Return Engagement - Putnam Pantry - The Battle of Bunker Hill

A Week later, I gave a challenge of the Battle of Bunker Hill sundae at the Putnam Pantry.  Now, I got this, so you can have an idea of what this is.  It's basically a 17-scoop sundae, and with the toppings that I can add from the smorgasboard, this is comparable to the Vermonster.

Oh, yea.  Let's say this again.  Yo!  Behold!  The Ziggy Pig..Ahem...The Battle of Bunker Hill.  The Greatest Ice Cream Specticle known to man kind.  "Eat the pig.  Eat the pig.  Ziggy Ziggy Ziggy Pig." (High Five!)

And Yo and Behold, This Sundae is gimornous!  I can't really tell the flavers, but what you see here is practically the ENTIRE flavers that the Putnam Pantry on the list.  Not to mention that this Sundae will cost you 19 dollars.

Needless to say, I couldn't finish this sundae.  Not even half the sundae.  Now if I compare to the size of the Kimball Special, I say, this is Kimball Special times 3!

Shot Cakes - Burlington Mall - Burlington MA

Cupcakes shot with Ice Cream.  Well, Maybe some people will get the new stuff here, but if you are a true ice cream fan, then you may know that you can order a small ice cream with the cupcake, mix it up, and get something better.

Please note that this image is directly from Shot-Cakes.com website, as there's no cameras allowed in the mall, and I used my iPod Touch to take a pic of my shotcake, which was a chocolate fudge cupcake filled with vanilla ice cream.

You go up to the counter, order a cupcake, and then shoot yourself a choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream into the cupcake, and there's your dessert.  Seems great, but did I had cake and ice cream before?  Certainly.  The Phantom Gormet may make it look good, but in reality, it ends up as something that I had before, where I know that I can have something better like going to Crumbs and ordering a cupcake, then going to an ice cream place, order a small ice cream, mix it up, and get something many times better then this.

But while we've seen this "somewhat before", it does demonstrate that bakeries and ice cream parlors can go together well.  Maybe I can go to Kimball Farms, order a cupcake from the country store, then go to the ice cream stand and order myself a kiddie or a small ice cream, and have something just as good.

My final thoughts of shot-cakes: Is it good?  Yea, it's not a bad place.  But is it overrated?  Yes.  For ice cream lovers who go across New England, a true ice cream experience may be instead Richardson's ice cream, Kimballs, or Putnam Pantry.  Now if only they added a bakery section, then you can make your own cupcake sundae.

Shot-Cakes - Burlington.
Open Year Round

See Burlington Mall hours.

Website: www.shot-cakes.com

Happy Holidays. Dieting after New Years.

Well, the holidays are about an escape from the harsh lifestyles.  Missing out on the treats and goodies and going to work.

New Years Day is Tuesday, Jan 1st.  Wednesday is the real Labor Day.  Back to work, back on a diet, and doing taxes.

The new years resolution: Yup, of course to go back to where I was during the summer.  Well, that's what I usually do.  Lose in the spring, gain in the fall.  But also is to support local business.  Am I crazy about big chain parlors?  No.  There are planty of ice cream places that are open year round.  Bedford farms and Jay Gee's is one of the few that are open during the year.  Not that I'm going to go there every day, as I am going to eat a low carb diet with nuts, veggies, and fish.

But that's here it goes.  Work and diet in the spring (well, don't forget valentines day), go to Kimballs just for a kimball special late march, depending on when they are open (Can't believe that Kimball's dont even sell ice coffee during the winter, which is kind of bazarre), maybe enjoy an ocassional lobster roll on a few weekends during april or may, then the summer flys through, before you know it, Kimball's and Rota Springs sells apple crisp starting late August through october (November 3rd in Rota), and before you know it, fall and winter vacation...again.

This year is Kimball's 75th season by the way.  But I will still enjoy an occasional ice cream at Jay Gee's or Richardsons.  The key is: diet during the weekdays, and every other weekend, enjoy a nice sundae.

But yup.  January is the worst month of the year.

