Tag: colorado ice cream

Frozen Matter, Denver, CO

February 15, 2020Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Frozen Matter is not your average ice cream place! A microcreamery with unusual flavors, ice pops and soda, it was within walking distance to a venue my husband and I were performing at in Denver, so a stop was essential. They also have their own speakeasy inside called Retrograde – so a return visit for a cocktail is a must!

Frozen Matter, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

It’s an adorable space, with excellent service and a nice mix of indoor and outdoor space. Super cute and the hipster vintage lovers like me will eat this out of this world theme up.

Frozen Matter, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Here’s what I tried:

Space Junk – This has a bourbon butter base with nuts and other fun things in it. Fun, but alcoholic flavors are always tricky, and this didn’t win me over.

Black Magic – This is a chocolate base with black tea and black currants. I really enjoyed this flavor combination! It’s very unusual, but also pretty excellent. I’d definitely go for this again. (I can taste it now! Very memorable.)

Frozen Matter, Denver, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Lemon Blueberry – I loved the lemon flavor, in particular, but this ice cream didn’t quite win me as a favorite unfortunately.

Lavender Caramel – This is a tasty and very forward lavender flavor. It’s very good, bit life-changing, but if you enjoy lavender ice cream you’ll enjoy it.

I loved the creative flavors here. Besides Space Junk, which was really wacky and perhaps even excellent in its weirdness, none of these got into the realm of excellence. But they’re trying for big things with high quality ingredients. The double was $7.40 with very large portions, so the prices are pretty decent for a big city.

This isn’t my favorite in Denver, but I look forward to stopping by in the future to see what they’ve cooked up and check out the speakeasy. Thanks, Frozen Matter!

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Supporting My Blog

I am truly grateful for your support of my blog! You can help keep the content coming regularly by doing any or all of the following:

  • Become a patron of my work!
  • Make purchases via my Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
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Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO

January 25, 2020Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I stopped at Inside Scoop without any expectations on my way to see a movie. Littleton’s downtown was a delight, truly, and this gem of a place was well worth a trip. Once again, I found myself saying to my husband, we could live here! (Is there any town in Colorado we wouldn’t have that reaction to?)

Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a ScoopInside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a Scoop

In any case, here’s what we decided on:

Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Minnesota Salted Toffee – Oh my word. This is a delicious toffee, bold and bright, in a super creamy base, with salt right behind it and tiny pieces throughout. Yum!!!!

Strawberry Basil – The basil here is super strong – if anything, it’s stronger than the strawberry, which makes me love it! It tastes like I am eating a garden.

Nutty Irishman – This has Frangelico and Bailey’s, I think – it’s kind of like a grownup coffee ice cream. So tasty and creamy. The flavors here are truly big and bold – they go for it and don’t hold anything back (unlike some of their more northern Colorado counterparts…) The occasional chocolate bites are fun, though maybe they are not needed? In any case, it’s delightful and has a very well-executed base.

Chocolate Mousse – This was creamy and chocolatey. It’s great, but there’s much more I’d be more excited to enjoy here.

Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Inside Scoop is very affordable and accommodating – they let me fit three flavors into a double, which was super reasonable at $4.55. My husband got a junior size for $2.85. Excellent city prices!

I was delighted to see that they have regular, gluten-free and waffle cone options (including chocolate ones) as well as fun and more unusual toppings, like blueberries.

Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a Scoop

The walls are fun, covered in great quotes, with drawings or photos of ice cream.

I’m a big fan of the super creamy ice cream and bold flavors here. Delicious! Definitely one of the best I’ve had in the area. They’ve apparently got Denver locations too.

Inside Scoop, Littleton, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Thanks for stopping by! Had any good scoops lately? I’d love to hear about them.

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Supporting My Blog

I am truly grateful for your support of my blog! You can help keep the content coming regularly by doing any or all of the following:

  • Become a patron of my work!
  • Make purchases via my Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
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Colorado City Creamery, Colorado Springs, CO

January 18, 2020Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Colorado City Creamery’s ice cream has been handmade since the late 1970’s. Located in an adorable neighborhood I could move into tomorrow, it’s full of charm. My one beef is that, like most of the soft serve frozen yogurt chains so prevalent nowadays; they charge for their ice cream by the ounce. (It always unnerves me when I have no idea what my ice cream will cost – it’s dangerous!) My three Scoop total was 9.48 ounces and came to $10.26 with tax.

Colorado City Creamery, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

They’ve also got a window so you can see them making the ice cream. Here’s what we tried:

Colorado City Creamery, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Kettle Corn – The base itself has the sweetness of kettle corn – it’s great! It kind of has caramel rivers too, no chunks, and it’s awesome and unique. It’s almost like that burnt popcorn flavor, in a good way. Super smooth, creamy and rich. Excellent.

Butter Brickle – This is like a butterscotch base with toffee pieces in it. It’s excellent, with strong and compelling flavors. The chunks are outstanding caramel toffee goodness.

French Silk – This is pretty good, a light and smooth chocolate base with great chocolate chunks.

Sweet Cream – This is a light, milky but sweet, base, which I found good with a creamy texture, though not super memorable.

They’re extremely good at a creamy and consistent ice cream texture here.

Although I found their flavors to be of the old-fashioned variety, it’s gourmet quality and they’re very good at what they do. Pretty excellent at it, in fact.

