With summer right around the corner, Team Schwabe undertook the difficult, yet oh so satisfying, task of determining the best ice cream in Seattle. This is one dispute that we would gladly settle again.
The Test
Over 20 brave and hungry volunteers donated their tummies and taste buds to participate in our highly scientific test. We asked our eager test subjects to sample 21 frozen delicacies from Seattle ice cream and frozen custard shops. From each of the seven shops, we tasted one vanilla, one chocolate and one specialty flavor.
This was a blind taste test, so none of the testers knew which brand he or she was tasting. Volunteers were then asked to rate each one on a scale of one to 10 based on taste and consistency/texture. Each volunteer selected his or her favorite vanilla, chocolate and specialty flavor. The votes were tallied and Team Schwabe declared the winners.
A side note: We tasted both ice cream and frozen custard. We learned that to be marketed as frozen custard, a product must contain at least 10% milk fat and 1.4% egg yolk solids. The frozen custards tended to be smoother and creamier.
The Contenders (in alphabetical order)
Baskin Robbins: This is the ice cream shop that many of us grew up on, and we all have our favorite of the 31 flavors. This well-known ice cream shop was created by two ice cream loving brothers-in-law nearly 75 years ago. There are over 20 locations in Seattle. We chose butter pecan as our specialty flavor. Go to www.baskinrobbins.com for the location in your neighborhood.
Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream and Tea Room: Bluebird is fairly new to the Seattle ice cream scene and it is already the favorite of many. One of the reasons why we love Bluebird is because its ingredients are almost all locally sourced and organic whenever possible. Flavors are based on the season and change frequently. We chose snickerdoodle as our specialty flavor. Bluebird is located at 1205 E. Pike St., Seattle, 206-588-1079, www.bluebirdseattle.blogspot.com.
Full Tilt Ice Cream: Full Tilt was started a few years ago by husband-and-wife team Justin Cline and Ann Magyar. Full Tilt has a fun and funky atmosphere and the flavors are out of this world. On the day we stopped in to collect our test materials, they were sold out of Oaxacan chocolate, a flavor packed with lots of chocolate and chocolate-covered grasshoppers. Although we fancy ourselves brave testers, we were just as happy to select ube (a purple yam) for our specialty flavor. Full Tilt has three locations. We purchased our goodies at the White Center store located at 629 16th Ave. SW, 206-767-4811, www.fulltilticecream.com.
Husky Deli: Husky Deli has been making ice cream for about 75 years. Husky Deli has dozens of delicious ice cream flavors, including Husky flake and Swiss chocolate orange. They also make delicious sandwiches and soup. We selected Nutella as our specialty flavor. Husky Deli is located at 4721 California Ave. SW, 206-937-2810, www.huskydeli.com.
Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream: Molly Moon’s opened its first location in the Wallingford neighborhood in spring of 2008. The Seattle ice cream scene has never looked back. Molly Moon’s features local and seasonal ingredients to create delicious ice creams. The flavors range from simple, but incredibly delicious chocolate ice cream made with Theo’s Chocolate to the wilder strawberry balsamic. We chose the salted caramel as our specialty flavor. Molly Moon’s has three locations. We stopped into the Wallingford shop located at 1622 N. 45th St., 206-547-5105, www.mollymoons.com.
Old School Frozen Custard: Old School opened its first location in 2007. Old School makes fresh frozen custard every day. It always has vanilla, chocolate and one very special flavor of the day. We were lucky enough to try the juicy lemon. Old School boasts that its frozen custards contain fewer calories than ice cream. We sure did not miss those extra calories. Old School has two locations. We purchased our delicious treats at the Capitol Hill store located at 1316 E. Pike St., 206-324-2586, www.oldschoolfrozencustard.com.
Peaks Frozen Custard: Peaks opened its doors in Seattle in April 2008. Just about everything at this family-owned business is made from scratch at its shop. The ingredients are local whenever possible and their methods are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Every day Peaks makes vanilla, chocolate and two specialty flavors. We chose root beer float as our specialty flavor. Peaks is located at 1026 N.E. 65th Street #A101, 206-588-2701, www.peaksfrozencustard.com.
The Results
Vanilla: The hands-down favorite of our trusty testers was Peaks Frozen Custard. Testers described this frozen custard as “silky,” “smooth and creamy,” with a “buttery flavor that lingered.”
Other testers loved Bluebird’s “classic vanilla bean flavor” and “velvety” consistency. And, for some of our testers, Baskin Robbins vanilla ice cream was a familiar favorite. One tester reminisced that it reminded her of “ice cream that my grandmother made!”
Chocolate: Our testers again raved about Peaks Frozen Custard. Testers described this frozen custard as having a “very deep chocolate taste,” “great texture with a rich chocolate taste,” and of course “very smooth and creamy.” One taster said the flavor reminded her of a Fudgsicle.
Other testers loved Molly Moon’s Theo’s Chocolate ice cream. Testers described this ice cream as having a “powerful chocolate flavor” and “excellent chocolate flavor and smooth consistency.” One taster said this ice cream reminded him of a “dark chocolate tart” and loved the “complexity of the flavor.”
Our testers also loved Bluebird’s chocolate ice cream. Testers “loved the chocolate chunks!!” and the “nutty and delicious” flavor. One tester rated this ice cream as “My favorite of all the ice cream flavors. DELISH. #1.”
Specialty Flavor: Our testers had a dispute about their favorite specialty flavor. We had a tie between Husky Deli’s Nutella and Old School Frozen Custard’s juicy lemon. Testers described Husky Deli’s Nutella as “super,” “creamy,” and “yum!” and “double yum!!” One tester said it tasted “like eating a cup of cocoa!” Old School Frozen Custard’s juicy lemon was described as “delish!” “super lemon,” and “really good!” One taster said the flavor reminded him of a “lemon chiffon pie.”
Testers also loved Full Tilt’s ube ice cream. This flavor was described as “smooth and delicious,” “really delicious!” and “creamy goodness.” One tester said that this ice cream tasted like “purple butterscotch.”
Final Thoughts
We all had our favorites and this dispute may still be ongoing. But we can certainly say that we enjoyed being guinea pigs and would gladly volunteer for this test again.
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a multiservice, Northwest regional law firm with offices in Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and Bend. For comments on this article, or to share your favorite places to eat or drink with the Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt attorneys, contact Jennifer Campbell at jcampbell@schwabe.com; see also www.schwabe.com/dining_out.aspx.
Originally published in the July 2011 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of the King County Bar Association.