Well, just think about these Kimball specials before Kimballs opens up perhaps March 30th.

Putnam Pantry - Danvers MA

Located at the route 1, 62 intersection in the cloverleaf, this place may be known for the candies (I did purchase a few for the holiday break, I also went in for the ice cream, which was visited by the Phantom Gormet.

As soon as I entered the house, I can hear the floor creek as soon as I walked in.  It's been here since the 1700s, making this an oldest chocolate place in New England, as far as I know.  It's got some Christmas related chocolates, as well as other stuff like chocolate covered Coconut clusters, peanut butter cups, and fudges.

But the ice cream is a first.  24 flavers of ice cream (Well, I didn't ask where the ice cream came from).  The question is, did I order the battle of bunker hill?  No.  Maybe I will challenge it one day.  Instead, I ordered a banana split consisting of cookies and cream, moose tracks, and Dino crunch.  They just put the ice cream and bananas on the plate (Yup, that's right, they give you a dish for your ice cream to put on).  That's where the fun begins.

Right after you pay, you go to the toppings bar, which is called the Smorgasboard there.  Well, not as much as Hebert Candy Mansion, this thing has a few liquid toppings including marshmelows, butterscotch, and chocolate, and several other dry toppings.

Now, another unique experience is, you leave your trash on the table.  Wow.  I wander if someone is paid extra for being maid for these customers, but that's some unique service.  Meanwhile, after my ice cream, I did purchase a few chocolate items before I left, including a few peanut butter santas, fudge, and a few other chocolate pieces.

Again, sorry if the photo was bad, but anyways, it's what consumer's capabilities of creating a banana bliss out of a banana split.  The problem?  It's located right at the cloverleaf, so I had to miander my way around to finally get in the place.

Putnam Pantry - Danverse MA

Open Year Round
Hours: Unknown.

Hebert Candy Mansion - Shrewsbury, MA

Well, it's more of a chocolate shop then an ice cream parlor, but this place does sell ice cream, along with chocolates, ranging from truffles to chocolate santas to seasonal stuff.  Because it's near Christmas, they had chocolate sculptures.  Of course I didn't buy them, but I did bought a couple of chocolate peanut butter cups from that place.

With Christmas lights around, it's sure is a nice place to go during December.  Anyways, as far as Ice Cream is concerned, they have about 15 to 20 flavers from Bliss Bros. Dairy in Attlborough, right near Rhode Island.  You can't miss it up, if you are going on Route 20 west going off route 9 westbound.

The Toppings bar consists of several dry toppings like M&Ms, oreo, and other stuff, along with several different types of chocolate toppings, peanut butter, marshmellow, and caramel.  The toppings bar could very well set the bar on other ice cream places around to try out.  It's the old saying: "If you set up for consumers to make, consumers sure have creativity powers when it comes to ice cream.

However, wanna banana split?  Sorry.  They only have one, two, or three scoops of ice cream in a cup.  Maybe they have cones, but I just ordered a cup of three scoops of ice cream, and then slap on some peanut butter and chocolate based toppings for my sundae.

Yup, It makes me a new idea of my own ice cream shop.  Perhaps maybe I could find a self serve ice cream parlor and I could create myself a Sundae bliss.

HEBERT CANDY MANSION- Shrewsbury MA

Open year round.

Monday through Thursday: 10am-7pm
Friday, Saturday: 10am-8pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm

BREAKING NEWS: Jay Gee's now open year round!

Well, Jay Gee's moved from 3rd place to 2nd place, swapping with Bedford Farms as the winter hours.

Previously, Jay Gee's ice cream has announced that they would be open till December 24th, but due to adequate demand, an announcement has been made saying that the Salem NH location is now open year round.  After my post, Jay Gee's said in this statement: "we will be open january and february!" after someone asked when they close for the season.  This puts 3 out of 5 places opening all winter long, along with Richardson's and Bedford Farms.

