I’m surprised I haven’t commented on this thread yet.
As a kid, we were not an ice cream truck family (I think I got ice cream truck treats once or twice when I was visiting an uncle and his kids were getting some). When we lived in the northeast, Friendly’s peanut butter sundae (with Reese’s peanut butter cups or Reese’s Pieces) was my favorite. Thus, whenever I’m in the northeast I always make sure to hit Friendly’s for one, if it’s at all geographically possible. Outside of Friendly’s, it was primarily chocolate-based ice cream. Rocky road (for more generic ice creams) or Haagen-Daaz chocolate chocolate chip or Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie or New York Super Fudge Chunk for more decadent times.
As an adult, it’s still chocolate-based ice creams for the win. I like Tillamook Mudslide, especially for an option that has less sugar than most other ice creams. Ben & Jerry’s (both flavors from childhood) but also Impretzively Fudged, an occasionally Phish Food, or The Tonight Dough if I don’t want just chocolate ice cream. I like Baskin Robbins’ Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream (their cookies 'n cream is good, too, if one needs to balance out a chocolate high).
My grandparents lived in Cincinnati which is how I was introduced to Graeter’s, though my mom always talks about how the family went to United Dairy Farmer growing up (and got ice cream at ridiculous prices…maybe 10 cents for 5 scoops or something like that) and never to Graeter’s. My Graeter’s favorite is the Double Chocolate Chip.
And the Whole Foods sale…the first time I went their freezer was on the fritz and about 2/3 of their ice creams were super soft (as in, I suspected they were going to need to be eaten immediately as slush or thrown away), so I only got a couple things that were on the bottom shelf or two in the very back. Second time, things were highly picked over.
Thus, I didn’t get to pick some faves but decided to look for a good ice cream to accompany hot fudge, and for ones that would please the rest of my family (fruitier flavors and frozen novelties…I prefer pure ice cream).
Regardless, we did some damage, but no pictures, as my family ate much of it too quickly (as in, eating the last Yasso bar less than 24 hours after they were purchased). From what I recall:
McConnell’s
- Salted Caramel Chip
- Sweet Cream Caramel Brownie
Van Leeuwen’s
- Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb
- Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
- Black Cherry Chip
Jeni’s
- Chocolate Silk Pie sandwiches
- Key Lime Pie sandwiches
- Snow Cone (watermelon, brambleberry, and pink lemonade sorbets)
Only 1 item from brand
- Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food
- Yasso’s Cherry Chocolate Crunch Bars
- Some brand’s raspberry chip bars
Obviously I have lots to say about ice cream! 