By Caron Schwartz
Summertime, when everyone’s fancy lightly turns to … ice cream!
Despite our doctor’s cholesterol cautions, My Darling and I cannot resist the temptation. Recently we embarked on an extensive taste test, and are pleased to report every contestant is a winner.
Downtown Gulfport’s Let It Be Ice Cream is tiny but mighty. It serves up a limited selection of small-batch ice cream, so what’s on the menu is always a surprise. When Darling and I braved the bugs to stroll in one evening two of my favorites – Pistachio and Coffee Crunch – were available. While I ordered a two-flavor single scoop, Darling went for a colorful Blueberry/Strawberry combo. While he enjoyed the fresh-fruit flavors, he admitted he wished he had chosen one of the chocolate options.
On another buggy evening we ventured to Treasure Island for some sunset action and wound up at Ice & Cream Creamery. This local chain began in Clearwater and now boasts six venues up and down the Pinellas beach communities.
The waiting line was long and varied, ranging from walker-pushing seniors to tattooed bodybuilders to small children insisting they wanted to try Smurf. I went for tried-and-true Premium Coffee, while Darling’s chocolate choice was the daring Mexican Hot Chocolate.
While mine was predictably wonderful, Darling said the cayenne and cinnamon made for a memorable treat. Meanwhile, we got a good laugh watching kids marching around with Smurf-blue faces.
Larry’s Ice Cream and Gelato was the first local ice cream shop I was introduced to when I moved to Pinellas, so I was eager to take Darling to the locals’ favorite. The sky was dark and threatening when we arrived. Despite the weather, the place was mobbed, mostly with groups of teenagers and young families. When we finally got to the counter, Darling beat me to the punch by ordering a shareable double scoop of two flavors he knew I’d like – Kahlua Almond Fudge and Cappuccino Chip. The ice creams were both rich and coffeelicious, but the pièce de resistance was the homemade waffle cone – an amazing combination of crunchy and chewy, sweet and savory. By the time we left, smiling and sated, the line streamed across the parking lot even as the raindrops began to fall. Where we went:
Let It Be Ice Cream
www.letitbeicecream.com
3127 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport
727-303-0975
Ice & Cream Creamery
www.iceandcream.com
10825 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island
727-623-4982
Larry’s Ice Cream and Gelato
www.larrysicecream.com
6595 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach
727-360-4259
Darling and I plan to continue our ice cream explorations throughout Tampa Bay. Here’s a far from complete list of contenders:
Bright Ice Scoop Shop
www.brighticeisnice.com
3701 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg
727-289-5438
Sprinkles Ice Cream Shop
https://sprinkles6870.com/
6870 Gulf Blvd, St. Pete Beach
727-290-6804
Plant Love Ice Cream
www.plantloveicecream.com
953 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
727-308-8398
Fat Lenny’s Bakes and Wakes
www.facebook.com/fatlennys
2148 49th St. S., St. Petersburg
272-623-9291