For the uninitiated, frozen custard is NOT the “soft-serve” stuff you get at fast food places. Real frozen custard is thick, rich and creamy, with a hint of eggy goodness.
It seems to be a Midwestern phenomenon, though. I’ve had great frozen custard in St. Louis (Ted Drewes and Fritz’s, among others) and Cleveland, and I’ve heard good things about what’s dished up in Milwaukee. The best stuff always seems to come from little, home-owned stands.
Oh yeah. I grew up on the stuff in Milwaukee. Mainly Kopp’s. I still remember their old building on 76th & Layton. We’d have Leon’s when visiting Grandma over by Pulaski. Gille’s after a Brewer’s game. Oscar’s when cruising the strip in West Allis on Friday nights.
Moved to Florida and couldn’t get it anywhere. Now up in Minnesota they have Culver’s pretty much everywhere.
They have a chain around here called Milwaukee Frozen Custard. It’s deee-licious and we prefer it over regular ice cream (there is also a Hershey’s nearby where the ice cream is FUCKING FREEZER BURNT, even when you get it on a cone). So, suffice to say, any time we want a frozen treat, it’s MFC 100% of the time.
I figure I should toss up the central-Indiana-based Ritter’s Frozen Custard chain for consideration. (Not a huge fan of frozen custard myself, but I’m not trying to threadshit. Everyone around here raves about Ritter’s, so if you like frozen custard I’m assuming Ritter’s fits the bill. They’re also good neighbors, businesswise, sponsoring community events and such.) I’m kind of surprised to find that they’re now a corporate subsidiary (I remember getting dragged to the original stand all the time, often being manned by Ritters) and trying to go national.
I grew up in upstate NY, so I strongly agree with Justin_Bailey. Abbott’s has AWESOME custard. It’s so thick that they serve it in scoops rather than swirl it around like almost anywhere else I’ve ever been (at least they did…it’s been a few years).
But now that I live in Northern VA, I can also strongly agree with DudleyGarret: we live a few miles down the road from a Milwaukee Frozen Custard, and we LOVE that place!
I grew up in upstate NY, so I strongly agree with Justin_Bailey. Abbott’s has AWESOME custard. It’s so thick that they serve it in scoops rather than swirl it around like almost anywhere else I’ve ever been (at least they did…it’s been a few years).
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Every place I’ve been serves it in scoops. With the exception of one place in a Florida mall in Altamonte Springs. I was excited because they were actually opening a custard place in Florida (95’). Then when they opened they were serving the stuff out of soft serve machines like TCBY or Dairy Queen. WTF!?! That’s not custard!!
Leon’s in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (no relation to the Leon’s in Milwaukee as far as I know). What I grew up on. There is a frozen custard chain here in San Antonio, but I’ve never gone out of fear of being disappointed. We also have a Culver’s here too, but their custard is nowhere near Leon’s level.
Outside Kent, Ohio, there’s a place called Stoddard’s that has wonderful frozen custard. I’d heard they’d started one in Cleveland, too, but I don’t know.
I’m not all that picky, though. Dairy Queen is good enough for me.
There’s Stoddard’s, and there’s Strickland’s. The Akron area is blessed with an embarrassment of custard stands. There was an East Coast Frozen Yogurt in Stow that closed last year – couldn’t compete.
We have a few Ritter’s down here in Florida. One not too far from our home, and my kids LOVE it. There was another down in Bradenton/Sarasota that folded, though. There was a frozen custard place started in Largo by some folks from Wisconsin and it also went under. I like the stuff, depending somewhat on the flavors available, but don’t eat enough to keep a store afloat.
I grew up in South St. Louis County so Ted Drewes was the place.
Moved to Kansas City and then had to wait 15 years until we got a local shop “Custard’s Last Stand” (Great) and then later Sheridin’s (OK) and most recently Culver’s (Good).
There was a Julie Ann’s Frozen Custard in Crystal Lake, IL near where I grew up. They branched out to other towns, but sadly I believe they are all gone now.
I sure did love their Peanut Custard partfait and malts though.
Oh man, there is nothing better than a frozen custard on a hot summer evening. Culver’s is sadly the only place around my folks that does it any more, and since leaving the country I haven’t found an acceptable substitute. Neither can I get a delicious Italian ice. I miss the Midwest.
Oooh! I never even heard of frozen custard until I was like, 25, but I’ve been to Culver’s a few times in Wisconsin now, and it’s delicious. Love it. Don’t know why it’s not more widespread.
DudleyGarrett, I don’t know where in NoVA you are, but if you are anywhere near Alexandria, get yourself over to Mount Vernon Ave and visit The Dairy Godmother. All made on the premises; chocolate, vanilla and a flavor of the day; and it rocks…
You know how on The Office everyone lives for Pretzel Day.
Our company does the same thing but has Custard Day. Culver’s brings the custard and servers to our cafeteria.
I’m also looking forward to returning to my home town (Hales Corners, WI) for the 4th of July weekend where Culver’s serves up free custard after the Kiddie Parade a block from my parents house.
