# Frozen custard **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 19, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033 "2020-09-19T22:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/1 "2020-09-19T22:06:40Z")
what puzzles me is that whatever city I’m in, frozen custard stands are only open during summer, while ice cream stands/stores are open all year round, why? ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/2 "2020-09-19T22:32:24Z")
frozen custard is a thing? I’ve never heard of this, that I remember anyway. Describe it for me please? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/3 "2020-09-19T22:36:25Z")
Its ice cream with egg yolks added. Looks about the same but taste a little different. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/4 "2020-09-19T22:50:15Z")
Frozen custard stands usually sell soft serve ice cream, not true frozen custard. At least, that’s my experience of the word. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/5 "2020-09-19T22:57:44Z")
The chain Rita’s Italian Ice also sells Frozen Custard that actually is Frozen Custard. They’re franchises so I can’t speak to all, but some Rita’s are open in the winter. I know they’re in NJ & Penn. Not sure how many other states. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/6 "2020-09-20T01:58:39Z")
In St. Louis the classic frozen custard stands are open air, so there isn’t much shelter when the weather turns cold (Yes, Ted Drewes is open year-round, but Ted’s is as much landmark as it is custard stand.) **Si\_Amigo** Real frozen custard is far richer than ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/7 "2020-09-20T02:01:21Z")
There was a true frozen custard shop near us open for years year-round although they closed up shop a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/8 "2020-09-20T02:10:14Z")
Culver’s, which is a Wisconsin-based chain (though they are in many other states now), sells frozen custard (as well as being a fast-food restaurant). Their frozen custard is, indeed, made with eggs, and most, if not all, Culver’s locations are open year-round. > **[Culver's | Welcome to Delicious](https://www.culvers.com/)** > > Culver’s® is a family-favorite restaurant known for their local ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard & Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Get to your nearest Culver's location today! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/9 "2020-09-20T02:19:31Z")
While you can get frozen custard from Culver’s year round (in 25 states now) its not really the best example of it. For the real deal you need to head to Milwaukee and hit up Kopps, Leons, Gilles, or Oscars. Ted Drews in St.Louis is good stuff also. That stuff at Ritas I don’t find passable. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/10 "2020-09-20T03:11:38Z")
Yes, Wisconsin is the epicentre of custard. Tie first item on the must-do list in Milwaukee os “Go to Kopps” — stilll funky and unpretentious. The opposite of Culvers, an uppity clone of McD that started as a custard franchise. Most Wisconsin custard stands just have a window where you stand and order, and business drops off when it’s 20-below. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/11 "2020-09-20T04:26:43Z")
You know, the OP makes a good point. Our area has a frozen custard stand which is seasonal, and a Handel’s Ice Cream stand which is year-round. Both are walk-up establishments. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/12 "2020-09-20T07:54:58Z")
My mother used to make “ice cream” from snow when I was little. Probably why I want ice cream whenever it snows. When we lived in New Jersey we would stop year round at the walk up window of the local ice cream place. In summer we would sometimes stay and eat, and they used to serve hot dogs and fries as well. But in winter we’d take the ice cream home to eat. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/13 "2020-09-20T11:08:45Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Culver’s, which is a Wisconsin-based chain (though they are in many other states now), sells frozen custard (as well as being a fast-food restaurant). Their frozen custard is, indeed, made with eggs, and most, if not all, Culver’s locations are open year-round. > > [https://www.culvers.com/](https://www.culvers.com/) Every snowbird from Wisconsin in Tucson mobbed Culver’s when it opened here. We tried to impress them by saying we’d been to the original many times. They never were. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/14 "2020-09-20T13:14:39Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > head to Milwaukee and hit up Kopps, Leons, Gilles, or Oscars. Hampshire nailed it. If you’re in Sheboygan, hit up Randall’s for custard and great brats and burgers on Sheboygan hard rolls (semmel rolls). ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/15 "2020-09-20T22:41:04Z")
We have a custard place that’s open in Little Rock year round. I cannot discern a major difference between frozen custard and ice cream other than the former is usually has a smoother creamier texture. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/16 "2020-09-21T01:01:23Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Most Wisconsin custard stands just have a window where you stand and order, and business drops off when it’s 20-below. Kopps, as you mentioned, is open year round. Leon’s is also open year round. I think, but could be wrong since I’ve never been there, that Oscar’s is open year round. Off the top of my head, the only one I know of that’s only open in summer is Nite Owl, but that’s partially tradition and partially because I think it’s somewhat of a hobby than a means of income for the owners. They also close at random times every day. They get a shipment of beef in every morning and when it’s gone, they close. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/17 "2020-09-21T02:09:35Z")
I lived mere blocks from Gille’s, an easy walk after dinner, and way too handy on hot summer days… (I’ve often wondered why I didn’t grow up obese, given the huge amount of sugar and dairy fat I consumed). So, having put in my 10,000 hours eating custard, I can tell you: it’s not soft-serve, just might get softer in hot weather. And it has a smoother feel, due to a higher cream content and containing less air. Oh, Gille’s was just a typical “Drive-In”, windows to order at, and a counter you could stand at, but most people leaned on the hoods of their cars and chatted with neighbors. So, it was all outdoors, and it closed in the winter. Now it has an indoors with seating, so it can stay open. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/18 "2020-09-21T12:23:13Z")
I’m sure there’s a million little custard/burger places, but I’ve always been very loyal to Kopps. I just looked up where that is, 75th and Buemound. I’m in that area all the time, but I end up going to Kopps. I know where it is and I don’t have to think about my order. Hell, the kopps on 76th and Layton knows my order at this point. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/19 "2020-09-21T15:29:41Z")
> [@digs](#): > > So, having put in my 10,000 hours eating custard, I can tell you: it’s not soft-serve, just might get softer in hot weather. Regional differences, then. When my husband’s uncle took us for “frozen custard” in the catskills, it was unquestionably soft serve ice cream. And not especially rich ice cream, even. I always wondered WHY he called it frozen custard, actually, as there wasn’t anything particularly custard-like about it. Or maybe he was just wrong. But he’s the only person I’ve ever heard refer to a food as “frozen custard” IRL, so that’s what the word means to me. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033/20 "2020-09-21T15:45:00Z")
Also, eggs (especially egg yolks) are a common ingredient in ice cream. “French vanilla” means it’s a vanilla ice cream with eggs in the base. Haagen Dazs Belgian chocolate flavor includes egg yolks, as do their “dark chocolate ice cream bars”. (Just the first two I googled. I suspect several if their flavors include egg yolks.) But I guess there’s a style of ice cream called “frozen custard” (at least) in the Midwest that I’m not familiar with, and it includes eggs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frozen-custard/921033.md?page=2)