Scoop on Ice-cream
Air Date: 08/01/2003

We're kicking off a new segment on 7News asking you to vote on our Web site for the best food, the best nightspots, the best bargains… Tonight we have the "dish" on ice-cream. Here's "New England's Best".

A cup or a cone, everybody has a favorite flavor and a favorite spot to get this summer indulgence. You voted, we counted and then hit the road to get the scoop on "New England's Best Ice-cream".

In third place is Crecent Ridge Dairy in Sharon. People are making tracks for their popular moosetrack ice-cream. There's a secret recipe for their ice-cream but will they share?

Mark Parrish, President, Crescent Ridge Dairy
"It has been a closely held recipe for a very long time."........

Take a "sundae" drive for our second-place prize: Kimball Farm in Westford. What started as a dairy farm four generations ago is now a family fun center.

The 36-hole mini golf is a highlight, but the pride of the Kimball family is their hand-blended ice-cream.

Ed Dumont, General Manager, Kimball Farm
"The quality... The quality has got to be there when we're manufacturing."

This family run business started back in 1939 with 12 flavors but now boasts over 40.....

But the cherry on this sundae goes to our first place winner: Four Seas in Centerville. This ice-cream shop has been serving generations of Cape Codders since opening in 1934. It's the oldest ice-cream shop on the cape.

At Four Seas, they put a premium on the finest ingredients. You'll find freshest Cape Cod berries but you won't find any "jimmies" or sprinkles here.

Douglas Warren, President, Four Seas
"We don't want to put wax on premium quality. If we want a chocolate, put hot fudge on it. The hot fudge tastes much better than ‘jimmies'."

Chip chocolate was started here by chance and later copied by other companies. You know, it today as chocolate chip.

Douglas Warren
"Accidentally they melted down some chocolate like a big candy bar and it got into the big pan and we decided to add it to the ice-cream anyway."

Katie Couric, James Taylor and Eddie Murphy are just some of the celebs, who've licked the heat with the 34 flavors and of course the Kennedy's are regulars. It was all peaches for Caroline's big day.

Douglas Warren
"The Kennedy wedding was three three-gallon tubs of ice-cream, peach ice-cream that they ordered and each tub serves about 60 people... A couple of their weddings we supplied the peach ice-cream for them, which seems to be one of their favorites."

Four Seas' ice-cream will leave you screaming for more.

Your vote is important and we want to hear from you! Check out this week's "New England's Best" question.