Enjoying New England Ice Cream Stands

Article and photo by Eric H.
New England ice cream stands serve as sort of a rite of passage for the summertime here in the six states. Hard to believe that in a few months, many of these seasonal places will be closed! With one of the last extended heat waves for the season upon us, what better time to enjoy a nice, cold ice cream at one of New England's relaxing ice cream stands? Our New England ice cream stands article features such gems as Peaceful Meadows in Whitman, Mass., Bubbling Brook in Westwood, Mass., Brown's in York Beach, Maine and the Ice Cream Machine in Cumberland, R.I. Whether something out of the ordinary like key lime pie or cinnamon ice cream, or just plain vanilla or chocolate, this is a great time to cool down with a traditional treat within the many pleasant ice cream stand settings in New England. For more information on New England ice cream stands, click on the link above in this article, or browse our reader's favorite places to eat ice cream.

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Ice Cream for a New England Fall Day

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com

We often think of summer as the time to frequent our beloved New England ice cream stands. The fall time, however, brings about homemade ice cream flavors that are perfect for the autumn season. Richardson's Ice Cream stand in Middletown, MA, offers two such seasonal flavors, apple crisp and pumpkin ice creams. Both taste authentic -- not too sweet or artificial -- courtesy of its high cream content and traditional made-from-scratch process (including 400 cows in the field) that makes Richardson's ice cream so special. Richardson's also features an all-season dining room, two miniature golf courses, batting cages and a driving range! Fall hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. -10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.- 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Richardson's Ice Cream
156 South Main St. (Rte 114)
Middleton, MA
Phone: 978-774-5450

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A Place Where Art and Ice Cream Meet-Up in Old Saybrook, CT

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com

For those who enjoy art galleries and ice cream, the James Gallery and Soda Fountain will leave you with fine "impressions."

The 1790 building (originally a general store) that houses the art gallery and the 1896 soda fountain combines to bring visitors a truly unique experience where it's OK to say, "I'll have some chocolate chip cookie dough with this watercolor painting of Old Saybrook."

The art work is high quality, indeed, as is the ice cream made by Buck's La Favorita Ice Cream Co. in Milford, CT. Using 14 percent butterfat, this is great-tasting, rich ice cream with our taste buds truly enjoying flavors like black raspberry, chocolate chip and pistachio. The ice cream parlor also features banana splits, sundaes, ice cream floats, milkshakes, malts and New York egg cream (chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer).

We haven't been yet, but we understand the ice cream parlor now features the Sugarplums Candy Shop "offering a variety of penny candy, chocolate's and other yummy treats," according to the James Gallery and Soda Fountain Web Page.
This will, no doubt, make the overall experience that much sweeter.

The black and white tile and soda fountain counter with seating lends a feeling of being back in time, and the outdoor seating area is always a delight at sunset in the warmer weather. Right next door is the Deacon Timothy Pratt House, a charming-looking 1746 center chimney colonial bed and breakfast that we hope to stay at soon -- as a means to connect to the nearby Connecticut coastline and with our innate love for ice cream and art!

The James Gallery and Soda Fountain , 2 Pennywise Ln., located at the Corner of Main Street, Old Saybrook, CT. Tel.: 860-395-1406

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The Eighth Best Ice Cream Place in the World

Article and Photo by Eric H.
National Geographic's "An Ultimate Guide for Travelers" ranked Crescent Ridge Dairy Bar in Sharon, MA, in 2007, as the eighth best ice cream place in the world. That's great news for New Englanders, as other top 10 ice cream places would have required a trip, for example, to Florence, Italy, or Paris, France (actually, a good excuse to travel).

Crescent Ridge does have some truly great ice cream, including the current special S'Mores, and orange pineapple, peppermint stick, ginger, fudge ripple and the old standbys of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. While we wonder how a list of best ice cream places in the world could be narrowed to ten, the reality is that, from a local's perspective, Crescent Ridge is slightly better than the other top-tiered ice cream stands in New England. It all comes down to freshness, and Crescent Ridge somehow comes through better than most. What's more, Crescent Ridge represents the classic New England ice cream stand at its best with a truly bucolic, relaxing setting -- a farmhouse in the scenic distance, a field with cows, and picnic benches. Along with Kimball Farm in Westford, MA, Carlisle, MA and Jaffrey, NH, the Ice Cream Machine in Cumberland , RI, Four Seas in Centerville, MA, Brown's in York Beach, Maine, the Black Cow in Millis, MA, Bubbling Brook in Westwood, MA, and Peaceful Meadows in Whitman, MA, Crescent Ridge ranks with our current favorite ice cream places in New England.

Crescent Ridge Dairy, 355 Bay Rd., Sharon, MA. Tel. 781-784-2740

Read more about the Best Ice Cream Stands in New England and Reader's Favorite Ice Cream

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