Thanks to Colorado City Creamery for a delicious bite. We will be back, I’m sure!

Colorado City Creamery, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Want more like this? For a review of another great spot in Colorado Springs, head here.

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Supporting My Blog

I am truly grateful for your support of my blog! You can help keep the content coming regularly by doing any or all of the following:

  • Become a patron of my work!
  • Make purchases via my Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using my affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh or Capital One 360 is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support me, and I also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money. This link will take you to my other travel page with my husband – we’ll have one here soon!
  • Listen to, subscribe and review my theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to this as well as my other travel blog, RossAndJamieAdventure, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from me and my husband, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, NM

January 11, 2020Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

In my short visit to Colorado Springs, I read good reviews of Josh and John’s, so I was eager to see what they had on offer for ice cream.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

They’ve got a really fun setup where you can actually see the ice cream making from the street through the windows! They also clearly label their regular flavors, though not the rotating ones, as gluten-free, which made me more self-sufficient and confident in ordering than I would have otherwise been.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Here’s what I tried:

Dark Chocolate: This is a super smooth, tasty and classic flavor! One of the best I’ve ever had for Dutch or a light chocolate style.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Mint Chocolate Chip: This is a smooth, classic mint, with tasty chocolate chunks. It’s also perfectly creamy.

Almond Joy – I ordered this coconut-based ice cream, which is smooth and full of coconut flavor, two visits in a row. It’s delicious, a big flavor defined by chocolate chunks, some almonds and something else…but wow, it’s the base that makes it, super smooth and tasty. The chocolate chunks are tasty and you’ll occasionally hit a coconut chunk too.

Butter Pecan – This is kind of a subtle base, but I found it very tasty. My only concern was that I was afraid I might get bored with the subtlety eventually. Very nice though.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Rumchata – This was super tasty, but unfortunately they couldn’t confirm if it’s gluten-free or not, so I couldn’t order it.

Purple Mountain Majesty – This is a taro based ice cream with raspberry dark chocolate truffles. I found it fresh and fun! The base is awesome, as are the truffles. Picture a subtle base, light sweetness, milky, and punchy chocolate! So tasty and unique.

Here a large three scoops will run you $5.95 with tax, and they are good portions and good prices for a city.

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

On my first visit, the server was very friendly and honest, willing to research whatever she could for me. On my second visit, the super friendly server still managed to be efficient and all business.

I went at a slow time of day, but I was delighted on my visits to Josh and John’s. Well worth a trip when you’re in Colorado!

Josh and John’s, Colorado Springs, CO | In Search of a Scoop

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Supporting My Blog

I am truly grateful for your support of my blog! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Become a patron of my work!
  • Make purchases via my Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using my affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh or Capital One 360 is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support me, and I also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money. This link will take you to my other travel page with my husband – we’ll have one here soon!
  • Listen to, subscribe and review my theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to this as well as my other travel blog, RossAndJamieAdventure, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from me and my husband, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com.

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO

January 4, 2020Destination Ice Cream, Ice Cream, travel, , , , , , , 1 Comment

First off, a reminder that while I try to stick to homemade ice cream places, I will occasionally visit places who don’t make their own ice cream. Bite Me Cupcake Co. struck me as really fun from the reviews, and with a downtown Pueblo location, I was eager to check it out. I found documentation that they carry Blue Mountain Creamery’s super premium (Forbes Top 10) and Glacier Premium Ice Cream in different places. You may want to call to confirm, if that matters to you.

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Here are the flavors I tried:

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Chocolate Expresso Buzz – This has a tasty lighter chocolate and espresso base, with chunks of bittersweet chocolate. It’s a great combination!

Chai-Yai – Wow, this is super smooth, a perfect sweet and creamy chai blend. It’s refreshing, I love this. A real winner. Best chai ever perhaps?

Monkey Bread – This has big chunks of monkey bread. My dining partner really enjoyed it! I was jealous.

Funky Donkey – Gotta love the name! This has Oreo cookies crushed, creamy fudge nice and thick and a dark, peanut butter base. It’s delicious!

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a Scoop

Black Cow – This has a fizzy root beer base with swirls of homemade fudge. It’s super fun and delicious if you love root beer!

Toffee Bar Crunch – The light vanilla base is milky, not too heavy, and tasty. It also has a light caramel swirl, chunks of chocolate and toffee. It has a very smooth texture.

Almond Joy – This is very, very good, though personally whole almonds aren’t my fave. But I still loved it!

They carry about a dozen flavors, and most of them are a little unusual.

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a Scoop

These are excellent portions for a city at 3.85 for a double scoop with two flavors before tax.

FYI that they are mainly a bakery, with a funky vibe and treats that look amazing. The owner/manager seems really considerate and nice, and there is free WiFi with places to plug in if needed.

Bite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a ScoopBite Me Cupcake Co., Pueblo, CO | In Search of a Scoop

I look forward to returning the next time I’m in Pueblo. Let me know if you’ve tried it!

____________________________

Supporting My Blog

I am truly grateful for your support of my blog! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Become a patron of my work!
  • Make purchases via my Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using my affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh or Capital One 360 is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support me, and I also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money. This link will take you to my other travel page with my husband – we’ll have one here soon!
  • Listen to, subscribe and review my theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to this as well as my other travel blog, RossAndJamieAdventure, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from me and my husband, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com.

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!

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!

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!