Quack, quack, quack…

In Easton, Connecticut Silverman’s Country Market is a well known bakery, orchard, country market and a small animal farm. It’s a popular place on weekends and in the summer and fall. And don’t forget to check out the baby ducks.

Silverman’s Country Market is a charming, country market with a wide variety of homemade products from Bacon Jalapeno Jam to Apple cider donuts to a large selection of ice cream including Longford’s Craft Ice Cream.

Longford’s Ice Cream was born in New York in 1992 and has been a popular choice for years. In 2017 Longford’s moved their wholesale production to Stamford and began expanding distribution in southwest Connecticut.

In addition to a jar of bacon jalapeño jam (hmm good), we picked up a quart of Longford’s Mint Chip for dessert tonite. The mint chip was creamy, rich in flavor and good to the last lick!

The hub of natural beauty…

The small town of Weston is a nice rural community in Fairfield County in the southwest part of the state. With lots of beautiful natural areas Weston is a pleasant surprise with very little commercial areas. In fact I was worried we wouldn’t find an establishment selling ice cream and then there is Lily’s Weston Market.

Lily’s is a small grocery with all the basics you would need in a snowstorm, which have been plenty this winter. Lily’s has popsicles, fudgscicles, Dove Bars, Italian ice, and a variety of products including pints of a small batch creamery McConnell’s.

Mighty Mo opted for a cup of Hershey’s chocolate and I went for a ice cream sandwich with Ande’s Crème de Menthe. Both were tasty and hit the spot on a chilly afternoon.

Snap, crackle, pop…

After a wonderful morning with the good people from The Last Green Valley, I passed through the town of Scotland in the quiet corner of eastern Connecticut. The town of Scotland was settled in the early 1700’s and is a small, rural town with little or no commercial businesses.

Despite multiple visits to Scotland, including a stop at the Scotland Spirits and the Highland Campground, no ice cream could be found. I was cautiously optimistic that we might find ice cream at the Scotland Highland Games, but alas they are held in Brooklyn, CT.

On my way home today I stopped near the center of town and enjoyed some dehydrated “astronaut” ice cream, which went snap, crackle, pop and just how I remembered it from my childhood. Much to my surprise “astronaut” ice cream was created by the Whirlpool Corporation for NASA, although I am not sure if it was ever used on any of the Apollo missions.

Who would have thought there was a connection between my 30-year old washing machine and NASA, but maybe that’s why Jim Lovell’s mother in the movie Apollo 13 said “if they could put a washing machine in space, my Jimmy could fly it.”

Happy ice cream!

Wow! Just Wow!

After a nice lunch in Canton we headed to a place I have been eager to taste, Grassroots Ice Cream in Granby, and it did not disappoint. We were met by Bailey, a pleasant scooper, who was eager to talk ice cream…and I couldn’t resist telling her about our Quest!

Grassroots has all the basics and serves cups, cones, shakes, sundaes with lots of toppings, and offers pints of their unique concoctions. Many of their flavors are seasonal choices, and frankly, very original. We have only seen this type of creativity at a couple other ice cream parlors. We tried a few flavors, which were all so heavenly. One of the unique tastes is “Birch Beer” and was as genuine as it gets. The only thing missing with that flavor was a slice of New Haven Apizza! I also tried the double dark black coffee which was also insane.

I had a cappuccino milkshake and Mighty Mo had a healthy-sized kiddie scoop of cookie dough. To be honest this was the best coffee-flavored milkshake I have had so far in this “knights of the round table” quest, and it was beyond rich, creamy and thick. It was pure heaven. Mo enjoyed her cup of cookie dough ice cream, but not quite in the same way that I did this milkshake.

To be fair the prices are a bit on the high side but it is safe to say their ice cream is worth every penny. Well done Bailey. Keep scooping!

A pleasant surprise!

In the town of Plymouth Cleveland’s Country Store is a well established convenience store and delicatessen with an ice cream parlor by the name of The Sweet Tooth.

We were met by a jolly fellow who was happy to scoop almond joy for Maureen and coconut with a sliver of coffee for me, both in small cups. The Sweet Tooth sells The Big Dipper ice cream in a variety of rich, creamy flavors. They make milk shakes, floats, cups and cones with a variety of toppings.

The Sweet Tooth is a pleasant surprise, alongside Cleveland’s Country Store with all kinds of jellies, jams, pickles and lots of treats!

Check it out!

Took a nice quiet drive to the town of Litchfield in search of the ice cream establishment Peaches ‘N Cream, which did not disappoint. Peaches makes their own ice cream in a variety of standard and novel flavors in both dairy and non-dairy varieties.

Mighty Mo had Moose Tracks which was a rich chocolate with fudge swirl. I had a kiddie scoop of ginger that had a mild, sweet taste. They offered milk shakes, ice cream sandwiches, cups and cones.

If you’re heading west, check out Peaches ‘N Cream. You won’t be disappointed!

Friendly folks and fantastic scoops!

On the way home today we stopped at a nice ice cream shop in a Southbury plaza called Scoopin’. We were met by a friendly and welcoming couple, who make their own ice cream on site in this charming shop. They offer a wide variety of flavors in cups, cones, and shakes and have lots of toppings. Maureen enjoyed a nice complimentary cup of cafe mocha which was piping hot and hit the spot on a windy day.

Maureen and I shared a small kiddie scoop of some of the best maple walnut ice cream we have had in a long time. Scoopin’s ice cream is hand made on site with a rich butterfat that makes great ice cream.

Check out Scoopin’ if you are looking for something original and tasty!

Not all those who wander are lost…

Our next stop was the Roxbury Market & Deli in the center of this quiet village along one of the many rivers in Western Connecticut.

The Market sell the well-known Ferris Acres Creamery products. They offer cups, cones, shakes and floats. They have a dozen or so unique flavors and some basics, plus a few toppings. We shared a toddler cup of chocolate which has a creamy and smooth taste.

Check out the Roxbury Market & Deli if you are looking for a pleasant surprise…just don’t get lost!

Since 1899…

On a balmy Sunday afternoon Maureen and I traveled to a few rural towns west of Waterbury and began out quest in the charming town of Bridgewater. If I remember correctly Marvin and Shelly’s foster parents once lived in this sleepy little town.

The Village Store has been in operation since 1899 and hosts a quaint bistro along with a small market. I had a curry carrot soup and Mighty Mo had Southwest Taco Salad for lunch, both of which were very good and filling. To wash it down I had a lemon flavored Italian Ice.

If you are ever traveling around western Connecticut try the Village Store in Bridgewater and salute our boys foster parents, Laura and Chuck and the Lone Star Animal Welfare League.