<p>For those of us who rebel against the mass market (aka Hagen Daaz), what (and where) are your favorite or notable college town (or elsewhere) hard scoop shops?</p>
<p>I vote for the ice cream shop a block or two from the university main gate in downtown Princeton. Also, there are fabulous places across the boulevard from U of North Carolina-Wilmington and down the street from Washington and Lee University in Lexington.</p>
<p>University of Connecticut has its own dairy and makes the best ice cream…there is a little old fashioned ice cream store right next to the dairy.</p>
<p>MA residents are supposed to consume the most ice-cream per capita.</p>
<p>Local favorites: Toscanini, Herrell’s and JP Licks. Herrell founded the original Steve’s ice-cream that got bought out by a big chain. He maintains his original store in Northampton and one in Cambridge. Harvard and MIT alums remember fondly standing in long lines in the middle of winter at the Somerville Steve’s.
Toscanini has a hand-cranked machine, supposedly improved upon by MIT students to make unusual flavors.</p>
<p>marite,
Simmons College alums also remember standing in 45 minute lines in the dead of winter to get a scoop with mix-ins at the original Steve’s. 
Every Saturday night. The original Steve’s. Often imitated, never duplicated.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/04/04/whats_next_lobster_butter_crunch_swirl/[/url]”>http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/04/04/whats_next_lobster_butter_crunch_swirl/</a></p>
<p>It looks like the colder it gets, the more ice-cream gets consumed.</p>
<p>Momof3sons: Totally agree.</p>
<p>Steve’s was the best ever, but I did buy hot fudge sauce at Herrell’s when we visited Smith.</p>
<p>I also remember Bailey’s in Harvard Square with fondness, because I really like their hot fudge sauce. Really hot fudge, not chocolate sauce, which is different.</p>
<p>I was very spoiled when we lived in Carlisle, MA, because we had two summer-only ice cream shops on dairy farms: Bates Farm and Kimball’s. Each had their partisans. We went to both every weekend. Kimball’s has now bought Bates, but we went a few summers ago and it was still excellent. Here in the Seattle area, I have found only one shop of that kind, and it’s good but not great (Theno’s).</p>
<p>Sometimes I make my own hot fudge sauce and buy the best vanilla ice cream I can find, but it’s not the same. (I’ve even made my own ice cream, too, but… it’s a lot like work.)</p>
<p>Sorry, I didn’t post the names of these ice cream shops earlier;</p>
<p>Princeton…The Bent Spoon
UNC-Wilimington…McDaniel’s Farm
Washington & Lee…Sweet Things</p>
<p>The Pumpkin ice cream at Sweet Things is great (served only in the fall).</p>
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<p>Hey! Theno’s pumpkin ice cream is what the gods eat on Olympus! And they have a fiberglass cow. What more could you want?</p>
<p>Olympus? You mean Mt. Rainier or Mt. St Helens? Mere mortals may want the original Steve’s.;)</p>
<p>On Cape Cod: Four Seas and Emack & Bolio’s (which also has stores in other states.)</p>
<p>Carl’s in Fredericksburg VA (home of Mary Washington!)</p>
<p>I * like* Haagen-Daaz- especially the coffee
I also like Ben & Jerrys- coffee
( why switch favorites?- I eat it infrequently enough so that it is still a treat)
However- winthrop in wa is apparently known for its ice cream-
something I didn’t really realize as when I visit it is 25F.</p>
<p>Does Gelato count as ice cream?
La Dolce Vita on Queen Anne is very good</p>
<p>D & I found some TRULY great ice cream after visiting Davidson last August. We stumbled upon this place just a short way from campus, opposite side of town (which isn’t very big). Inside we saw the ladies from the admissions office enjoying an afternoon snack. They were wonderful, asked us how we enjoyed the tour and complimented us for finding the best ice cream in town. The ice cream, those nice ladies and the free laundry service on campus were the highlights of that particular visit.</p>
<p>I know this is supposed to be about hardpack, but some of the best soft serve I’ve ever had (and we as a family still talk about this stuff) was at the Dairy Twirl in Lebanon, NH, the town over from Hanover. The flavors varied, a very creative selection. Maple was my all time favorite. Open Mother’s Day thru Labor Day.</p>
<p>Theno’s-a family favorite since…well, a really long time. I prefer the Raspberry Rhapsody, though.</p>
<p>South Dakota State University has a dairy and makes its own (very good) ice cream . . .</p>
<p>Definately Penn State’s Creamery. I hadn’t been there since I was a tiny girl until DD applied and we’ve visited twice. Peachy Paterno is to die for :)</p>
<p>Babcock Hall ice cream store at the University of Wisconsin (the ice cream department of the dairy science department)–I think it may also be available mail order but that wouldn’t be the same.</p>
<p>The Thomas Sweet ice cream stores in Princeton are really good–permanent one on Nassau Street and a seasonal kiosk I think at Palmer Square.</p>
<p>And although a chain, Ben and Jerry’s makes very good ice cream; the B and J store in Hanover is not remotely among the cleanest or nicest ice cream places, but the ice cream and other products are delicious. The B and J at the southern end of downtown Davidson is pleasant; is the other (nonchain) ice cream store referred to by another poster Carolina Cones on the way to Cornelius?</p>
<p>You won’t believe this, but the Grindstone General Store in Grindstone City, Michigan.</p>
<p>No one ever orders more than a single scoop. You would need a wheelbarrow to cart it out of the store.</p>
<p>Ferdinands on the Washington State University campus, fresh from their own dairy. I just wish it was closer than 300 miles away from Seattle. Am I even allowed to think about things like this during Lent?</p>
<p>Ah, TuitionDad, you beat me in listing the dairy treats from WAZZU. I was trying to remember Ferdinand’s name. Was that what it was called those many summers ago when it was a highlight of the annual state 4-H/FFA conference (back when WSU was WSC)? The Cougar Gold cheese in my memory is still peerless.</p>
<p>I had professional meetings for several years in a row lately at Rivier College in NH (the name of the town escapes me, gosh I’m getting forgetful), and they have a great little ice cream shop there as well.</p>
<p>Carolina Cones! That’s gotta be it.</p>
<p>You’re right about the B & J in Hanover not being the “spiffiest” ice cream spot, but it’s where I had my first taste of that brand, so will always remember it fondly. Plus their free ice cream day was a total hoot in Hanover.</p>