OT: Is the PSU Creamery ice cream the best you have ever had?

[RTLH]

For me, it's the best I think I've ever had, but there are sure some great Gelato's I've had in Italy and elsewhere. I'm showing my age, but when I was a kid growing up in Philly, I remember my parents taking me and my brothers to a place called Greenwood Dairies outside Philly, maybe near what is now called Neshameny. They served a huge bowl of multi-scoops of ice cream called the "Pig's Dinner". I don't remember how that compared to the Creamery ice cream, but do remember it was the most ice cream I ever ate in 1 sitting! It was more quantity than quality, but as a young kid, who cared My favorite Creamery flavors are Peachy Paterno and Chocolate!

No offense but once they put Rodney Ericssons name on the building I stopped going there.

 

[RTLH]

I grew up in Lower Bucks and we frequented Greenwood Dairies, which was in Pendel on US Route 1 also liked Goodnoes in Newtown, PA. Both had oustanding ice cream. In the Levittown/Fairless Hills and Bristol area, in the Summer O'Boyles ice cream trucks came around and they were pretty good, but couldn't touch the previous two. Definitely remember the 'Pigs Dinner' and I recall them handing out a pin that said something like, I was a pig at Greenwood Dairies, if you were able to finish it. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Goodnoes in Newtown is not the same since Skip sold the land saying his kids did not want to carry it on and couldn't find a buyer. Not the case. Know his daughter and she told me he sold it right out from under them. Wanted the money for some other ventures.
He eventually financed a small parlor his daughter now runs in Newtown.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Hard to compare unless you are tasting different brands at the same time.

That said, The Creamery obviously has very very good ice cream. Their half gallons have flown and driven back to Chicagoland with me on countless occasions over the years and I've never ever been disappointed!

 

[MtNittany]

http://www.edersicecream.com/

 

[hlstone]

Hillside is very good in Dallas PA

 

[coveydidnt]

Hard to compare unless you are tasting different brands at the same time.

That's very true.

That said, I think their process, recipe, equipment used, and all the science is open to anyone who wants to learn. I know a few local farms near here claim they basically have cloned it, and have several large generations of alums to back it up.

I'm sure compromises have to be made to optimize for scale, healthiness, costs, etc.

And I think Healthiness is a big factor. Adding some more milkfat or sugar would presumably improve texture & taste, respectively.

A lot of people have been trained that lighter ice cream is "better" which is just adding more air.

I am quite certain, that for the size & scale of the operation, and probably with some concern to "healthiness" (not too much) the Creamery is tops. I'm quite certain that over the years they've experimented with every variable and have settled on a method that "most" people prefer, head to head. The only caveat is that their test group is skewed wildly to people in the 18-22 age group; it's possible that they differ from the population as a whole.

 

[RTLH]

That's very true.

That said, I think their process, recipe, equipment used, and all the science is open to anyone who wants to learn. I know a few local farms near here claim they basically have cloned it, and have several large generations of alums to back it up.

I'm sure compromises have to be made to optimize for scale, healthiness, costs, etc.

And I think Healthiness is a big factor. Adding some more milkfat or sugar would presumably improve texture & taste, respectively.

A lot of people have been trained that lighter ice cream is "better" which is just adding more air.

I am quite certain, that for the size & scale of the operation, and probably with some concern to "healthiness" (not too much) the Creamery is tops. I'm quite certain that over the years they've experimented with every variable and have settled on a method that "most" people prefer, head to head. The only caveat is that their test group is skewed wildly to people in the 18-22 age group; it's possible that they differ from the population as a whole.

And what happens when the Diabetes catches up with you!

 

[rudedude]

Montdale Dairy in our neck of the woods, NE Pa. some folks like Manning Dairy also in our area but I prefer Montdale. I love Creamery chocolate. Best chocolate ice cream ever.

Pig's Dinner was also a specialty at Grablick's in Pittston, Pa. They also had something called Pagan's Delight. I believe it was at least 20 scoops of ice cream!

