…ICE CREAM! The most scrumptious summer treat by far, back in the mid 1950s (and now!).
I have vivid memories of my family, all four of us for a change, going for a long hike just to get ice-cream cones. It meant walking about five miles round-trip, for extra-special cones. They were made and served fresh, right from the source – Elmhurst Dairy, then located on St. Jacques Street West near Elmhurst.
Now, when I say “all four of us for a change,” it’s because it wasn’t often that we were all together. My parents worked six days a week in their store (on Monkland corner Marcil in NDG), and my brother Dan was usually out and about as a teen-age journalist for the local weekly, The Monitor. But sometimes he would join us on this hike.
And when I say we walked all that distance, it’s because we didn’t have a car until much later – in the early sixties. It looked like this, by the way:
And when I say we “screamed” for Elmhurst Dairy’s ice cream in particular, and walked miles to have some – it’s because they sold it in assorted flavours not available anywhere else, at least not near where we lived. (This was years before Baskin Robbins.)
Ordinarily, 1950s ice cream sold in stores came in chocolate, strawberry or vanilla – and sometimes maple walnut. That’s it.
But Elmhurst had glorious flavours like blueberry ripple, orange, chocolate ripple, cherry, pistachio, and many more. I admit to drooling slightly, as I type!
I wouldn’t mind going back there and then, just for a day! It sure was worth the walk.
Crossed Eyes and Dotted Tees 
That ice cream must have been exceptional! At least everyone got their exercise. I just polished off a large bowl of ice cream! 😀 I don’t feel too guilty as this was only the second time this summer I’ve had any.
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It was sublime! HEY, there’s a great word I should’ve used. Oh, well. 😀 Ok, what I do now, instead of a large bowl like you, is just every evening have about 2-3 tablespoons of French vanilla ice cream with 2 teaspoons of NUTELLA on it! Yeah! 😀 ❤
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I have no will power when ice cream is involved. Which is why I don’t buy it very often because a small amount will always have me going back for more. 😀
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Sigh… the struggle… it’s so hard… ! 😬😁
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We had a place like that in Kalamazoo. It was called Lockshore dairy. It also had some extra flavors. In fact, our visits there taught me how to spell my first word: ice cream.
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And a very important first word it was! 😁
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I thought so!
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We had an ice cream parlor in the center square of our little town. I was treated to ice cream so rarely that I couldn’t tell you how many flavors there were. It didn’t matter. I would have chosen chocolate no matter what was offered.
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Well that’s something we have in common then – I had a thing for chocolate, too!
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I remember Elmhurst, for sure! I love ice cream! 🍦. A friend of mine asked me if I still have an ice cream every day? Of course, I do!
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So I figure, it has milk in it, so it’s healthy, right?! 😁
BTW I’d like to know which Bonnie you are – Atlee, Stone, or Soutar? 😀
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