The frozen treat debate: ice cream vs. gelato vs. frozen yogurt.

As an ode to a summer quickly coming to a close, my thoughts have turned to frozen treats. One of my first jobs in high school was at a mom-and-pop neighborhood ice cream shop nestled in an urban village of my hometown. We served homemade ice cream, all the regular favorites and twists on them like strawberry cookies ‘n cream, dirt (chocolate ice cream with oreos and gummy worms), and head in the clouds (blue vanilla with marshmallow swirl). I made brownie sundaes and milkshakes piled high with whipped cream, sprinkles, and cherries.

I had so many good memories at that shop with its marble counters, black and white tile floors, and small refrigerator stocked with old fashioned Coca Cola glass bottles. This probably explains part of the reason why I’m partial to ice cream over other frozen desserts. And yes... that includes frozen yogurt. Arch's frozen yogurt even. (Telling someone you don’t like Arch’s in Charlottesville is like saying you don’t think Thomas Jefferson was really that big of a deal; it’s heresy.) My apologies but when I want something cold and sweet, why not go rich and creamy and with high milkfat content? That’s all I’m sayin’.

I think Chaps serves the best ice cream in town and I would take it over Splendora’s or Arch’s any day. Not only is their ice cream homemade but so are their waffle cones which are buttery, crisp, and light. I usually go with the coffee ice cream and always have it in a waffle cone. (Make sure they’re currently homemade.) Their coffee ice cream is unique and tastes different from most others, though I still can’t pinpoint exactly what it is. I think it’s the coffee granules Chaps mixes in which add texture and different flavor notes than most places which add just coffee which is generally brewed strong and mixed in. I also love their black raspberry and oreo and know people that swear by cookie dough and, depending on how sweet it is, their birthday cake flavor.

If I’m going to do frozen yogurt (which is usually out of convenience more than anything) I would go to Sweet Frog, the new kid in town, which opened just over a month ago at the space across from the movie theater and next to Mudhouse downtown. I like it better than Arch’s because it’s self-serve, you’re able to control your portions of yogurt and toppings, and you’re charged by the ounce which means I can go toppings crazy and not spend 50 cents for each one I order. It also tastes fresher to me and has more options than its competitor. Sometimes I want fruity, cake batter-y, brownie, mochi, and whipped cream. At Sweet Frog, there’s no judgement.

If I’m in a gelato kind of mood I would circle over to Milano at the pink warehouse building next to South Street Brewery on none other than South Street. I actually haven’t been there since they moved from their Main Street Market location, but their gelato always hit the spot for me. They’re not winning in the choices department since they usually only have somewhere between two and five flavors available, but their gelato has a smoothness and creaminess that Splendora’s lacks. They often have interesting flavor combinations (one of my friends a while back got something with lemon and basil I think?) and I haven’t tasted a bad flavor yet so be adventurous and order at least two flavors: one traditional and the other not.

I’ll admit frozen yogurt and gelato serve their purpose but overall the others just don't cut it. Maybe it’s not cool to like ice cream anymore over the age of 13 but I’m sticking to my guns. I want my frozen dessert to be served old fashioned in a glass dish with loads of hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry -- 10 to 16% milkfat and all.