Midwest Custard arrives in here

[rlibkind]

Marty Low of Zwalen's Ice Cream & Chocolate Company, Audubon PA (Montgomery County) will be guest speaker at this week's meeting of the Saturay Morning Breakfast Club, Reading Terminal Market. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. (on Saturday, of course) in the seating area behind the Beer Garden.

The Low family manufactures and sells a style of ice cream referred to as "Midwestern Custard". Mike Holahan of the Pennsylvania General Store tells me Marty used to work at Ted Drewes, the famed St. Louis custard purveyor. Marty will be talking about how this style of frozen treat is made and what makes it so good.

[Holly Moore]

Thanks for the heads-up. Guess I know where I'll be Saturday morning.

Does Marty Low have a retail operation in Audubon or does he just sell wholesale?

[rlibkind]

Thanks for the heads-up.  Guess I know where I'll be Saturday morning.

Does Marty Low have a retail operation in Audubon or does he just sell wholesale?

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Alas, I can't make it Saturday. (I'll be back in St. Louis starting tomorrow through the weekend, so it's possible I'll make a return visit to Ted Drewes.) Mike Holahan of the Pennsylvania General Store could answer your questions, in all probability. (My guess, however, is that it is a retail operation, certainly the custard would be.) Better yet, be there and ask Marty directly. Give us a full report.

I sense a field trip coming up!

[Holly Moore]

Marty Lowe evidently went to school on Ted Drewe's and, from what I tasted at the RTM, has created an equal or better product. Though he calls it ice cream to avoid confusion for the mediocre "frozen custard" currently available hereabouts, it is a true frozen custard, compete with the addition of eggs to the mix.

He has a retail store, Zwahlens, located at 670 Shannondell Blvd in Audubon PZ.

They also do a great caramel apple - 72 count (giant) granny smith apples dipped in caramel and white chocolate, best served when sliced like a pie.

The Reading Terminal Saturday Morning Breakfast Club (meets twice a month) is a neat, small informal group. Lots of good questions.

Edited to correct web site address

[rlibkind]

I second and third what Holly said.

BTW, there was something foobar on the web address for Zahlen's. Here's the correct web link for Zwahlens.

As for the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club, we usually meet the first and third Saturday of the month (ex. July and Aug.) at 9:30 a.m. at the Reading Terminal Market. Currently we're meeting behind the Beer Garden, though we're seeking a quieter location within the market for future meetings.

[chowfun]

Zwahlen's is really, really good. Their custard is creamy and rich, never frozen after it comes out of the machine, made fresh every 3 hours. The toppings are out of this world. I do not usually like nuts on or in my ice cream, but I make the exception here where the pecans in the butter pecan or topped on my tubby turtle sundae are so fresh and so crunchy they shatter in your mouth. They have chocolate and vanilla every day, and a different special flavor daily. I'd like to go back on butter pecan day, it was awesome. My kids are partial to their caramel apples. The apples are tart and juicy, large granny smiths and they are very good and very fresh, and the caramel is really good. We have also sampled their turtles, made with cashews, almonds or pecans all delicious. Definately worth checking out when you are venturing near Norristown, or a place worthy of a pilgramage. They are on Trooper Road in Audobon, PA. Holly Moore did a review on his website with great pictures.

Review by Holly Moore

[philadining]

So, how about some of that good Zwahlen's Frozen Custard in between peanut-butter cookies?

I have no idea why they call it a Yodeler but I'll wear lederhosen if that's what it takes to get more of these... they usually also have them made with chocolate chip cookies, but had run out this particular night.

The custard itself was quite good, although I'm a little surprised that they had as few flavors as they did, just chocolate and vanilla and one special. Although I guess with the large variety of toppings available, one can add a lot of variety.

[chowfun]

We were there last night. We have been having ice cream a lot lately so I controlled my urge for a tubby turtle sundae (2 scoops with hot fudge, caramel, pecans, whipped cream and bing cherry) and had a scoop of the flavor of the day peanut butter squared (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cups). It was good but I like their peanut butter ice cream better without the peanut butter cups in it.

They only have three flavors at a time because they dont freeze and store their ice cream. It is served fresh out of the machine. Years ago we visited the Ben and Jerry's factory in Vermont and we were served rainforest crunch ice cream right off the line. It was so good that it ruined that flavor for me forever, because it was never as good out of the freezer case. Zwahlen's ice cream is freshly made all day long. They would have too much waste with a large number of flavors.

This Tuesday the special flavor is peach. We may have to make another trip. I would also like to catch Key Lime Pie day.

[Holly Moore]

The reason for the few flavors is they make the custard fresh, throughout the day. The fewer the flavors the fresher the custard and the more special the special flavor.

[philadining]

I've been to other excellent frozen custard places that also made fresh product, and had more to choose from. And often in smaller facilities... Heck even the Ted Drewes stands, from which Zwahlen's seems to have taken their inspiration, seem to offer way more flavors.

Still, Zwahlen's makes good custard, and it's pretty easy to keep amused by adding toppings, or making sundaes, or putting it between cookies, so I'm not complaining, I'm just surprised...

[cdh]

I stopped by there recently too, and found their chocolate to spectacularly good. A deep roasty rich Belgian chocolate flavor in a unctuous soft presentation. Yummy.

[rlibkind]

Ted Drewes, because of their volume, is the exception tht proves the rule. Most custard outlets in the Midwest just offer two or three standard flavors plus one "special of the day". Even Kopps in Milwaukee, which probably has at least as much volume as Ted Drewes, only offers a couple of flavors daily plus one daily special. no way could Z's do what Drewes does.

[chowfun]

I hope they are doing enough volume to stay in business!