The Chocolate Factory, Oconomowoc, WI

The Chocolate Factory in Oconomowoc, WI is actually ice cream, not candy like I thought!

I stopped here with my daughter after a great trail ride in the Southern Kettle Morraine state park.  What a city!  We stopped at a strip mall and found a book seller, coffee and bagel cafe, gift shop, pet supply store and this great eatery!  Based solely upon the name, The Chocolate Factory, we thought we discovered a candy store.  Much to our delight, we soon realized it is a sub shop that also serves WI made ice cream.

The Chocolate Factory has been serving Oconomowoc since 1972, so they must be doing things right.

The menu showcases subs, soups and 32 flavors of ice cream.  I had a difficult time deciding but I chose, "Just Keep Talking Chocolate."  I wasn't disappointed with delicious zanzibar dark chocolate.  I saw the regular flavors of "Superman," the rainbow favorite for children; "Cookies 'n Cream" and "Everything," which had a plethora of candy and cookies if the ice cream alone isn't enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The diner atmosphere is pleasing.

I wonder where the name, Chocolate Factory, originated.  

I hope the employees or patrons share with us in a comment!

                           

If you have enjoyed ice cream at The Chocolate Factory, 

please share in the comments what your favorite flavor is!

Del's Freeze Melbourne, FL

While traveling to Florida, Cocoa Beach are, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore the area ice cream stands.  Let me say, I could not find actual ice cream between Cocoa Beach and Melbourne.  We were able to find Del's Freeze, server's of soft serve.  

This was a fun walk-up soft serve stand.  If you are familiar with Dairy Queen in Wisconsin, this is very similar.  I tried a chocolate and peanut butter twist cone covered with "crunch coat."  I've never figured out what "crunch coat" is, but it sure does add good flavor to the cone!

I've concluded that it may be too warm to keep ice cream in Florida.  Check out Del's for tasty alternate frozen treat! 

https://www.facebook.com/Dels-Freez-144504408914567/

Otherwise, you can check out the beach and usually find someone serving frozen ice!

Name that Ice Cream!

During a recent interview with Lance, co-owner of Rhapsodies in Oshkosh, I once again suggested a new sundae.  Imagine the following flavors blending together:

Start with a base of chocolate custard.

Drizzle with delectable caramel.

Top with crushed Butterfinger.

Lance agreed to the new sundae.  Remember, everything at Rhapsodies is a music name.

Vote here!

Gilles Fond du Lac, WI

Gilles has a fun drive-in atmosphere!

Gilles is a "family tradition since 1949." Wow, that means this place has been around about as long as my parents!  Any place that can survive that long in the ups and downs of our economy must be good.

Do you order the same thing each time you visit certain  restaurants?  I do.  I wonder if it is because we are creatures of habit and tend to resist change?  I would love to hear other theories on this.  Please comment.

When I go to Gilles, here is what I order every time.

Gille Cookie!

I order it because I love it!  It is a huge cookie sandwich.  The chocolate chip cookies taste fresh baked, mmmmmmm.

Where did it go?

Most people that I've asked, know Gilles for their turtle sundae.  My fellow ice cream eater had one.  I didn't even get a picture of it he ate it so fast.  Speed = delicious!  (Sometimes, speed = hot temps = drippy ice cream.)  I've had the turtles here.  They are very good.

 

Gilles is a great place if you are searching for frozen custard served in a nostalgic fashion.  Check them out the next time you are near Fond du Lac, WI!  

I did not ask for a favorite flavor as it was quite busy when we visited.  Gilles serves vanilla and chocolate frozen custard.  Which do you like better?  Let me know!

Gilles

819 S. Main Street

Fond du Lac, WI 54935

920-922-4900

http://gillesfrozencustardfdl.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gillesfrozencustard/

Rhapsodies, Oshkosh, WI

If you are in Oshkosh, for EAA and in need of a cool treat,  check out my favorite place,  Rhapsodies! 

The decor is music themed and so are the treats! 

There's a new flavor every day! 

Rhapsodies serves frozen custard,  made fresh daily. 

Visit owners Dan and Lance Geffers. They are located at 1226 Oregon Street.

http://rhapsodiesfrozencustard.net/

Check back soon for more details and history. Also find out what my favorite sundae is. Let's see if we can convince Lance to add it to the menu!

National Ice Cream Day!

Celebrate the day!  You deserve it.

I am always in search for a fantastic ice cream experience.  Post your favorite places for me to visit and review.  Follow my blog to see where you could go!

Soft Serve, Ice Cream or Frozen Custard?

What are the differences you may ask.  There are two main differences.

1. Overrun or the amount of air pushed into the product
2. Milk fat content = taste and calories!

I will explain what varying levels of these will produce.  

The more overrun and less milk fat, the lighter the product and less calories.  Soft serve or ice milk has the most air and least amount of milk fat at 5%.  If you are looking strictly at calories, this has the least. You can often find soft serve at fast food chains such as Dairy Queen, Hardees and McDonald's.

You will see the twist that is characteristic of soft serve.  This is from the machine that it is pumped out of.

It is easy to add flavor and color to soft serve.  I don't know if I could eat purple soft serve!

Less overrun (air) and higher milk fat means the product will be more creamy.  Ice cream is regulated by the FDA to have at least 10% milk fat and be frozen at a lower temperature.  This may be of interest to the state health inspector but to me, it simply means a creamier and harder frozen treat.  Ice cream is harder and thus hand scooped.  When you see those signs that they hand scoop, it's not to impress upon you that they work harder.  It simply means it is ice cream not soft serve.

Frozen custard has the highest amount of milk fat.  It also has more than 1.4% egg yolk solids.  This gives it the smooth dense consistency.  Frozen custard is my favorite!

Notice how creamy and smooth the custard looks, yes chocolate!

I'll sum this up for you.  

Soft serve: less milk fat = less cost = less flavor

Ice cream: higher milk fat = higher cost = better flavor

Frozen custard: higher milk fat + egg yolk = highest cost = best flavor and smoothest consistency

You are already sacrificing your calorie count for the day because you are succumbing to the desire for dessert.  Why not get the highest quality?  Enjoy your ice cream or frozen custard!

FDA information taken from
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=135.110

Milk fat levels taken from interviews with Mike Schraa, owner of Leon's in Oshkosh, WI and Rick, owner of the former South Side Dairy Queen in Oshkosh, WI.