Here's the scoop on ice cream

I always love finding new and fun websites and here's what I found today: Cincy Favorites. This site is dedicated to all of the best foods the Queen City has to offer. What's more, the site features online ordering and delivery so that you can enjoy all of these comfort foods outside of Cincinnati. Considering that so many Cincinnati ex-pats are very attached to some of the local food, this is a great idea. Two of the featured products were ice cream so here goes...

The two ice cream companies with which I am most familiar are Graeter's and UDF (United Dairy Farmers). Both stores are located all over Cincinnati and their products are available in grocery stores, so there's no hiding. Graeter's brands itself as having perfected the traditional French Pot process, utilizing lots of eggs and cream. The result is a very creamy ice cream with lots of flavor. During Cincinnati visits when I was younger, a trip to Graeter's was always on the itinerary.

In the other corner, you have UDF ice cream. They, too, boast of their heavy use of cream which also lends itself to a smooth and decadant consistency. What always threw me about UDF is the fact that it's part ice cream parlor, part convenience store. I have yet to find a UDF that didn't have a gas station attached to it, and I can't think of any gas stations/convenience stores in the Northeast that serve premium ice cream! As such, I didn't have my first UDF ice cream until after I moved here...and realized there was a UDF a stone's throw away from my apartment. So I HAD to go there, obviously.

To the non-Cincinnati readers, you may enjoy a side-by-side comparision (just the facts) of Graeter's and UDF. Here's my chart. I had way to much fun making this. Note: I used a 5 mile radius of my neighborhood.



As for taste, there are some differences. This is probably going to sound contradictory but Graeter's, with all of the creamy texture, is actually very light and airy compared to UDF. It's as if the ice cream had been whipped, so the richness comes from the particular flavor. For example, my all-time favorite ice cream is peppermint stick, which is often only available during the holidays. Graeter's has a delicious version that packs a ton of pepperminty taste but it's not heavy. UDF also has a peppermint stick ice cream, and while I also enjoy it (particularly in milkshake form), it is more dense than its counterpart over at Graeter's. However, dense can be good, like the Vanilla Fudge swirl at UDF. If I had two cones in front of me right now, I would quickly reach for Graeter's but finish up with UDF. There's no need to limit myself to one ice cream cone, right?

To the Cincinnati readers, I want YOUR feedback. Don't be shy. If I'm totally off the mark here, let me know. If you're mad that I left out Aglamesis', speak up. In my defense, I have yet to try the latter.

Until then...Happy Ice Cream Season!