By Tony Fazio –
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. I have a thing for really good ice cream.
When I was a little boy, my grandmother would make homemade ice cream with fresh fruit. I have been searching for the best ice cream ever since. In San Francisco I found it at Mitchell’s Ice Cream.
I was fortunate years ago to have been asked by a friend, who was a reporter for the Bay Guardian, to be a judge in an ice cream tasting panel. The panel met twice – once to test chocolate and once to test vanilla. We blind tested 20 different brands in each group that could be purchased in San Francisco. Mitchell’s Ice Cream was judged to be the best in both categories.
Mitchell’s opened its doors June 6, 1953. The brothers Larry and Jack Mitchell started serving ice cream at their new location in San Francisco and have been there ever since. The family still owns and operates the one and only store and has refused many offers to turn it into a chain.
Mitchell’s ice cream starts with a 16% butterfat base. It is made fresh daily the old fashioned way with a traditional batch freezer. They have four different flavor categories and over 77 different taste sensations.
One of the best things about Mitchell’s is the seasonal flavors. I have tried every one of them and they are all truly outstanding. The pumpkin and eggnog is marvelous during the winter months and the peach and cantaloupe are to die for in the summer months – perfect for a hot day.
Any time you drive by this small and friendly establishment you will find people lined up and waiting out the doors. Even on cold and rainy days, you know something special is being served.
Mitchell’s Ice Cream is located at 688 San Jose Ave. in San Francisco. Phone number is (415) 648-2300. Web site is http://www.mitchellsicecream.com.
