Best local ice cream source for sundae party?
We're having a make-your-own-sundae party the night before our wedding in a few weeks. Where would you suggest we go for the ice cream? Normally I'm a big fan of Toscanini's, but their half gallons are fairly expensive. Rancatore's is proving hard to work with; they tell us we can't order anything in advance and they have no idea what, if anything, will be available in a half-gallon to gallon size. JP Licks is more accessible for us, but I like their hard ice cream flavors less (but that may just be because I like their soft flavors so much more than anywhere else). Haven't had a lot of experience with Christina's, and Lizzie's is out for logistical reasons. Am I missing anything? How would you compare the hard flavors of Toscis and JPL? Thank you so much in advance for your thoughts.
Liz B
Mar 10, 2008 06:42AM
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I prefer the ice cream at Tosci's, but JPL is good too. I have been to several events where they got the big gallon drums from JPL, and they actually have a catering menu (http://www.jplicks.com/catering2.htm) so I would guess they're probably easier to work with and cheaper.
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Talk to Christina's. We've used them at work for a large-scale sundae event for the past four years, and they are just terrific. Very professional, bring good basic flavors and an absolute rainbow of toppings. No kidding, we've had vats of every possible kind of topping you can imagine, it is self-serve (they scoop the ice cream, then you get to top your own), and just tons of fun. They bring their own scoopers because our event serves about 1500 sundaes, but I bet they could help you out in a smaller scale as well. I usually make the arrangements with the owner, whose name is escaping me at the moment, but he's nice and knows his business.
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You might also want to consider the really fun mega-sundae's they have at Cabot's in Newton. They use Richardson's ice cream, which is very good, and they have a ton of toppings, etc. http://cabots.com/parties.htm You could also just buy their pre-packed half-gallons, which are something like $7.50 apiece.
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There's still Brighams stores in Belmont and Arlington, and they do sundae parties. Maybe you should try them. I love several of their flavors.
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You can buy RIchardson's half-gallons in Arlington Heights, at D'Agastino's. Brigham's in Arlington Center also has pretty much all it's flavor's in half-gallons. And I love their hot fudge!
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Brigham's hot fudge sauce is by far the best! It has been around for over 50 years - maybe more. Smooth, not sugary. With their vanilla ice cream, it is the nuts!
Don't know if you want to venture up to Route 1 North in Danvers for the Putnam Pantry. They have the room all set up for make-your-own. Ask any child who grew up on the North Shore and they have had b'day parties there. Fun!
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Lizzy's will cater for your at about $5 per head, including drop off. I've had them at my offices with servers. Very good treat.
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Thank you all so much. That raises an additional question -- who has the best hot fudge in the Boston area? Again, I would have said Toscanini's but my experience here is much more limited.
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I've tried pretty much everywhere for hot fudge, and I'm pretty sure that Toscanini's is the best. Herrell's is my second choice, and Rancatore's in Belmont is pretty good. JP Lick's is a step down, but still very good. I haven't been anywhere else that tasted good enough to be home-made, including Christina's and Lizzy's. Cabot's has a bunch of different flavors of hot fudge, which can be fun to sample, but they taste (to me) like they must use condensed milk instead of cream. Not bad, just not rich enough for my taste.
Have I missed any great ones?
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Ice Creamsmith in Lower Mills.
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You should change your name to fudgedude. An excellent hot fudge survey. I agree with you. Toscanini's is the perfect hot fudge, and Herrell's is a good second. I don't think others compare. (I haven't tried Rancatore's.)
As for the ice cream part, if Toscanini's is too expensive, I'd take saltyair's rec and check out Ben & Jerry's.
I commend you for doing this. It's a great idea, and I love that while most brides are obsesseing about being wafer-thin for their wedding, you'll be having a chow-down blast.
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Brigham's wins for best hot fudge, hands down.
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You really should try some of the others. Brighams was good back when Bailey's was the best, but now, it's mass produced, full of fake sweeteners, and isn't close to the best, IMHO. It really doesn't taste "fudgey", that is, like it would cool into fudge.
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My Mom grew up in Springfield MA and everytime we came to Massachusetts we had to stop into Brighams for a hot fudge sundae. It became a bit of a family tradition, as well as the disappointment she inevitably experienced as she realized once again that the sundae (specifically the fudge) just didn't taste 'the same' as it had in her youth. I'm sure there was a time when it was really good, but now it's got corn syrup and is mass produced and really can't compare with the others. (like tosci's, herrells and jp licks --i agree, these are all the best)
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Agree with you. My mom makes a pretty slick version of it.
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My best friend works at Brigham's factory and they make the fudge sauce the same way they have always made it. I think I'll do a taste test and I bet Brigham's hot fudge would win. I checked out the website too and there are plenty of stores around AND they do large scale sundae parties delivered or catered. Why would a bride plan her own sundae bar? It's a mess! Call the experts (any of them but I would call Brigham's of course)
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Of course a bride is gonna want to have the best, but I guarantee that whether you go with Brigham's or JP Lick's or Herrell's or Toscanini's or Christina's or Lizzie's, your guests will be thrilled. Not a single guest will say, or even think to themselves, "gee, this fudge is good, but I can't believe they didn't get it from [insert name of another place]." Just MHO!
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Vermonster at Ben and Jerry's
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If you like flavours that are more interesting, definitely go for Christina's.
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The original ice cream bride here, reporting back. We went with Toscanini's for both the ice cream and the hot fudge, since I really did want the best, and it was *fabulous*. We chose half gallons of the belgian chocolate, cake batter, gingersnap molasses, and mango khulfi. I think we had a little mango khulfi left at the end, but not much. A note to anyone else who is going to try this: dealing with the Tosci's staff for large orders like this is not always easy. We placed our order with Gus Rancatore, who told us we could call his sister to figure out the pickup time. When we did, she had no record of our order. It all worked out in the end, of course, but it took a bit of highly worthwhile legwork. Thanks again to everyone for your recommendations!
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Well done, Liz B. Despite the post up above, I'm sure if I (or many of my friends) had been there, we would definitely have noticed the extra effort that went into get the best.
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