Review: Velvet Ice Cream

I recently decided to make a trip to Utica, OH (middle of nowhere OH) to visit the home of Velvet Ice Cream.  Velvet Ice Cream has a history of hard work and elbow grease.  In 1914, the original developer and owner, Joseph Dager, opened his first ice cream shop in the basement of his home. Over the next 50 years the business expanded, and in 1960 the Dager family (third generation) bought the Ye Olde Mill, an old grist mill built in 1817.  After restoring the mill, it became the new headquarters of Velvet Ice Cream.  Today the Mill houses a visitors’ center, ice cream museum, restaurant, and ice cream shop.

When we first arrived, my family and I took a tour of the factory and mill.  The Mill sits on a green, tree-filled piece of land that would be great for a family picnic on a nice day.  There are several activities offered on the weekends, and during the week you can view the ice cream production. It didn’t take long for us to walk through the Mill.  They have several antique (old) ice cream machines on display.  It was neat to see how ice cream used to be made.  After touring, we sat down for some lunch in the restaurant.  Simple but good.  You can order root beer or sarsaparilla on tap. Yum!

On to the ice cream. The majority of Velvet Ice Cream is Philadelphia-style ice cream (my kind of ice cream), but there are also a few custard ice creams available in the shop for those french-style addicts.  I chose to sample the Cookies and Cream ice cream.  I often find this flavor to be a great taste tester because it allows me to try some sweet cream or vanilla ice cream and also have a few cookies to go along with it.  Upon first impression, the ice cream had a good flavor but tasted and felt milky.  You may say, “Well that makes sense, its made from milk,” but when ice cream melts on my tongue, I want it to have a little texture and taste like cream, not melt instantly and taste like milk.  Despite not tasting creamy enough, it had a good balance of sweetness and a nice cookie taste.  The staff provided me with a big scoop to enjoy (the picture below is single).  I also tried my husband’s ice cream, Chocolate peanut butter.  The chocolate was not dark enough for me, kind of tasted like cocoa powder, but he enjoyed it.  So overall I give the ice cream a B+ but the whole experience an A. 

Velvet Ice Cream
11324 SR-13
Utica, OH 43080
www.velveticecream.com