RI's Best Ice Cream

Ann & Michael Martini, GoLocalProv Food Editors

RI's Best Ice Cream

Five-hundred years BCE, it started by pouring grape juice over snow. In a way, a very early form of Del’s Lemonade. Or the wine cooler, perhaps! The problem, of course, was what to do in the summer, when snow was harder to come by. The treat was so tasty that necessity, or cravings, became to mother of invention. Later, Arabs began using milk, sweetened with sugar and fruits and chilled. In China, Kublai Khan kept his ice cream recipe a secret until Marco Polo brought the treat to Italy. And like they have done with many recipes, the Italians perfected it around the 16th century, and the first published recipe could be found by the 1720s, in a British cook book. Europeans brought ice cream to the United States via New York, and in Rhode Island, there are vast quantities and qualities of the stuff. In celebration of the first day of summer, here are our top five places for the ideal summer treat.

 

RI's Best Ice Cream

Gray's Ice Cream, Tiverton

For us, this is a no-brainer. And has been for decades. We've long tried to figure out if the long ride out to Tiverton actually makes the ice cream taste better. You know...anticipation and all. But no. This is just damn good ice cream, and it’s a classic old school stand. If you're looking for bells and whistles and the latest flavor craze, this isn't your place. If you are looking for perfectly churned and always flavorful ice cream, Get. Here. Now. We went with a butterscotch and a chocolate chip and they were both superb. Perfect combination! 16 E Rd. www.graysicecream.com

Photo credit: Ryan M. (Yelp)
 

The Daily Scoop, Barrington

Ok...this choice is for one reason and one reason only: one of us is a maple walnut addict. There, we said it. It feels like a weight has been lifted to make the admission that the boy of the group enjoys thousand-year-old ice cream flavors. This for a young, future chef was a first foray into flavor combinations and the "salty/sweet" idea. The sweetness of the maple combines with the earthiness and saltiness of the walnuts and the cream to become greater than the sum of its parts. And nobody does it like the Daily Scoop. Trust us! 230 County Rd. 245-0100, www.dailyscoopicecream.com

Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor

 

The Vanilla Bean, Matunuck

Oh the memories of a youth misspent at the Vanilla Bean. A summer cottage in Matunuck made the Vanilla Bean our "home base" by default. They were the only game in town. So we wondered if the foggy memories had given unfair credit to the Bean. A return trip told us otherwise. The charm of this little shack is still there...as were the lines. They currently serve Bliss Brother's ice cream, from Attleboro, in many different flavors and sizes. We hit the classic hot fudge sundae with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream and nuts. Add in the salty breezes on the picnic tables and you have a perfect summer evening. 757 Matunuck Beach Rd. www.facebook.com/VanillaBean.IceCream

Photo courtesy of The Vanilla Bean Facebook page

 

The Ice Cream Machine, Cumberland

When picking best ice cream spots, there can be no list without The Ice Cream Machine. This Blackstone Valley spot has been a little oasis of cool in the summer heat. Heck...they've been an oasis on a snowy February night too! This year-around stand offers one of the widest arrays of flavors of homemade ice cream anywhere and the combinations are top-notch. The Salted Caramel Swirl and Blueberry were both excellent. Too often salted caramel ice creams don't have enough salt to balance the sweetness, but this one was very well done. 4288 Diamond Hill Rd. 333-5053, www.icecreampie.com

Photo credit: Rhea Ann S. (Yelp)
 

Three Sisters, Providence

Old time East Siders used to love walking the Boulevard and ending with a cone at Maximillian's. As the years passed, Max's closed and we worried about our little walks. That was until we tried the perfect ice cream at Three Sisters. This was the ideal evolution of the spot as it built on the previous momentum with a brave new world of flavors. We were totally blown away by the earthy and sweet flavor of Kulfi. Cinnamon, pistachios and cardamom combine to add a subtle, "herby" balance to the sweetness of the cream. We also loved the Fair Trade Coffee Bean. A Rhody classic updated! 1074 Hope St. 273-7230, www.threesistersri.com

Photo credit: Bianca J. (Yelp)

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