I love ice cream! Even in the winter, I love ice cream. Even if it is forty degrees Fahrenheit, I will get into my truck and drive to Cold Stone Creamery. The staff greets you with an enthusiastic, “Welcome to Cold Stone!” If you give them a tip sometimes they will sing, though not always on-key. With numerous variations of ice cream flavor and topping combinations and reasonable prices, Cold Stone Creamery has high-quality any way you look at it.
Cold Stone Creamery opened its first location in Tempe, Arizona in 1988. Their ice cream is made fresh every day right in the store and the ice cream and toppings are mixed on a cold stone slab, hence the ice cream store’s name. Customers can choose a mix of their ice cream and toppings any way they choose. Every month, there is even a special limited flavor which they call their “Red Pan.” They have over 1,000 stores open in 47 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam combined.
Not only does Cold Stone Creamery have thirty-three different ice cream creations, but there are also additional suggestions posted around each location depending on the Red Pan ice cream flavor of the month. My favorite Cold Stone Creation is called Strawberry Shortcake Serenade. They start with sweet cream ice cream (their version of vanilla), then they mix strawberries, yellow cake, and whipped topping in the ice cream. Every bite is just heavenly. Even though the original recipe for the Strawberry Shortcake Serenade includes sweet cream ice cream, I prefer to have it made with their cake batter ice cream. If you would rather make your own creation, you can choose your favorite flavor of ice cream with as many different toppings as you wish. That is another great aspect of Cold Stone – it is your ice cream, your way.
Cold Stone Creamery serves three different sizes – Like It, Love It, and Gotta Have It. As I am sure you can deduce, those are small, medium, and large. I have to warn you though – even the Like It size is fairly large! They certainly do not skimp on their ice cream serving sizes or their toppings. You can have your ice cream served to you in a plain bowl, a waffle cone, or a waffle bowl. Even with the waffle cones and bowls, you can choose plain or chocolate and candy coated. If you prefer to take your Creation home for longer keeping, you can also purchase Cold Stone ice cream in a pint, quart, or bucket size. All are reasonably priced and remember – you get what you want!
Cold Stone Creamery also makes ice cream cakes.
For more information about Cold Stone Creamery, please visit their website.