Mysterious Ice Cream Triangle

[jackattack]

Carter's in Haverhill, Benson's in West Boxford....and Richardson's in Middleton.

What in the world are they feeding the cows that graze this mysterious 4 or 5 square mile triangle of ice cream ecstasy????

[Skier76]

Carter's makes all the ice cream on the premises. Richardson's only supplies the frozen yogurt and sherbert. Back when I worked there the occasional senior would stop by and tell a story about Carter's Dairy Farm which was once located across the street so it was once connected to a local farm.

[jackattack]

Carter's open for the season yet?

[jackattack]

New England Microcreamery in Haverhill now added to the mysterious bermuda triangle of ice cream. You can get lost in this triangle and never return to civilzation!

[jackattack]

Just discovered Cravings in Wakefield. Yum. Again I ask, what are they feeding the cows in this area of New England? It is an ice-cream-lovers paradise.

[threedogs]

Lots of love, jack, lots of love for the wonderful cows that give us such delectable treats. ;D

Now if I was only near Wakefield (now - used to be)....

[opinionatedchef]

Ha! When I saw the thread title, I thought for sure it was about the amazing triangle of Toscanini's, Christina's and JPLicks Davis Sq.!

[Infomaniac]

Sorry to say that New England Microcreamery in Haverhill is now closed.

[threedogs]

I'm sorry to say I never heard of it! :-(

Haven't been to Hodgie's in Amesbury in years - many, many yrs ago we lived up there & I have memories of gi-normous cups of the most delicious chocolate - and almond chip - mmm. In fact, my ex (now deceased) introduced our oldest dog when he was a pup & the only dog (also now deceased) to ice cream there. :D

Had no digital camera back then, but I still have those great memories. Pure joy.

[BaileysMom521]

Richardson's in Middleton is probably the best around.

Mad Maggies is kinda yucky imo. And you wait around forever. Soc's in Saugus too. That place just can't seem to get it right. Hope the Mad Maggies in North Andover is better, but then anything would be better than the Treadwells. Meletharbs in Wakefield is great. Their coffe ic is the best you'll have.

[taxi]

Another new (one year older) ice cream place in Saugus off the Fellsway is Lil N Chick's. The owner makes everything there. Fabulous gelato (not your ordinary flavors) and many many different ice cream flavors - Whoopie Pie for one!
Serves cappuccino and expresso and the place resembles a small Italian cafe. Quite nice. Opens at 12 and closes at 9-10. While there, visit JC Pace's in the same plaza for outstanding Italian food.

[threedogs]

Oh, man - and me without a car! Joe Pace's AND homemade ice cream... why wasn't that there years ago when Pace's had just opened up & I used to go there all the time...

Whoopie Pie ice cream... I have to get there..

[threedogs]

How about Hodgie's in Amesbury? Haven't been there in years (heard they opened up a second), but it was one of our favorites... .sigh, since my car has died and gone to car heaven (read: used car lot), I won't be going up there anytime soon.

[Infomaniac]

Hodgie's is awesome, and they make their own ice cream. If they opened up another location, I'm not sure where it is.
Carter's is alright, but I think they get their ice cream from Richardson's in Middleton. I'm pretty sure Richardson's supplies a lot of the smaller ice cream stands in the area.

[jackattack]

Nope, Carter's makes their own and Benson's makes their own. Carter's is surrounded by farmland.
Haverhill also has the upscale Ice Cream Microbrewery downtown and it's pretty good, too!

[Infomaniac]

Carter's may make some of their ice cream, but I've seen Richardson's trucks there many times, and Carter's has never had any association with any of the farmland nearby.

Benson's I wasn't sure of, and England's MicroCreamery in dowtown I agree is very good.

[jackattack]

Maybe Carter's buys their ice cream mix (ice cream base) from Richardson's Dairy...or just milk and cream and stuff.

[Infomaniac]

Either way it's good ice cream and the place to go if your in Bradford when you want ice cream. I stopped by tonight for a banana frap to go with some Baileys Irish Cream I had at home.

[threedogs]

I did a search for Hodgie's, and it looked like I was wrong about the second location, but when I went to add the link below, it showed two other locations in Newburyport & Salisbury. Nothing could replace that old ice cream stand from way-back when, BUT Newburyport is accessible by commuter rail.

Now if I want to mortgage a house, I'll get a ticket to go up there for the day (seriously, the commuter rail is SO expensive).

