Ice Cream Bite

Who doesn’t love ice cream? My first recollection was driving with my family to Michael’s Dairy in New England for a vanilla cone. My dad would always take the first bite so I could manage the rest more easily without making a mess. I was never a really huge fan but liked it whenever we got it. The flavors changed to strawberry over vanilla and I loved orange sherbet. In the days of going out to dinner, finishing it off with a sorbet was always nice. Whenever we visit the Midwest we always stop for custard. My husband and I rarely kept ice cream in the house. We would get it when we had family over for Thanksgiving. Lately however, we keep a small container of vanilla ice cream and a sherbet of some sort. After dinner for dessert we always have tea. My husband has a chocolate chip cookie and a few assorted others; I have a slice of angel food cake. Now we also have literally one bite of vanilla ice cream. It sounds bizarre, but it’s just enough to give you a taste of something delicious. It’s like the single Hershey kiss that I have after dinner. It’s just enough. I’m sure over time it will become too much. But for now it just seems like the best way to have the best of both worlds. 

Ice Cream Entry Liked Best!

I’ve had a Facebook business page for quite awhile. I use it to upload one entry a day. Sometimes it contains a handmade digital art image of something I painted - mostly custom cat and dog portraits. But more often I put a photo or video of something from the neighborhood. Yesterday there were two hawks squawking and flying around the park that we walk in every morning that I caught on video. Even though we moved to Virginia three months ago, a lot of the images are still of Washington DC because we still visit it regularly for programs at the Library of Congress and doctor appointments, among other things. Every once in a while I will put something on the site that to me seems like it wouldn’t garner a lot of attention, hits or comments. And such was the case when it came to a McDonald’s ice cream cone and smoothie. I think it’s been so hot everywhere that everyone could associate with it and it got more comments than most. So you never know what might catch someone’s eye so it pays to have a variety. I need to keep that in mind more often. 

McDonald’s Vanilla Ice Cream Cone and Smoothie

My dad loved ice cream. I remember as a child taking car rides to Michael’s Dairy in Connecticut to get a cone. In Milwaukee we went to Kopp’s custard with our Borzoi Tatiana - she always got a lick or two. Last night after dinner both of us were in the mood for something, but we didn’t know where to get ice cream in our new neighborhood. There certainly wasn’t a Kopp’s or Michael’s Dairy anywhere near us. Because it was so hot, we had to drive - so we drove right over to McDonald’s two blocks away. We went to the drive through and ordered a small vanilla cone and a small strawberry/ banana smoothie. It’s been quite some time since we had ice cream and it tasted delicious! We parked in the lot, opened the windows, and it was just heavenly. I’m not that particular about the type or kind of ice cream I get. Orange sherbet and strawberry ice cream were also on the top of my list. So for a last minute thought for dessert last night it hit the spot. The usual angel food cake for me, and cookies and tea for my husband were replaced with this treat. We really enjoyed it because we rarely do it. I don’t know why McDonald’s gets a bad rap. For cross country trips and tasty desserts it just hits he spot. 

Lynchburg to DC - Kohr Bros Frozen Custard, Moo Thru and Dairyland

Driving back to DC from Lynchburg Virginia reminds me a lot of Wisconsin. There are a lot of farms, cows, and wide open spaces. When we passed through Charlottesville, a frozen custard stand from the early 1900's was in operation called Kohr Bros. We didn't stop, but it started the conversation about custard and the place we loved in Milwaukee called Kopps. We used to bring our big Borzoi Tatiana with us and she always got at least one French fry and a bit of the delightful frozen custard. Nothing can compare to it. As we approached Culpeper, another ice cream stand caught our eye called Moo Thru. There was a crowd out front, so we decided to stop there. We asked for the hand dipped cones, but ended up with vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles and chocolate chip with chocolate sprinkles. It was okay, but it was cold and rainy so it didn't feel like the right temperature for ice cream - although I know the hardly matters for most people. Anyway, we knew we weren't in DC because of the types of businesses we saw along the road and advertisements on the side of a car for horse rescue, rehab & retirement. Before long we were back in the city and the impatient drivers were blasting their horns at the lost souls from Maryland lost in space near the Lincoln Memorial. There's a big difference between the wide open spaces and the urban turf. I'm looking for something in between. 

The Father's Day Milkshake

Since we moved to DC, our grandson has made it a point to stop over to acknowledge Father's Day. At first his parents would bring him, but for the past couple years he was old enough to make the short walk over to our house by himself.  He usually brings a treat with him. Typically it is in the form of food - home made chocolate chip cookies are a favorite, and designer cupcakes are always well received. This year he was away visiting his own dad in Virginia as the family is transitioning a move from here to there. So he knocked the door early this week to deliver a special package. We believe it was supposed to be a milkshake. We tried it out on the day of delivery but decided to keep it in the refrigerator a couple of days. Soon we will need to return the glasses to their rightful owner. We've always appreciated the gesture because it's the thought that counts. And I am sorry to say that this will be the last delivery. We always had a good time catching up with whatever was going on in his life. Let's hope it continues after he moves. After all, that was the most important part of the visit.