A deliciously spoon-bending experience at Dr. Mike's in Bethel.

Our second stop on the ice cream tour was to a hometown favorite called Dr. Mike's.  This little shop is located on Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, nestled behind a local dental office.

That's right...a dental office.

Like any true conspiracy theorist I immediately questioned whether there was some sort of a relationship between Dr. Mike's and this dentist.  It seems too convenient that as Dr. Mike's patrons come to enjoy the sugar filled glory that is ice cream, they are thrust into a shame spiral when forced to view the dental propaganda conveniently placed in the windows  of the office.  Don't get me wrong, I am not an anti-dentite by any means, but it does seem curious that the original owner of Dr. Mike's was in fact a dentist....Seeing as we are just here for the ice cream, I will let the true detectives uncover this mystery.

Conspiracy or no conspiracy, Dr. Mike's is everything when it comes to ice cream.

We headed down the the shop on May 22nd, the Friday before Memorial Day.  We appeared to be "off hours" and once again did not have to wait in line.  I waited outside with Len because there is no stroller/wheelchair accessibility, nor would we be able to fit in the shop even if there was. Also, because Dr. M's is so small, there is no seating inside the shop.  There really isn't much room to wait for your ice cream inside either. As long as you go on a nice day, you will certainly enjoy the outdoor atmosphere. Otherwise you will most likely be eating your delicious dish in your car.

Do not let the small space dissuade you from taking the trip to Dr. Mike's, however.  The ice cream is well worth it!

Unlike Scoopy Doos, Mike (Sherman) and I are regulars at Dr. M's so there was no need to engage in any research on flavors or toppings prior to our visit.  There are typically 8 flavors available on a given day with staples like "chocolate lace" and some specials that seem to vary and can be somewhat creative.

Historically, Mike does not stray from the house favorite "chocolate lace."  Today was no different. According to Mike, "chocolate lace" is the best because it provides the consumer with competing consistences:  the creaminess of the ice cream and the hard crunchiness of the lace (For those that do not know, the "lace" is a hard candy made by a local candy maker).  I on the other hand, ventured out of my comfort zone and tried "butter praline."  We both chose chocolate sprinkles to top our dishes.

As per usual, the ice cream was amazing.  What makes it amazing?  Well, it's all in the consistency.  Dr. Mike's makes hard ice cream.  It's almost painful trying to spoon out each bite because the ice cream is so hard.  I have a theory that the consistency traps the flavor better than your run of-the-mill soft serve (I have no idea if that makes sense at all!)

Spoon-bendingly delicious

Along with the consistency, we also hypothesize that the limited flavors allow them to be masters at their craft.  It's certainly quality not quantity over there.

Aside from the product itself, it is important to note that the employees are great.  They are always extremely generous with their portions and despite the intense effort it takes to dish out this hard ice cream, they are always so happy.








Overall score:  8.5 out of 10.  Dr. Mike may not be a medical doctor or a doctor of philosophy, but he is certainly an expert on ice cream.  He is a doctor of dairy and I am forever his patient.

First Stop...Scoopy Doo's, Milford, CT

On April 25th, Mike and I ventured out to the town of Milford, located on the 95 corridor in Connecticut.  I have the pleasure of working in Milford a few days a week, so I have the "scoop" (pun intended) on the hot spots in this beach town.

We arrived at Scoopy Doo's around 3:00pm on a Saturday.  It was a beautiful day, so we were surprised that there were only a few other patrons at this quaint little establishment.  Please note, this is not a criticism of Scoopy's.  I was happy to avoid a line as I am very impatient, especially when it comes to food.  I get "hangry."  Anyway, back to business..









Scoopy Doo's is really cute.  It is a tiny brick building nestled behind Broad Street.  Next to the building are a few places to sit and a tree-lined green, which was starting to bloom.  It is also close to the water and the local marina. All and all it is a great place for a family, a couple or someone who enjoys basking in a beach town setting.

 
We checked out the website prior to going and were excited to see an extensive list of flavors (see below).

http://scoopydooice.com/icecream.html

With all of these options, Mike and I felt it necessary to consult the very nice Scoopy employee.  He suggested we go with a signature flavor.  Mike followed the expert recommendation and chose "Swamp."  I on the other hand went with "Cake Batter," which was a pleasant surprise as it is not listed on the website.  

Prices were reasonable for this end of Connecticut.  As far as the ice-cream itself; well, it was good. Neither of us found it to be spectacular by any means.  In fact. we both felt that our flavors were sort of unidentifiable.  Cake Batter basically tasted like Swamp.  More specifically they both tasted like chocolate.  Don't get me wrong though, we are talking about ice cream so it's not like it was gross.  I think that's why critiquing ice cream is hard.  It's ALWAYS good.  It's like picking from the top singers of American Idol!  How do you choose between Justin and Kelly?  It's nearly impossible.  

While flavor wasn't Scoopy Doo's strongest asset.  The texture of the ice cream was rich, toppings were plentiful and the atmosphere was nice.  It is also very important to mention this little tidbit about our experience.  Both Mike and I purchased cones.  We were delighted to find that at the bottom of each cone is a marshmallow.  They place a mallow in each cone to prevent ice cream drip.  Genius.

Overall rating: I'd give it a 6 out of ten. 

Would we go back?  Probably.  Would we take the 50 minute drive from our house specifically for Scoopy Doo's?  Probably not.  Nonetheless, this place is certainly not a Scoopy "Don't."

The beginning...A marriage born from a mutual love of all things delicious

Once upon a time, two young souls crossed paths in the hallowed halls of the country's highest academic institution. The University of Rhode Island.  What started as a simple friendship grew into a college romance full of excitement, newness and nerves.  Ten years later those two souls are the married parents of a 9 month old daughter living and working in Connecticut.  

You may be asking yourself, "What brought these two gems together?"  The honest answer....food. Our relationship was built around a mutual love for all things delicious.  Throughout our time together we have been on many food adventures.  It started all the way back to a bet as to who could eat more at Hooters and has progressed through over 9 countries, hundreds of restaurants, home cooked meals, various ethnic cuisines and maybe a few experiments with juicing.  After ten years our relationship and our love of food is going stronger than ever.  

In July of 2014 we welcomed our daughter Lennon to the world.  Like all new parents we were apprehensive about raising such a delicate little nugget.  Most of all we wondered, "Would she be a picky eater?"  Much to our delight, she appears to have taken after her parents.  Girlfriend loves to eat!  

So what are we doing with this blog?  Well, the answer is easy.  As parents we felt it would nice to start a meaningful family tradition.  Something we could look back on and appreciate.  After much discussion, it came to us.  We would take our love of food and make it into a true adventure!  

Our mission is simple:  Pick a type of food.  Find the best place to get said food.  Take pictures and write about it.  

First stop....Ice cream.