Summer. Ice cream. They just naturally go together. Whether you're on vacation or at home, ice cream just seems to be the perfect thing to eat, morning, noon or night. Or should I say morning, noon and night?
Here are some interesting statistics about ice cream:
1. Each American consumes an average of more than 23 quarts of ice cream yearly.
2. More ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
3. Children, 2-12, and adults, 45-plus, consume the most ice cream.
4. It takes approximately 50 licks to polish off a one-scoop cone.
5. The US consumes more ice cream than any other country.
6. Ohio is the third-highest ice cream producing state (after California Indiana).
7. Vanilla is still the most popular flavor (29%).
So, to help you find the Amish Heartland's best ice cream, I chose 13 places for you to visit. Yes, they all sell ice cream, but each establishment is unique. I think you'd better try them all to find out which has the best cool, refreshing ice cream!
Summer. Ice Cream. Yum.
The Oak Cupboard -- Although The Oak Cupboard is primarily a bulk food and kitchenware store, it is the perfect place to get a hand-dipped ice cream cone. For 20 years, folks have been enjoying sixteen flavors of refreshing ice cream. The store also sells a variety of cookies and drinks to complement your feast. You'll see many men sitting outside eating ice cream while their wives shop!
877-1/2 W. Main St. (in The Barn Restaurant complex on SR 585), Smithville; hours: Mon.-Thu., 9 am.-8 pm.; Fri. Sat., 9 am-9 pm.; Sun., 12:30-5:30 pm.
Elm Farm Dairy -- You'll find 32 flavors of delicious hard ice cream at Elm Farm, all made in-house. This farm dates back to the 1830s, and the dairy, to 1934. The ice cream production began in 1950. There's even a fantastic ice cream and dairy museum onsite that's worth the trip on its own! Besides a light lunch fare, ice cream abounds in every size and shape. Try the Kitchen Sink (21 scoops with all the bells and whistles that serves 12 ... at least) or the Gut Buster (only 15 scoops and serves a few) if you're really brave! Don't let summer go by without trying this establishment.
1050 Lafayette Rd. (SR 42), Medina, (330) 722-3839, www.elmfarm.com; summer hours: noon-9 pm, 7 days a week.
Guggisberg's Sweet Chalet -- Located at the south end of the Guggisberg Cheese parking lot, this chalet hand dips Velvet ice cream in 20-plus flavors. After you've gone next door to get your cheese, and before you take off sightseeing once more, visit the Sweet Chalet for a cool bite of ice cream.
5060 SR 557 (between SR 39 Charm), Millersburg, (330) 893-2500; hours, Memorial Day-Labor Day: Tue.-Sat., noon-7 pm, Sun., noon-3 pm.
The Golden Bear -- There actually is a golden bear sitting on top of this 48-year-old establishment (the local high school mascot is the Golden Bear)! At this popular drive-in you will find soft serve ice cream served just about any way you want ... cones, sundaes (including a special Turtle Sundae), shakes, etc. They also serve a large variety of lunch and dinner specialties, all made the "old fashioned" way, made to order. Great homemade fries are a specialty.
546 W. Main St. (US 250), Apple Creek, (330) 698-1423; hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 am-8 pm, Sun., noon-8 pm.
The Dalton Dariette -- The Dalton Dariette is pretty much an institution in eastern Wayne County. Since 1958, people have been driving to this nostalgic drive-in for ice cream, enjoying cones, sundaes, swirls and banana splits. Soft serve comes in chocolate, vanilla and a flavor-of-the-week, and hand-dipped hard ice cream comes in eight delicious flavors. The Dariette is also well-known for their made-to-order sandwiches, chicken, fish and homemade curly fries.
240 S. Mill St. (US 30 SR 94), Dalton, OH 44618, (330) 828-2563; summer hours: daily, 10:30 am-10 pm.
Skip's Trail Depot Stop -- Located at one of the trail heads of the Holmes County Trail (13.5 miles of blacktopped old railroad bed), this shop serves soft-serve ice cream cones (chocolate, vanilla and twist, regular cones or homemade waffle cones), sundaes, parfaits, flurries, banana splits and brownie boats, as well as various sandwiches and beverages. Whether you're riding your bike, walking or driving by, stop at the Stop!
7501 SR 83, Holmesville, (330) 279-2200; summer hours: Mon./Tue./Thu.-Sat., 10 am-9 pm; Wed., 10 am-4 pm; Sun., 10 am-6 pm.
