In honor of my two towns, I'm going to share my three favorite ice cream parlors.
1. Graeter's Ice Cream -- Greater Cincy
Ice cream is their thing, particularly thick, satiny ice cream and huge chocolate chunks. Their flavors are fairly traditional, no lavender avocado here, but Buckeye (peanut butter n' chocolate) is absolutely a thing. Black raspberry chocolate chip is their mainstay and cinnamon shows up with peppermint stick during the holidays. They ship nationwide, have distribution via some major grocery chains, and have dine-in and drive-thru parlors in the greater Cincinnati area. Many parlors have bakeries too for those of us who take our coffee frozen in a pint and our apple strudel to go.
2. Aglamesis Bros. -- Greater Cincy
Okay, it's another ice cream shop. Their champagne sorbet is absolutely delightful and their milkshakes make me trill with glee. That said, they're my favorite for their chocolates. Yep, bonbons. Buy them by the pre-packaged half or whole pound or build-your-own. Dark or milk chocolates, their confections are silky and flavorful without being too sweet. They don't skimp on the stuffings either from mint truffle to opera creme to coated nuts, their chocolates are divine.
3. Casa Rosada -- Old Town Alexandria, VA
Yep, going three for three with ice cream, but not quite ice cream. It's gelato based on the family's Argentinian roots. The shop is a classic a small biz run by a husband and wife team. What started as a hobby became an avocation. During the pandemic, they offer pick-up at the street-side window. Among the traditional flavors, uncommon flavors abound from haroset to sweet corn to malambo. For the vegans out there, they've got you covered too. It's a special treat for my family to get a multi-layered tri-flavored "cake" from here (ordered a week in advance).