Sadly, Kimball Farms may unlikely follow suit, saying that demand is still an issue, while in fact, I do think that Kimball Farms has sufficient demand, but they are just too reluctant to try again.  If Kimball Farms keeps on refusing to sell ice cream during the winter months at this point, it's a sad thing I have to say, but they may be finding themselves behind.  They sure do have some 'splaing to do if Jay Gee's ice cream and Bedford Farm's ice cream sells well during January and February.

Anyways, happy holidays!

The Tally for my big 5 ice cream stands, schedual for next year.

[UPDATE] Jay Gee's Salem has announced that they will be open year round.  Because the hours are longer, this puts Jay Gee's at Second Place, knocking Bedford Farms down to 3rd place.

It's past and it's flying so fast, that 2012 came and went.  This summer I started and it's already Thanksgiving.  But let's rundown on the big five ice cream stands and tally them  as far as the Season Lengh.

Season Lengh:

FIRST PLACE: Richardsons.  Open year round, doesn't close till 9:30pm, even in the winter!  So, even in January, you can still go there for a late night ice cream!  Even the minigolf is open, so long as there's no snow on the ground.

SECOND PLACE: Jay Gee's. Open year round (Salem NH), Late February through October (Methuen, MA)

Ice Cream: Open 12am-9pm (10pm Memorial Day through Labor Day)
Activities: Open March through October Fridays 3-8, Saturdays 12-9, Sundays 12-8.  Summer hours (Memorial Day-Labor Day) Daily 12-10p
 

THIRD PLACE: Bedford Farms. They are open year round.  Winter hours are 12pm to 6pm at Concord, 12pm to 7pm at Bedford.  Spring Hours (March through Memorial Day) are 12pm-9pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day 12pm-10pm, Labor Day through October 12pm-9pm, November 12pm-6pm Mon-Thurs, 12pm-9pm Fridays, Saturdays

 

FOURTH PLACE: Rota Springs Farm
Open Early March through End of October/Beginning of November
March-August: 11:30am to 9:30pm
September 11:30am-9pm
October 11:30am-8pm

Some various activities are available including hay rides and a produce store.

FIFTH and LAST PLACE: Kimball Farms.
Open Late March through basically Columbus Day.
Ice Cream stops production Columbus Day and then open till they sell out in Westford.  Activites at Westford remains open till a weekend after Columbus Day.  Pitch and Putt and Driving Range, however, remains open till the condition goes bad.  Country Store is, however, year round at Westford, and don't close till Christmas Eve in Lancaster.  ICE CREAM open Late March through Memorial Day 10am-9pm, Memorial-Labor Day 10am-10pm, Labor Day to Columbus 10am-9pm, sometimes after Columbus Day till they run out.

Well, not surprising, Kimball Farms, after my most rift of the company is in last place.  This especially burns me about is, since they have a country store cafe and another ice cream stand 20 minutes from here that's open year round, and every time I try to speak to Kimball, they refuse to even budge to even bring in a few flavers to have a cup of ice cream in the country store during the winter.  Now I "sort of" understand Rota Springs, since they are far out alone, and I believe that, even a Sterling Farms Ice Cream, closes early.  But for a place like them, Rota Springs does still close late comparing to other ice cream stands in the area, even Kimballs Lancaster, which closes weeks earlier then Rota.  But my big praise to Jay Gee's and Bedford Farms for extending the season, with Jay Gee's offering to give a year-round a try to Salem NH if enough customers come in.  Also, not to mention, Kimball Farms is a high-profile place with lots of customers, so it questions me why they are still seasonal while other low-profile ice cream stands like Mad Willie's, Trombetta's Farms and Tasty Treat open year round and make money.  Kimball Farms claims "demand" is the reason, which is bulls__t, since small ice cream places like Trombetta Farms manages to do fine through the winter selling ice cream.

For Next year, here's the scedualed seasons (persumably)

Richardsons, Bedford Farms, and Jay Gee's (Salem) will be open year round.
Jay Gee's Methuen: February 23rd through October 27th.
Rota Springs: March 2nd through November 3rd
Kimball Farms: March 26th through October 14th, later in Westford