The DC Traveler

It’s summer time and that means ice cream. While the world has been taken over by the franchise ice cream shop, there are still a few great places around DC for some great home-made frozen desserts.

Gifford’s Ice Cream & Candy Co.
Since 1938, Gilford’s Ice Cream been a stop for DC locals to enjoy their 50-plus flavors of ice creams and sorbets. Plus their hand-made candies have been rumored to be enjoyed at the Kennedy-era White House.

Locations in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville and DC (555 11th Street, N.W.)
Washington, DC 20004

Milwaukee Frozen Custard
Serving frozen custard made the classic Milwaukee way, from premium Wisconsin cream and heavy on the egg yolks, Milwaukee Frozen Custard makes offers a version of ice cream that’s softer, denser and richer than traditional ice cream. They also offer old-fashioned malts, sundaes and even a model train.

Locations in suburban Northern Virginia including Chantilly, Manassas, Woodbridge, Herndon, Ashburn and Leesburg.

Max’s Best Homemade Ice Cream
With about 150 handmade flavors that are rotated throughout the year, this family-rum ice cream shop in the heart of Georgetown is another local favorite.

Location in Georgetown - 2416 Wisconsin Ave. NW

DolceZZa Gelato
For some Argentine artisan gelato and sorbetto and cup of espresso check out DolceZZa in Georgetown. Try a fresh fried-dough pastry churros.

Location in Georgetown - 1560 Wisconsin Ave. at Q St. NW

Some Ice Cream Trivia:

• Stories credit the Roman Emperor Nero as the creator of sorbet around 62 AD. He had slave runners collect mountain snow in buckets and bring it to his banquet hall where it was mixed with honey, nuts and wine.
• English King Charles I so loved “frozen snow” that he offered the royal ice cream maker a lifetime pension to keep the recipe secret, keeping ice cream something just for royalty.
• The hand-cranked ice cream churn was invented in 1846 by American Nancy Johnson.
• In Greece, you can order olive oil ice cream with figs (yum!).
• Turkish ice cream is taffy-like in consistency and a main incredient is the groung root of a wild orchid.
• In Japan, the third most popular flavor if ice cream is matcha (powdered green tea).
• Vanilla is the most popular flavor, outselling chocolate (#2) more than three to one. While the favorite topping is chocolate syrup.
• The U.S. is number one in per capita ice cream consumption, with New Zealand, Denmark, Austrailia and Belgium/Luxembourg all in the top five.
• Portland, St. Louis and Seattle resident lead the nation in ice cream consumption (41 quarts annually), more than any other U.S. city, double the national average.
• The first U.S. ice cream parlor opened in 1776 in New York City.
• More ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
• Kids under 12 and adults over 45 eat the most ice cream per person.

Photos credits - Flickr

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