 

[AlienWedge]

http://www.edersicecream.com/

Teaberry is my favorite from Eder's.....

 

[OhioLion]

I agree with the side-by-side taste tests.
My choice to put up next to the Creamery would be House of Flavors made in Ludington, MI.

OL

 

[hemo]

My favorite is Bassett's in the Reading terminal market in Phila.

 

[RTLH]

No offense but once they put Rodney Ericssons name on the building I stopped going there.

Talk about leaving a bad taste in your mouth!
(Would have posted earlier but thought just hit me a moment ago)

 

[lj4heisman1]

haha....100% agree!

can't believe someone on here actually knows about woodside farms.....nice pull.

sorry....love PSU Creamery....but it don't compare.

live about two miles from it

 

[cigarowl]

I'm an ice cream junkie in recovery. I once O D at the White Mountain Creamery on front street in Harrisburg. I hear that location is no longer there.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Rickard's Royal Farm Dairy in Gordon, PA.

 

[fairgambit]

No offense but once they put Rodney Ericssons name on the building I stopped going there.

Agreed. The place now leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Norm Petersin]

Creamery is top notch, Meyers is close. Frozen custard, the Meadows is the best!

 

[Relayer]

Goodnoes in Newtown is not the same since Skip sold the land saying his kids did not want to carry it on and couldn't find a buyer. Not the case. Know his daughter and she told me he sold it right out from under them. Wanted the money for some other ventures.
He eventually financed a small parlor his daughter now runs in Newtown.

 

[Relayer]

Goodnoes in Newtown is not the same since Skip sold the land saying his kids did not want to carry it on and couldn't find a buyer. Not the case. Know his daughter and she told me he sold it right out from under them. Wanted the money for some other ventures.
He eventually financed a small parlor his daughter now runs in Newtown.

Grew up in Newtown since the late 60's and was never that giddy for Goodnoe's ice cream. Granted, my father always preferred the hand dipped Breyer's at Watt's grocery store on Congress Street. As far as a restaurant, Goodnoe's was always nothing more than a fancy Denny's to me.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

For supermarket ice cream I think it's hard to beat Turkey Hill. I am not a big consumer of ice cream but they have a lot of varieties and it's a good buy and tastes good to me.

 

[dwiz]

Well, it's so good because they put so much milk fat and sugar in it. Others could be "as good" if they just went crazy with the non-nutrition as well. Like the guy at the top said, his is better because he uses solely heavy cream. Wouldn't fly in the store to sell half gallons with 8 servings with each serving having 115% of your daily saturated fat (knowing damn well you're going to eat 3 servings each time!).

 

[mjh218]

Grew up in state college and i will take Meyer's dairy every day over the creamery. Which isn't to say I don't like the creamery.

I use to live a block from the place on 2nd and Market in Philly. Their ice cream is really goood. But the two brothers who own or run the place creep me out with their weird mustaches!!

 

[RTLH]

For supermarket ice cream I think it's hard to beat Turkey Hill. I am not a big consumer of ice cream but they have a lot of varieties and it's a good buy and tastes good to me.

If you have ever had it directly while at their production facility it was much better than the packaged products. It is addicting when you are there.

 

[RTLH]

Grew up in Newtown since the late 60's and was never that giddy for Goodnoe's ice cream. Granted, my father always preferred the hand dipped Breyer's at Watt's grocery store on Congress Street. As far as a restaurant, Goodnoe's was always nothing more than a fancy Denny's to me.

Was never a fan of their restaurant. Pies were good though

 

[AJP]

For me, it's the best I think I've ever had, but there are sure some great Gelato's I've had in Italy and elsewhere. I'm showing my age, but when I was a kid growing up in Philly, I remember my parents taking me and my brothers to a place called Greenwood Dairies outside Philly, maybe near what is now called Neshameny. They served a huge bowl of multi-scoops of ice cream called the "Pig's Dinner". I don't remember how that compared to the Creamery ice cream, but do remember it was the most ice cream I ever ate in 1 sitting! It was more quantity than quality, but as a young kid, who cared My favorite Creamery flavors are Peachy Paterno and Chocolate!

