Scoop

First off, I don’t review burgers. But this West Coast burger was delicious, with the perfect amount of melty cheese, tasty beef patties, sauce and all well-wrapped in lettuce since I don’t do gluten. In my memory, it stands up to the best of fast food burger options.

But I bet you’re wondering how the custard was? Of course.Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard, Fort Collins, CO | In Search of a Scoop

I’ve had it two ways. The first time, I had the custard (it’s vanilla of course) and I had hot fudge on top. The second time, I had hot fudge mixed in. Both ways are delicious. I’m especially fond of the latter – it’s like an even more indulgent version of a chocolate shake. Or if you just stir a hot fudge sundae a lot. (It’s so good that I can almost forget how hard it is to get good hard ice cream here!) Can you tell I enjoy hot fudge? Does anyone not, actually? Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard, Fort Collins, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Good Times is delightful fast food. Maybe it’s like Dairy Queen with better sourced food and less grease. Yum!

p.s. Thanks for supporting my blog by doing your usual online shopping via my Amazon affiliate link!