Schlonegar's Old Fashioned Ice Cream -- For the past eight years, visitors to Kidron have been streaming to this charming wagon that sells homemade ice cream. They always have vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, Reece's Cup-vanilla and coconut cream. Other flavors are often made too, such as mint chocolate chip, peanut butter, fresh strawberry, black cherry and pumpkin pecan (in the fall). They've even made nasturtium-pistachio! Ice cream is available in cones or by the bowl. The ice cream is made in a five-gallon White Mountain ice cream freezer powered by a hit-and-miss John Deere engine, and you'll be able to hear the putt-putt-putt for sure. Don't deny yourself a summer treat at this unique ice cream stand. And if you can't decide which flavor to get, ask for a free sample. Now you don't see that everyday, do you?
Emerson Rd., Kidron, across from Lehman's Hardware; warm weather hours: Thu. Sat., 10 am-4:30 pm, and often other weekdays.
Scoops Ice Cream -- At this 50s-style ice cream parlor, you'll get more than just ice cream, and I'm not just talking about their soups, sandwiches, baked goods and smoothies. If you visit in the evenings (past 6:30 or so), you'll be entertained by singers and dancers ... guys in bowling shirts and gals in poodle skirts and saddle shoes! Serving 24 flavors of hand-dipped hard Velvet Ice Cream (actually, Scoops is Velvet's largest dipping customer), the ice cream parlor is known for their hot-fudge brownie and Buckeye sundaes. A visit here will be a delight for your eyes, ears and your stomachs! Make this a destination for a real summertime treat.
4146 Burbank Rd., Wooster, (330) 262-3600; hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 am-11 pm, Sun., noon-10 pm.
Mud Valley Creamery -- Homemade premium, frozen custard has been a specialty at Mud Valley Creamery for the past 15 years. Vanilla, chocolate and the flavor-of-the-day are available in cones or cups, and sundaes. Twenty-eight flavors of hard ice cream are also available. The establishment also sells bulk food, frozen produce, meat, and deli meat and cheese. If you were raised on this now-hard-to-find frozen custard, treat your taste buds this summer at the creamery.
2641 SR 39, Walnut Creek, (877) 852-2888; hours: Mon.-Thu. Sat., 8 am-6 pm, Fri., 8 am-8 pm.
Der Bake Oven -- For the past 19 years, visitors to Berlin have been stopping by this store to get ice cream. Delicious, homemade ice cream is available in 16 flavors of hard ice cream (try the blueberry cheesecake for something special). Eight flavors of frozen yogurt and vanilla custard soft serve are also available. Whether you get a cone, a cup, a sundae or any of the many other forms of Der Bake Ovens frozen delight, you'll be able to keep cool while strolling up and down the streets of town.
Corner of SR 39 US 62, downtown Berlin, (330) 893-3365; hours: Mon.-Thu., 7 am-5 pm; Thu. Fri., 7 am-6 pm.
Hartzler Dairy Cafe -- This nationally known, nine-year-old dairy is very unique because all its high-quality, chemical-free ice cream is handmade in-house. You will not be disappointed by any of the 26 delicious flavors of hard ice cream, whether served as cones, flurries, shakes, sundaes, malts, banana splits or floats. Some specialties include a Cow Pie Sundae (brownie base) and the Barn Buster Sundae (hot fudge and peanuts). Organic milk, other beverages, sandwiches and salads are also available. Credit cards are now accepted!
5454 Cleveland Rd. (SR 3), Wooster, (330) 345-8190, www.hartzlerfamilydairy.com; hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 am-9 pm, Sun., 1-9 pm.
Mt. Hope Country Health Store -- This is great place to get an ice cream cone while visiting the Amish community of Mt. Hope or traveling through it. Although the store deals basically in bulk food and health food, they do sell lots of soft serve ice cream. They always carry vanilla, but have another varying flavor-of-the-day as well. During hot weather, theres always a stream of local ice cream connoisseurs coming in and out of this delightful establishment.
8129 SR 241, Mt. Hope, (330) 674-2202; hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 am-5 pm.
Olivesburg General Store -- Sixteen flavors of hand-dipped Ruggles ice cream await you at this charming store that has been serving ice cream since 1840. They also have a deli, sell sandwiches, antiques and bulk candy, and have a Saturday flea market.
4778 SR 545, Olivesburg; hours: Mon.-Fri, 7 am-9 pm; Sat., 8 am-9 pm; Sun., 9 am-8 pm.