Aaaah, summertime… long hot days, family vacations and barbeques, and ice cream! Yes, summers and ice cream, go perfectly together. Ice cream is the one thing that can assist in taking the edge off from the heat of the day, topping off the end of a great meal, or to just put a smile on a child’s face. Whether your nine months or ninety years young, it’s Ice Cream that brings the biggest smile of approval, hands down! Definitely the go-to for most people this time of year. And why not? This frozen treat comes in a multitude of flavors, colors, and sizes. Not to mention a variety of ingredients to satisfy even the pickiest of consumers. From hard scooped to soft serve that create the Banana Splits, Hot-Fudge Sundays, your favorite flavored shake, to even the simplest vanilla cone (be it waffle cone or standard), ice cream has certainly come a long way from its meager beginnings.
It’s believed that the precursors to Ice Cream originated as far back as 2700 BCE. It is also believed that early ice cream was also created during the Tang Dynasty of China (618 to 907 CE), the iced milk that had been so popular in earlier dynasties had become a widespread delicacy. But in America, the first Ice Cream Parlor was believed to have been opened in New York City in 1776. American colonists were the first to use the term “ice cream.” The name came from the phrase iced cream, which was similar to iced tea. The name was later abbreviated to ice cream, the name we know today.*
From there, the many innovations for this frozen treat took off.**
In the 1840’s the first ice cream churn was invented.
In 1851: the first ice cream plant was opened.
In the 1880’s the Ice Cream Sunday was born.
In 1904: The first waffle cone made its debut at the “World’s Fair” in St. Louis, MO.
In 1970: A man named H.P. Hood introduced a soft-serve frozen dessert, first served on the US’s east coast to limited success in the 1970’s, dubbed the name “frogurt.”
In 1978: Brigham’s Ice Cream Shop in Boston developed and introduced the first packaged frozen yogurt under the product name “Humphreez Yogart.”
In 1980-81: The first patents for Lactose-reduced ice cream and process for the production of and for this specific creation of Lactose- reduced Ice Cream was created.***
Now, with all of the technology and sophistication that ice cream is today, the average American consumes approximately 19.7 pounds of ice cream annually. Though the majority of ice cream may be sold through grocery stores, and not restaurants,**** we still have our favorite spots to frequent to indulge ourselves with this awesomely delicious – frozen tasty treat, be it with friends and family, or just by yourself. It’s always a welcomed and tasty escape. In Amish Country there are certainly a bunch of locations that serve or sell that frozen treat, that is ice cream. But I would be remiss if I did not mention the additional prime locations of ice cream shops serving this dairy treat. That being the multiple dairy creamery locations that dot the landscape of Lancaster County and the counties that surround all that is Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From milk and cheese to ice cream, you can usually find all of your dairy needs in these locations that specialize in all things dairy. And in some, you might even find a bit more farmland treasures, that being baked goods and some local produce. Routing out any other remaining cravings or needs you may have, to what one might perceive as a one-stop shopping experience.
As we wind down our summer, remember to look for and support these unique small businesses if you can, especially after a difficult 15 to 18 months of community and business disruptions due to world events and recognize how special those businesses are in our hearts and for what they have to offer to our communities with their special contribution. Listed are a number of locations of where you might go. As our summer soon comes to an end and you travel through Amish Country feeling the need to indulge those cravings and enjoy a cool refreshing and tasty treat, that is of course…ice cream.
32 Below
2 E 28th Division Hwy, Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 537-8507
Adventure Sports
3010 Elizabethtown Rd, Hershey, PA 17033
(717) 533-7479 • adventurehershey.com
Bird In Hand Bakeshop
542 Gibbons Rd, Bird in Hand, PA 17505
(717) 656-7947 • bihbakeshop.com
Boehringer’s Ice Cream
3160 N Reading Rd, Adamstown, PA 19501
(717) 484-4227 • Like us on Facebook! Follow on Instagram.
Countryside Roadstand
2966 Stumptown Rd, Ronks, PA 17572 ,
(717) 656-4474
Country Sunrise Creamery
48 Mountain View Rd, Myerstown, PA 17067
www.countrysunrisecreamery.com
Cubby’s Ice Cream Cafe
295 E Main St, Hummelstown, PA 17036
(717) 477-3928 • cubbysicecream.com
Down on the Farm Creamery
226 Gap Rd, Strasburg, PA 17579, (717) 687-7829 • Like us on Facebook!
Fox Meadows Creamery
193 E Main St, Leola, PA 17540
(717) 721-6455 • foxmeadowscreamery.com
Greco’s Italian Ices & Homemade Ice Cream
9 E Kleine Ln, Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 568-5801 • grecosicecream.com
Little Dippers Ice Cream
432 W Main St, Mount Joy, PA 17552
(717) 653-6664
Like us on Facebook! Follow on Instagram.
The Milkhouse at Oregon Dairy
2900 Oregon Pike, Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 656-2856
Paraiso Rosel Restaurante Mexicano
141 W Penn Ave, Robesonia, PA 19551
(610) 693-4349
paraisoroselmexicanrestaurantepa.com
Patches Family Creamery
201 Fonderwhite Rd, Lebanon, PA 17042
(717) 273-1983 • www.patchesfamilycreamery.com
Perrydell Farm and Dairy
90 Indian Rock Dam Rd, York, PA 17403
(717) 741-3485 • perrydellfarm.com
Sweet Willows Creamery
2812 E Prospect Rd, York, PA 17402
(717) 718-9219 • www.sweetwillows.com
Soda Jerk Diner and Dairy Bar
403 E Main St, Hummelstown, PA 17036
(717) 566-7707
Town Edge Dairy (A2A2 Milk)
1126 Martindale Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522 (717) 209-0734
Twisted Sister Ice Cream and Handmade Chocolates
47 N Main St, Manheim, PA 17545
(570) 366-1800 • theudderchoice.co
Turkey Hill Experience
301 Linden St, Columbia, PA 17512
(717) 684-0134 • turkeyhillexperience.com
Village Green Miniature Golf
1444 Village Rd, Strasburg, PA 17579
(717) 687-6933 • villagegreens.com
Way Har Farm Market
7701 Bernville Rd, Bernville, PA 19506
(610) 488-1281 • wayharfarms.com
Waters Edge Mini Golf
230 N Ronks Rd, Bird in Hand, PA 17505
(717) 768-4653 • watersedgegolf.net
Windmill Family Restaurant
2838 Main St, Morgantown, PA 19543
(610) 286-5980
www.windmillfamilyrestaurant.com
— Edward Blanchette