What’s the hoopla all about?

I’ve blogged about him before… and now it is time to put my money where my mouth is. Who am I talking about? Ron of course… of Ron’s Gourmet Ice Cream (and 20th Century Bowling) in Hyde Park. Read Ron’s story here.

As I mentioned yesterday, Ron’s has been nominated as one of ABC News’s “Best Scoops in America“. Having never had his ice cream, I figured it was time to high tail it on over there to see what all this hoopla is all about.

Ron’s doesn’t look like much from the outside or the inside for that matter — just an old school bowling alley and ice cream parlor. So why does Ron’s gets such accolades from the ice cream eating community? I was about to find out…

Ron is a humble man who thinks he is the “luckiest guy in the world”. Between his loyal customers, the success and publicity of his business, the amazing homemade ice cream his son still churns and the management and marketing done by his daughter, what more could a guy ask for? I had the fortune of chatting with Ron and his daughter today and thoroughly enjoyed my visit – and the ice cream of course!

Looking over the menu, I struggled to make a decision… so Ron’s daughter gave me a taste of the Maple Walnut (no sugar added) – a seasonal flavor and I was immediately sold. I opted for the kiddie size ($2.75) – which was a heaping scoop (and a half). The ice cream is very creamy, dense (but not too hard), had a great maple flavor and huge chunks of walnut halves.

I also tasted the Peanut Sunrise (another seasonal flavor) – which is a dark, rich, fudge ice cream, with real peanut butter swirled in. I’m not a chocolate ice cream fan… but this tasted like fudge. And I do like fudge!

Ron’s has more than 25 standard flavors and a selection seasonal flavors that come and go with the weather. Ron seems to be very open to flavor suggestions as well. I’m thinking perhaps a weekly ice cream tasting… making my way through the menu? I mean, I owe it to my readers… don’t I?

What I didn’t know is that Ron’s has a second location in Dedham (at 559 High Street) – where the menu is slight different and also offers hard yogurts.

Perhaps next time I’ll try the bowling… it’s been a few years though…