Ice cream parlors worth screaming about
What began in the 2nd century B.C. as honey-flavored snow has since become the dairy-licious treat enjoyed by 90% of Americans today—Ice cream! July is National Ice Cream Month and homemade is this summer’s theme. Using the freshest and simplest ingredients around, these Washington ice cream parlors are sure to keep your tongues a lickin’.
Snoqualmie Ice Cream Café
Maltby
A chic, red barn accented by solar panels and permeable concrete—founder Barry Bettinger is all about sustainability. He also believes “perfect ice cream shouldn’t contain air”, which is why he maximizes the cream. His pint is a “true pint”—the proof is in its weight. Try the sweet and tangy Crème Fraiche Gelato or the decadent Mulkiteo Mud. Their Ice-Cream-O-Rama summer festival offers a tour of their dairy factory and sustainable farm (which includes a new honey bee apiary), and plenty of ice cream samples. Homemade caramel sauce shall not be forgotten.
Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe
Pullman
Appearing like an old-fashioned soda shop, Ferdinand’s has been churning ice cream since 1948. It is located on WSU’s campus and staffed by college students, many of whom are majoring in food science. Customer favorites like Apple Cup Crisp and Caramel Cashew contain the perfect blend of crunch and goo. Ferdinand’s also offers tours of their factory, an observation room to watch dairy products being made, and a cheese-making short course—they are, after all, also home to the famous Cougar Gold canned cheese.
Ice Cream Renaissance
Vancouver
Granite table tops, red-backed chairs, and classy cow-patterned lamps make this one swanky ice cream café. Their focus this summer is on fruity. Try their Black Raspberry or Blackberry Lemon Swirl. And if you want to indulge a little further, pair it with a piece of freshly-baked pie, courtesy of the Williamette Valley Fruit Company. They’ll also be serving up ice cream at “Concerts in the Park”—a summer event happening every Thursday from 6p.m. until sunset.
Mallard Ice Cream
Bellingham
Open air, a geometric decor, and talk about interesting flavors! Chevre Honey Rosemary with Hazelnut Toffee, Avocado, Aronia Berry—there are about 30 flavors available at a time and they are always changing. You can check out their online Flav-O-Cam to see what’s currently being served. July 19th is the Mallard Ice Cream Cycle—a bike ride through Whatcom Falls Park, followed by free ice cream.
Elevated Ice Cream Co.
Port Townsend
They began serving ice cream from a Victorian elevator cage in 1977. Hence the name Elevated Ice Cream Co. and the motto, “Lift your spirits!” Their flavors are framed around the local harvest season and they go all out for lavender—Lavender Lemon, White Chocolate Lavender, and Lavender Mint. Booth-style seating, a waterfront deck with views of Mt. Rainier, and the work of local artists on the walls—Elevated participates in the Port Townsend gallery walk, which takes place the first Saturday evening of each month.
Cupcake Royale
Seattle
Bright and clean with pink chairs, chocolate accents, and jars of rainbow-colored toppings. Why, this place feels just like a treat palace should—delicious! They opened in 2003 with a dual specialty in cupcakes and coffee, but this summer they’re making it a trifecta by adding their own ice cream line. It will be hormone-free with cupcake-inspired flavors like Whiskey Bacon Crack, which has candied, chocolate-covered bacon in it, and Pistachio Honey-Nut Nougat. They will also be using their ice cream for milkshakes, icebox cakes, and the sinful, but scrumptious macaroon ice cream sandwiches.