My favorite is cream is Bassets in the Reading Terminal. Its the oldest ice cream company in the United States and its been around since 1860 if I remember what's printed on there containers. It's the best ice cream I have ever had. The closet ice cream to Bassets is Double Rainbow from San Fran they are both great. I believe they are in another league than the Creamery. I also went to the Greenwood Dairies in the 60's and what a joy it was to eat a Pigs Dinner there. I remember that when you finished one you got a pin that said I was a pig at the Greenwood Diary and you wore it with pride.

 

[RochLion]

Yes. Meyers Double Chocolate is a close second place.

Edit: I meant Abbott's Double Chocolate, not Meyers. Wonder if Abbott's is still in business.

Abbott's is alive and well in the Rochester NY area.

 

[kgilbert78]

Goodnoes in Newtown is not the same since Skip sold the land saying his kids did not want to carry it on and couldn't find a buyer. Not the case. Know his daughter and she told me he sold it right out from under them. Wanted the money for some other ventures.
He eventually financed a small parlor his daughter now runs in Newtown.

The area *was* hot for development. I think the new Goodnoes is more of a stand (like the original was). It sure was a place everyone knew back in the day--but when we went there, it was getting a bit old and dated.

I still remember "The Atomic"--which was a sundae that, as I recall, had one of every flavor they had--at the least, it was 64 oz. of ice cream plus toppings. Always wanted to get one, but my folks would not let me. By the time I could afford to do it on my own, I was at State--and I never really went back to the Philly area except on vacation, as my folks moved out of Warminster during my senior year while I was in Germany on PSU's foreign studies program.

 

[pandaczar12]

The place at 2nd and Market in Phila is pretty darn good, if you ever have the chance.

Franklin Fountain?

My best: Glen's Custard in Cheswick, PA. The place is legendary in Western PA. The only ice cream that I choose Vanilla over anything else.

I live in Western PA and have never heard of it, so it can't be that legendary. I will have to hit it up on my next trip to Ho1kB.

 

[paulrandythomas]

Ok, here I go against the grain...

Disclaimer, I worked at Ben & Jerry's on South Allen for around 3 years while I was in college, so I may be biased. 99.9% of ice cream makers churn air into their product, creamery and Myers included. That's why you get a monster sized portion v. the seemingly lesser portion at places like B&J, when in fact they would weigh the same on a scale. When it comes to quality, creamery and Myers are both very good, but B&J is superior. Chubby Hubby comes in a close second to the now defunct White Russian as the greatest ice cream on the planet.

 

[RTLH]

The area *was* hot for development. I think the new Goodnoes is more of a stand (like the original was). It sure was a place everyone knew back in the day--but when we went there, it was getting a bit old and dated.

I still remember "The Atomic"--which was a sundae that, as I recall, had one of every flavor they had--at the least, it was 64 oz. of ice cream plus toppings. Always wanted to get one, but my folks would not let me. By the time I could afford to do it on my own, I was at State--and I never really went back to the Philly area except on vacation, as my folks moved out of Warminster during my senior year while I was in Germany on PSU's foreign studies program.

Skip Goodnoe had an offer from WaWa as they began to get into the gasoline business. But then WaWa could not get zoning in the area. You can go back and forth on" hot for development". There has been so much now the area looks over developed. So many stores have closed up.
Of course Skip just wanted the $$$ for the land. The
The new place is no bigger than a large walk in closet and they don't have all the flavors.

 

[kgilbert78]

I've also heard about Bassett's in the Reading Terminal. Had it once or twice, but a long time ago.

 

[Obliviax]

Here in CLE its Mitchell's. They make great ice cream and always have a seasonal flavor or two. During Cherry season, they have crushed cherries and chocolate flakes in a raspberry flavor ice cream.

