What's Your Local Frozen Summer Treat?

[Chris Amirault]

I know that most places have their own special frozen treat that's near and dear to the hearts and mouths of locals. In the greater Boston area we have Hoodsies, little ice cream (milk) cups that you can eat with a spoon or the cover itself. I hadn't had one in a couple of decades, and they're just what you'd think they are.

More delicious by far is RI's frozen lemonade, and specifically Del's, which stands head and shoulders above the imitators. I have at least one Del's per week in the summer.

How about you? What's your local summer treat of note?

[Emily_R]

Just chiming in as a former Rhody to say that I also love frozen lemonade but think Palagi's is head and shoulders above Del's!

[Chris Amirault]

Clearly, I need to do some research and report back.

[weinoo]

Hmmm, that's a tough one for NYC...but I'd have to say Italian ices. In my neighborhood, there are still shaved ice carts as well.

[Varmint]

Locopops, which are essentially very interestingly-flavored Mexican-style popsicles.

I've actually been making a lot of these fun treats myself this summer, as chronicled here.

[judiu]

Locopops, which are essentially very interestingly-flavored Mexican-style popsicles.

I've actually been making a lot of these fun treats myself this summer, as chronicled here.

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Next time you have chocolate pudding, add a little Khalua and Baily's to it and mad "Mudslide" pops. NOT for the kids, but oh so GOOD!

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

I like to go to the Hispanic markets and buy paletas... Mexican popsicles. When I was looking at the paleta cooler on Saturday, I noticed such flavors as rumpopo (rum punch), mango with chile, and horchata.

[baroness]

Definitely Italian ices; Ralph's Ices takes them to a high level. The original Port Richmond shop has additional great flavors -- such as Almond Joy -- that aren't on the menu.

It's a sad day in October when they close for the year!

[weinoo]

Definitely Italian ices; Ralph's Ices takes them to a high level. The original Port Richmond shop has additional great flavors -- such as Almond Joy -- that aren't on the menu.

It's a sad day in October  when they close for the year!

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I like Ralph's and Rocco's on Bleecker St. ain't bad either.

[SuzySushi]

In Hawaii, it's definitely "shave ice" -- similar to a mainland snow cone, but the ice is finely shaved, not crushed.

On Oahu, the most famous place for shave ice is Matsumoto Shave Ice, a 60-year-old former general store in Haleiwa, a town on the North Shore. There's also Aoki's Shave Ice, a mom & pop store next door (and the only place I know that offers sugar-free flavors). In Honolulu, some people swear by Waiola Shave ice, on Kapahulu Avenue just outside Waikiki (personally, I don't think they pour enough syrup on their ice). But my secret favorite is the unnamed shave ice cart run by a nice Korean lady in front of the Sports Authority store at Waikele Shopping Center!

[Pam R]

We don't have a local frozen treat that I can think of, though we've been the Slurpee capitol of the world several years running.

SuzySushi, I'm a big fan of the Hawaiian shave ice, and had sugarless flavours in Kona and Maui (have no idea what the names of the stands are). I'd like one now, please.

[Marmish]

Italian ice here, too, in Chicago. Mostly lemon, but you can find others. And we eat lots more gelato. Luckily, it is within walking distance, but not toooo close, so you feel like you earned it once you've walked all the way there.

[tino27]

Here in the Akron area, most people would say it's Strickland's custard. And Strickland's is all over the Akron area. However, there is a competitor in a suburb of Akron called Stoddard's in Stow, OH that also makes their custards from scratch. Both companies have daily flavors-of-the-day and both make excellent custard.

I actually blogged about both of them in my entry "A Tale of Two Sliders". Ok, ok, shameless plug for my blog (see my signature), but they both really are nice local places to get a cool summer treat that offer something unique.

[JTravel]

Abbot's Frozen Custard....for SURE. Down by the lake, and several other stores around the bubs. In Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Almond and my new favorite....Peanute Butter Cup. It's a Rochester tradition.

[Chris Amirault]

I lived in MKE for four years, but to call frozen custard a summer treat would be to deny the copious amounts I ate during the other three seasons.

[hsm]

Italian ice here, too, in Chicago. Mostly lemon, but you can find others

At Tom & Wendy's on Armitage in Lincoln Park. They make it all in back and have excellent berry and citrus flavors that go oh-so-well with their chocolate ice. Or chocolate toffee **must have soon**.

[pax]

Smoothies are hot here, if you'll pardon the ......uh...is there a word for that?

[Hiroyuki]

In Japan, we have this category of ice cream: lacto ice. By definition, it contains a milk solid content of not less than 3%. I prefer this type of ice cream to rich and heavy, real ice cream. At least in Japan, it is said that ice cream (and other ice cream-like products) sells well at 27C (80.6F) and higher, but at 30C (86F) and higher, shaved ice (kaki goori in Japanese) sells better.

[cathrynapple]

In Lafayette, IN we have the Igloo frozen custard place. Their chunky shakes are a local favorite (made chunky with pieces of candy bar.) Also, while not frozen, a "Fruit Drink" is served there and at a couple of other places. It's officially called "Fruit Drink." It's a really sweet/tart mixture of what I think is lemon, orange, and pineapple, but all artificial concentrates. And it's awesome.

[Toliver]

Locally, it's La Rosa Fruit Bars & Ice Cream. The vendors sell the treats out of little carts with bells that they'll ring to announce they're in your neighborhood.

They're a perfect treat for the summer heat.

[MikeHartnett]

Snoballs! The greatest frozen treat of them all!

If you've ever gotten one at Hansen's, you know what I mean.

[emilyr]

I lived in MKE for four years, but to call frozen custard a summer treat would be to deny the copious amounts I ate during the other three seasons.

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Amen!

[rlibkind]

DiCosmo's Italian ices, Elizabeth NJ. Far better than anything I've found in Philadelphia, where, quite redundantly, it's called "water ice".

[baroness]

DiCosmo's Italian ices, Elizabeth NJ. Far better than anything I've found in Philadelphia, where, quite redundantly, it's called "water ice".

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Finding myself over the border today, I stopped at DiCosmo's. The ice had a delicate, soft texture but I thought it was a bit lacking in flavor compared to Ralph's and other New York ices. The flavors do appear to be natural-source, though, as my orange-pineapple ice contained a large orange seed!

On the 'water ice' topic: until a few years ago, many New York ice makers sold water ices (usually fruit flavors) and cream ices (cremolata, spumoni, vanilla, etc.) Now they are calling the cream ices sherbets, for unknown-to-me reasons.

[Romy]

Ice cream at the local DQ; there were tons of them in Northern NJ. It tastes best when you lean against the bumper of your car while eating it. Just don't drip any ice cream down your arm and onto the car that Dad has just spent all afternoon washing...

I used to prefer Peanut Buster Parfaits and Hot Fudge Brownie Delights. My sister liked a vanilla Blizzard with Nerds, Butterfingers, and M&Ms. Gross. My Mom always got a plain vanilla cone. These days, I like a small cup of chocolate ice cream with peanut butter sauce. It's slightly warm and just a tad grainy, and so delicious. Tastes like nostalgia, especially in the sunshine.