I can't find any info about the other two locations on the Hodgie's website, or in a search, so I'd call first before heading out. Anyway, if you are headed out there, and are not car-less like I am, I'd go to the original. Great old fashioned ice cream stand - but they do close for the winter. (Yeah, I know it's August - it only FEELS like winter right now...)

-----
Hodgie's Ice Cream
71 Haverhill Rd, Amesbury, MA 01913

[Bob MacAdoo]

I remember when Hodgie's inb Amesbury was Dick & June's. Now there was an ice cream place - pints for $1 (!) of great homemade ice cream.

[Infomaniac]

I remember Hodgie's as Dick & June's, and it goes way back to the 40's under a few other names as well. I only go as far back as Dick & June's though.

A few other fun facts on the area. Skip's Hamburgers, established in 1947, started on the other side of the road on Rte. 110. Martha's, across where Lena's is, next to Hodgie's II, was established in 1945. It was dubbed - HOME OF THE CHAMP ( their cheeseburger special - best of all time IMO). They arguably had the best onion rings in the world. The great Onion Ring Triangle is a 20 square mile isoceles of Larry's Clam Bar, Martha's, and Ceal's. Just west of Dick & Junes on Rte. 110, stood a third Wasmaco ice cream stand. It was on the opposite side of the road. We have been blessed in the area to have a lifetime of clogged arteries of fried dough, fried clams, fries, onion rings, steak subs, rice balls, crispelli, italian cold cuts, and ice cream.

[scooper]

Hi - former "Hodgette" here from 1985 to 1995. The BEST Hodgie's is of course the original in Amesbury; also great Hodgie's Too in Salisbury, AND one in Stratham, NH. There's one for everyone!

[jackattack]

Why doesn't Hodgie's make "Muddy River" anymore? It was oreo ice cream with a peanut butter swirl and it was GOOD, much tastier than it sounds!

[threedogs]

More important - why can't Hodgie's, with all their Hodgie branches, put one closer to Boston (and reachable by T)?

[this is a"why is the sky blue'' question, so I don't actually expect an answer...]

[ljw7]

Is Benson's the roadside place surrounded by farmland? Haven't been there in a few years but I have wonderful memories of great homemade blueberry ice cream made with berries from right out back.

[macca]

Bensons is in rte 133 in Boxford- there is a small vegetable farmstand nearby. I tried their peach ice cream last year, and it was not very "peachy".

[jillso]

Carter's is the roadside place surrounded by farmland.

I guess that description fits Richardson's as well.

[macca]

Add Mad Maggies in North Reading ( on 28 near the Andover line). Better than Bensons, I think. And I think there is a great place in Wakefield, too. Have never been, but have seen positive posts on these boards.

[taxi]

I think the place in Wakefield is called Meltharb's or something like that. Also, Soc's in Saugus on the Fellsway has yum homemade ice cream. The lines there on a summer night attest to that!

[macca]

Yup- that's the name of it, I think. Never been there, but have read good thingsl I do like Soc's, too- especially their pistachio.

[powerfulpierre]

Meletharbs in Wakefield, on Lowell Street. They have a great selection of all homemade ice creams - and the best lime rickey I have ever had. One of the originators of Oreo Cookie ice cream, almost 30 years ago. Bart ("Meletharb" backwards is almost bartholomew) used to buy Oreo cookies over the counter from the local supermarket. NABISCO learned of it and sued him to stop using their "oreo" name. Don't know how it was resolved but he and his son are still making it.

[shaebones]

And their Sweet Cream Ice Cream is pure heaven.

[jackattack]

I had some good stuff at CRAVINGS in Wakefield. I'm not sure if they serve Meletharb ice cream or if they make their own. A school group of about 40 came into the store so there was no time to mingle and ask questions.

[jackattack]

My last trip to Mad Maggie's was a bust. The ice cream was not good and the service was worse...why does it take 4 employees ten minutes to serve 5 customers??? Nobody seemed to know what was going on.

At the time (early June)...they were getting ready to open a 2nd location in Andover. I hope they got it opened and then worked out the kinks. Otherwise it's just-another-business that expanded too quickly and let the quality suffer.

[macca]

That is too bad. I have not been since last summer. I thought from another post that they had closed the N Reading shop- maybe not- the signs are still up. I will have to notice on my way home from work today,

[jackattack]

Mad Maggie's has taken over the old Treadwell's spot in North Andover