Hot For Ice Cream...Who Thinks they know where to get it!

[papachef]

After a boiling day and night in the kitchen we like to wolf down some delicious creamy love (ice cream..what are you thinking you dirty gutter minds?). We usually stop by Mix Creamery or Good old 31 flavors, however I want something different. Which one of you so called food afficianados out there has the SCOOP on this cold confection. I want to hear what you think. I do have a few others I travel for but this is a forum and I want to hear your opinions.

[Fat Guy]

Did you see the Umpqua Dairy thread? If anybody in Seattle serves that stuff, that would seem the way to go.

[Ellen Shapiro]

I get to have Umpqua Dairy's ice cream 1 day a year, and I spend the other 364 thinking about it.

[mamster]

One bizarre new addition to the ice cream scene is Ron & Jerry's.  The Baskin-Robbins on Broadway unexpectedly unfurled a new sign a few weeks ago and the kids working the counter (who were the same kids working the counter at B&R) had no idea what was up.

R&J's serves mostly Dreyer's (Edy's to you easterners), which is boring; Starbucks, which I love; and Leppert's Hawaiian ice cream, which I haven't tried yet but my friends who've spent time in Hawaii tell me the stuff reminds them of the islands.

As far as I know, the Ben & Jerry's up the street hasn't sued yet.

Frankly, though, I've only rarely had ice cream at a restaurant or shop that was better than the premium pints.

[girl chow]

Hey Papa Chef, I know you're not an Eastsider, but there are a few ice cream joints in Issaquah that are better than B and R at least.

One is FarFar's, on Front Street in Issaquah. It's called FarFar's Danish Ice Cream. They've got several unusual Asian ice cream flavors, including durian (the fruit that stinks, but tastes great). Their stuff ranks high for unusual, for sure.

I also like the Cone Company and Gnashery in Gilman Village, if anything because they've got great outdoor seating. The ice cream ain't bad either.

The bonus: both are small and locally owned and operated (nudge, nudge).

For all you non NWestern folks wondering about this Issaquah place... it's pronounced Iss-ah-qwa and it's a suburb about 20 minutes (or 1 hour in I-90 traffic) east of Seattle.

Papa Chef, tell us more about the special sugar! (without giving away all your secrets, of course!)

[papachef]

Ahhh Far Far's...I have been to this delectable creamery many times. As a matter of fact, there was a Far Far's Danish in Arizona in the late 80's next o my fathers Bed Store. It had memorable stuff. Before my Dad moved on from this world we had many a conversation about their Praline Ice Cream and how could have just one more scoop.

As for the sugar, I cannot disclose any more info about it or I would have to terminate you! I would not want to eliminate a pal.

[girl chow]

Hey PapaChef, I think the Far Far's in Issaquah has become indpendent of the chain (at least that's what someone at work told me). Not sure if the ice cream is the same as the joint in Arizona, but I think the stuff is at least a couple steps above what you can get locally .. mostly I'm impressed that they have durian ice cream. I know the Honey Moon tea court and ice cream place at Uwajimaya doesn't have durian and I haven't found it on any of the dessert menus in the ID or the Great Wall Shopping Mall. So they score serious durian points with me. ;p

[mamster]

They have durian IC at the House of Gelato in Vancouver.  It's the only one of all their flavors (including garlic) that they have to keep a lid on lest it infect nearby flavors.

Oddly, I think I have a decent sense of smell and yet have never found the odor of durian to be offputting at all.

[girl chow]

Thanks Mamster! I won't be making a trip to B.C. soon, but if I head that way, I'll think about a detour to Vancouver for some durian i.c.

And, really, you don't think durian has a very strong, odd scent? I remember being sort of shocked by the scent (I wasn't expecting it). But thinking back, my opinion of durian may be horrible skewed simply because my first whiff was during my first trimester of pregnancy (the memory lingers to this day). Not a good time to be smelling anything new -- or anything strong. I still can't think about or smell bratwurst without getting sick. Ack!

[mamster]

Yeah, it's the weirdest thing, GC.  I can smell shrimp paste or gorgonzola like anyone else, but durian just smells mildly fruity to me.  Maybe it's one of those genetic things like PT-tasting and tongue-rolling.