Tales from the Ice Cream Trail

Unlimited sunshine and tropical temperatures are blissful and open the door to the best part of summer: indulging in creamy, sweet treats with abandon (you’ll sweat out the calories). Whether your style is a modest scoop, a frothy frappe, or a pile of the good stuff drenched in hot fudge with a cherry on top, the Lehigh Valley has your cravings covered.

Nuts About Ice Cream

1124 Linden St, Bethlehem | nutsabouticecream.com | 610.861.7733

Thirty years ago, a long-standing community pharmacy operated where Nuts About Ice Cream is now. Though hot fudge has replaced cough syrup, the décor remains retro and reflects the history of the original business. Step inside and you’re transported to a 1950s ice cream parlor. Taste the treats, though, and you’ll find yourself in lands far from Pennsylvania. The husband and wife owners were born in West Africa and their flavors reflect a couple who has traveled the world. Housemade and all natural, the ice cream has been tailored to fit various dietary needs with dairy- and sugar-free options, as well as tastebud preferences from traditional to adventurous. A big seller is the unique Saffron Pistachio, and you’re welcome to sample before diving into a triple scoop. Quality ingredients are important at Nuts About Ice Cream, and the owners source products from all over the world while still supporting the dairy farms here in the Lehigh Valley. Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and Salted Caramel are two of the shop’s MVPs, but do yourself a favor and experiment with an exotic new flavor: Black Sesame and Baklava both find spots in the glass case this summer.

The Inside Scoop

301 N 3rd St, Coopersburg | theinsidescoop.com | 610.282.1955

You want options? This place has them. An impressive 100 flavors are in daily rotation, with 35 offered at a time, and the website is updated daily so customers know what to expect. The Inside Scoop likes to delight tastebuds and go the extra mile with each scoop. Maple Bacon, for example, dazzles with slabs of bacon caramelized with brown sugar. Signature summer flavors have found their way back to the board and include Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Lemonade, and Orange Pineapple. Take advantage of the menu and say goodbye to your beach body with the Smoking Volcano Sundae: 14 scoops, eight toppings, whipped cream, and cherries surround a volcano filled with steaming dry ice. Usually conquered by groups celebrating a birthday or initiating a corporate team challenge, two individuals have managed to polish off the decadent treat solo. A siren announces the accomplishment if you eat every last spoonful, and your photo will adorn the Wall of Flame. Enter The Inside Scoop an ice cream lover and exit a celebrity.

Owowcow

4105 Durham Rd, Ottsville | owowcow.com | 610.847.7070

Owowcow sources its milk, cream, honey, eggs, fruit, and herbs locally. Conscientious of each ingredient, the chefs here use organic products whenever possible and always rely on natural cane sugar. In preparation for summer, Owowcow turned to the Lehigh Valley’s agriculture community for rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, and corn. The latter becomes the uber-popular flavor Sweet Butter Corn, which boasts a buttery base with swirls of salt. Guests can create their own ice cream sandwiches using lemon, chocolate chip, or chocolate-chocolate chip cookies. No need to leave your friendly pup at home; dogs are more than welcome to hang out at the beautiful outdoor seating area. The goal at Owowcow is to surprise and delight every customer, and with a signature flavor of Honey Lavender, it seems the ice cream shop is on the right track.

Happy Holstein

410 Klein Rd, Easton | kleinfarms.com | 610.253.8942

Happy Holstein is the new kid on the block. The quaint ice creamery opened inside Klein Farms’ dairy store last year and has taken the scene by storm. Quality is important here, and each flavor is all natural with no artificial colors or flavors (except when an Oreo or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup is involved). Mint Chocolate Chip is one of the most popular options and for a good reason: word has it that the mint is imported from Italy. Twenty of the 35 flavors are available every day with mainstays like Udderly Great Vanilla and Chocolate, Black Cow, Maple Walnut Wonder, and Straw-verry Good. Perfect Pineapple is the most recent inductee and arrived just in time for the addition of milkshakes to the menu. Since it’s located at Klein Farms, there’s no reason you can’t grab a dozen eggs, local honey, and maybe even bond with some livestock before you leave.