In southern Ohio, it is Graeter's Ice Cream. They hand make it from a French Pot, whatever that is. one just opened in Wexford.

 

[dshumbero]

The "Sourkraut" flavor gave me the skitters.

 

[pandaczar12]

You guys have to try the Pitt creamery. Not many people know they have one, but after they copied our mascot, our lion growl, etc... they decided to copy our creamery. Flavors are served "Pitt style", which means no bowl, cones only.

Favorite flavors include:
Empty Seat Salted Caramel (It's bright yellow)
Delusional Dark Chocolate (It's actually vanilla)
Nutty Narduzzi (contains no nuts)
9 national championships coffee (claims to use 9 distinct coffee beans, really only uses 1)

 

[AWS1022]

You guys have to try the Pitt creamery. Not many people know they have one, but after they copied our mascot, our lion growl, etc... they decided to copy our creamery. Flavors are served "Pitt style", which means no bowl, cones only.

Favorite flavors include:
Empty Seat Salted Caramel (It's bright yellow)
Delusional Dark Chocolate (It's actually vanilla)
Nutty Narduzzi (contains no nuts)
9 national championships coffee (claims to use 9 distinct coffee beans, really only uses 1)

No bowl? I thought you could get it in little bowls.

 

[john4psu]

My best: Glen's Custard in Cheswick, PA. The place is legendary in Western PA. The only ice cream that I choose Vanilla over anything else. Awesome! As far as packaged ice cream, nothing beats Ben and Jerry's.

Glen's Custard is well known. Actually it's in Springdale. I can walk to it but I've always found it blah. I'm not alone in thinking that but it does a hell of a lot of business.

 

[palmettolion]

Chubby Hubby comes in a close second to the now defunct White Russian as the greatest ice cream on the planet.

Never had White Russian, but Chubby Hubby is my absolute favorite.

Maybe someone from northwestern PA can help me out here. There was (and may still be) a small dairy parlor in or near Meadville that made some of the best chocolate milk I've ever had. This was in the late 90's. I know they used Jersey cows and the milk was so thick and creamy that it was pretty much a milkshake on it's own. It came in half gallon glass bottles and they gave you a little discount when you returned them. Anybody know the name or if it's still in existence?

 

[PSU_1991]

My top Creamery flavors are:

1- Apple Cobbler Crunch

2- Crazy Charlie Sundae

3- August Pie

4- Pecan Apple Danish

5- Raspberry Fudge Tort

August Pie is my absolute favorite. I've never had Crazy Charlie Sundae. Will have to check it out. I also love Peachy Paterno, Peanut Butter Swirl, Coconut Chip, and Happy Happy Joy Joy.

 

[Woodpecker]

The Kiltie in Oconomowoc, WI. OK so maybe the frozen custard isn't what I liked the most ...

 

[BBrown]

For me, it's the best I think I've ever had, but there are sure some great Gelato's I've had in Italy and elsewhere. I'm showing my age, but when I was a kid growing up in Philly, I remember my parents taking me and my brothers to a place called Greenwood Dairies outside Philly, maybe near what is now called Neshameny. They served a huge bowl of multi-scoops of ice cream called the "Pig's Dinner". I don't remember how that compared to the Creamery ice cream, but do remember it was the most ice cream I ever ate in 1 sitting! It was more quantity than quality, but as a young kid, who cared My favorite Creamery flavors are Peachy Paterno and Chocolate!

I remember Greenwood Dairies, I spent summers living in Cornwells Hgts and working in Centre City when I was going to PSU. It was very good, (except I thought it was called the "Pigs Delight")?
Anyway their Ice cream was ok but INMO not any better than any other chain like Friendlies.
Creamery is some of the best I've had. There is a place about 15 minutes from me in Havre De Grace, MD called Bomboy's. They make some really good ice cream and chocolate.

On a side note there is a place in Chambersburg called The Igloo. They used to do Frozen Custard that came down a shoot. It was really good but I haven't been there in years.