By Carley Wozny
I remember the days when my mom would fish the change out of her beach bag, toss me a few coins and request anything but that “superkid garbage.”
On a hot day at the beach, at the park — or anywhere — a cool, refreshing ice cream cone can really hit the spot.
With the amount of variety around town, it’s easy to find a flavour that suits you perfectly. One scoop or two? Cone or a cup? Waffle or sugar? It’s hard to not be satisfied while visiting one of Sudbury’s many diverse ice cream hot spots.
At Austin’s Place waterside chip stand, people can enjoy frozen treats, as well as a number of tempting “chip stand style” delicacies such as deep fried pickles, Italian poutine and lazy man perogies.
Austin’s sweet treats are sheltered in a vibrant blue bus near Bell Park, off Elizabeth Street. Boardwalk users, rowing club members and beach swimmers most certainly benefit from this fun, summer establishment.
Bob Rivest and wife Audrey (not pictured), the owners of Tim Hortons on Barrydowne, felt it was time for a new addition to the coffee and doughnut duo. The two have had great success in their newly renovated Cold Stone Creamery franchise which opened on June 18 as the other half of the Tim Hortons store-front. Other frozen delicacies they offer are cakes, health-conscious smoothies and their long list of signature creations.
Cold Stone Creamery is a new addition to Tim Hortons on Barrydowne. Owners Bob and Audrey Rivest thought it to be an exciting, innovative way to liven up their franchise. Atop a frozen granite stone, customers can request creamery workers to mix in their choice of add-ins, from crunchy cookies to sweet fruit. Cold Stone Creamery entices customers with what they call “signature creations,” including: Cookie Doughn’t You Want Some, Apple Pie A La Mode, Birthday Cake Remix, and Strawberry Banana Rendezvous.
Located in the Rainbow Center, Bitter Bill’s Ice Cream Parlour is owned by Diane Gauthier and Bill Cole. Marilyn Bourgeois, manager, takes care serving ice cream, making milkshakes, floats and smoothies made with real fruit. The store also offers a selection of specially brewed coffees.
A 1950s ice-cream parlour feel can be found after stepping foot in Bitter Bill’s ice cream shop. Owned by Bill Cole and Diane Gauthier, Bitter Bill’s has two stores — one located at 3695 Clarence St. in Val Caron, and the other in the food court at the Rainbow Center. The establishment wows customers with an extensive selection of flavours and offers more than just ice cream. On the menu are milkshakes, sundaes, floats, waffles, coffee, soup and smoothies made with real fruit.
As for me, I don’t need a waffle bowl, chocolate syrup or sprinkles. My favourite ice cream has never — and can never be — duplicated. The best ice cream I ever ate was home-made vanilla that was created using an old-school manual ice cream maker with the crank coming out the top. Mixed in was a grated four-month-old Easter bunny that had been retrieved from the bottom of the freezer. Don’t ask me why, but that is my most memorable and most enjoyable ice cream experience.
With summer in full swing, what better time to explore more fun and exciting ways to get your fix of the most traditional of summer treats. Why not take a cruise around town to further explore the possibilities? With new offerings on just about every corner, it should be easy to stay satisfied throughout the summer months.
Carley Wozny is a co-op student who works at Northern Life.
