I debated on whether to include this post in my food blog (since it is about food), but decided to include it in the family blog since it is heavy on photos and talks about our Maine vacation.
I miss real, good ice cream. I grew up in a home that valued good ice cream. When our family lived in Massachusetts my parents regularly took the whole family for a drive on a summer night to a local ice cream stand, or if we were on the road they'd take us to the best looking ice cream shop in town. To be honest, it didn't have to be at night - ice cream is good anytime. Just ask my dad! He knows where the nearest ice cream places are no matter where he goes. Or, ask my mom! She always made sure to have a variety of ice creams in the freezer.
When we moved down South we noticed the ice cream difference. For starters, the grocery stores only had about five basic flavors to choose from. Fortunately, times have changed, and you can get a wide variety of flavors in even the store-brand ice creams. Secondly, there were no ice cream stands around--certainly none which offered offered really good ice cream for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, times have not changed so much that real, old-fashioned ice cream stands are anywhere close to us. Sure, we have the big-named (expensive) ice cream places where you request add-ins and create your own flavor combos. But, they're just not the same.
Going out to eat ice cream while I was in New England was a priority for me. Unfortunately, the days kept slipping by and I kept missing my post-dinner ice cream opportunities. A solution occurred to me: on my last night in Maine I proposed ice cream instead of dinner. It was a plan that was agreed upon unanimously by the family! Remember, ice cream is good anytime. So, we had a big, late lunch and went out for our dinner ice cream at Lago's: big servings, good prices, and best of all: great ice cream!
I miss real, good ice cream. I grew up in a home that valued good ice cream. When our family lived in Massachusetts my parents regularly took the whole family for a drive on a summer night to a local ice cream stand, or if we were on the road they'd take us to the best looking ice cream shop in town. To be honest, it didn't have to be at night - ice cream is good anytime. Just ask my dad! He knows where the nearest ice cream places are no matter where he goes. Or, ask my mom! She always made sure to have a variety of ice creams in the freezer.
When we moved down South we noticed the ice cream difference. For starters, the grocery stores only had about five basic flavors to choose from. Fortunately, times have changed, and you can get a wide variety of flavors in even the store-brand ice creams. Secondly, there were no ice cream stands around--certainly none which offered offered really good ice cream for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, times have not changed so much that real, old-fashioned ice cream stands are anywhere close to us. Sure, we have the big-named (expensive) ice cream places where you request add-ins and create your own flavor combos. But, they're just not the same.
Going out to eat ice cream while I was in New England was a priority for me. Unfortunately, the days kept slipping by and I kept missing my post-dinner ice cream opportunities. A solution occurred to me: on my last night in Maine I proposed ice cream instead of dinner. It was a plan that was agreed upon unanimously by the family! Remember, ice cream is good anytime. So, we had a big, late lunch and went out for our dinner ice cream at Lago's: big servings, good prices, and best of all: great ice cream!
Ryan with his "baby" ice cream cone
(chocolate chip maybe? I can't remember).
Todd with Rocky Road ice cream.
Ryan (who already finished his ice cream) goes in for a bite of Emily's sherbet. Uncle Dave looks like he's having a hard time figuring out how to best manage the ice cream drips.
Afton enjoys ice cream, too! 
Two happy siblings, one sticky face
Todd with Rocky Road ice cream.Ryan (who already finished his ice cream) goes in for a bite of Emily's sherbet. Uncle Dave looks like he's having a hard time figuring out how to best manage the ice cream drips.Afton enjoys ice cream, too! Two happy siblings, one sticky face(Adam's--appears to be chocolate...).
Most of the gang made it. We were even able to have Uncle Larry, and Uncle Tim and Aunt Kathy join us. (L-R: Mom, Dad, Laura, Larry, Adam, Dave, Emily, D.C., Kerry, Tim, Kathy)
(L-R: Kerry, Amy, Afton, Todd, Ben) 
Cousins! (L-R: Adam, D.C., Kate, Emily, Ryan, Ben, Todd)
Did I mention that I miss real, good ice cream--and summer nights like this? Next time I go back I may even upgrade from the "Kiddie" size cup to a "Small"!
(And, in case you were wondering--which you probably weren't--I got one of the special flavors: Black Raspberry Cookies and Cream . . . yum!)
Most of the gang made it. We were even able to have Uncle Larry, and Uncle Tim and Aunt Kathy join us. (L-R: Mom, Dad, Laura, Larry, Adam, Dave, Emily, D.C., Kerry, Tim, Kathy)(L-R: Kerry, Amy, Afton, Todd, Ben) Cousins! (L-R: Adam, D.C., Kate, Emily, Ryan, Ben, Todd) Did I mention that I miss real, good ice cream--and summer nights like this? Next time I go back I may even upgrade from the "Kiddie" size cup to a "Small"!(And, in case you were wondering--which you probably weren't--I got one of the special flavors: Black Raspberry Cookies and Cream . . . yum!)
1 comment:
You know I'm wondering if it's a new england kind of thing - not that upstate new york is all that new england - but i have so many memories of going to a local ice cream stand (it's still there!) and getting a chocolate cone rolled in rainbow sprinkles! Yummmm - I wonder if my dad remembers the name of the place. It's only open in the summer from what I remember.
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