Let's get some ice cream!
Happy National Ice Cream Month, the most glorious month of the year!
Ice cream is one of my biggest weaknesses, and it's one of the most delicious things to eat in the summer, so I have had my fair share of ice cream throughout the 6 million acres of the Adirondacks. Here's four of the best places to pick up a frozen treat while you're in the Tupper Lake area!
1. Skyline Ice Cream
I grew up basically down the road from Skyline, so it's definitely a sentimental favorite for me. They have the most delicious ice cream you'll ever taste.
My typical pick is a chocolate/vanilla twist with rainbow sprinkles on a cone (though I totally went through a chocolate dip phase in my high school years). But when I visited the other day, I decided it was a good time to try one of their specialty sundaes. It was a very good decision.
I got the Skyline Special Sundae, which is soft serve vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and peanut butter sauce, peanut butter cups, whipped cream, and a cherry. And it was glorious.
Sometimes hot fudge is too much on its own, and I feel the same way about peanut butter sauce. But together, they danced around my taste buds in perfect harmony.
The friendly employee at Skyline also made a vanilla ice cream for my dog and put doggie biscuits on it. Akimbo loved it, once he got over barking at all the people there, all of whom he really wanted to play with.
Other popular Skyline items include their black raspberry soft ice cream (they also have pistachio and maple soft serve in addition to the normal chocolate and vanilla, plus a huge list of hard ice cream flavors) and their Broaster chicken.
Skyline is great because there are lots of places to sit and enjoy your ice cream with friends and family, including a tent to sit under. Plus there are a few props around for photo ops, including a child-sized ice cream cone kids can put their faces through, and the big red chair. My buddy Devin relaxed in the chair as he was finishing his milkshake.
And of course Akimbo had to join him.
2. Ohana's 1950s Diner
The newest place for frozen sweets is Ohana's 1950s Diner. The place is absolutely adorable, painted and decorated to reflect the '50s theme.
There's even a juke box.
And a pinball machine!
It was a beautiful day when I went to check it out, so I had to sit on the porch. I was hoping to try a malted milkshake — I'm not sure I've ever had one, and besides, they're such a '50s thing! — but alas, they were out of malt. Instead, I got a regular strawberry milkshake. I think the inside had gotten me in the mood for something pink.
The milkshake (complete with whipped cream and cherry, of course) was the perfect thing to cool me down on a hot day. Just the perfect texture — not too thick or thin, but just thin enough that I was able to drink most of it through the straw.
I also had a delicious cheeseburger while I was there.
I'll definitely be back again to try more of their menu items, which include an Elvis (peanut butter, banana, and bacon on grilled Texas toast) and the Ohana's Boss Burger Challenge: two 8-ounce burgers stuffed with jalapenos, onion, green pepper, bacon, and your choice of three cheeses. Each burger is topped with Michigan sauce, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion rings, and mayo. Served with a load of chili cheese fries. If you eat everything, you get it for free, plus a T-shirt! I love menu items that are a challenge!
3. The Trading Post at Fish Creek Ice Cream Trolley
The Trading Post is the typical spot to find campers from Fish Creek campgrounds hanging out, grabbing a bite to eat, searching out wifi, or loading up on supplies. But it's also worth visiting to check out the ice cream trolley, even if you're not staying at the state campground across the street. They have Mercer's wine ice cream, which is, uh, let's just say it's pretty amazing.
4. Stewart's Shop
Stewart's is the old standard around here, but Tupper Lake's Stewart's Shop is right smack dab in the center of town, so it can't get more convenient. They don't have soft ice cream, but they have a ton of delicious hard ice cream flavors. And they make a pretty mean milkshake as well! Stop in when you need to get gas or pick up other necessities.
This week's ADK scoop: