The Novelty of the American Ice Cream Cone

BZ

Every American has fond memories involving ice cream parlors. It is almost a requirement of citizenship. Whether you’re keeping it local with Mitchell’s in Cleveland, or going corporate with Dairy Queen, ice cream is one thing that all Americans can agree on. It’s delicious. Everyone loves it. Inarguable. However, in my later, adolescent years, I noticed that I had come away from my traditional, American affinity for ice cream. It took a late night run to DQ for an ice cream cone with some friends to celebrate an Eagles football win for me to realize the goodness of it.

I will admit that when my fellow journalist Luke Godlewski suggested that we get some cones I was slightly taken aback. After all, I’m a grown man. Do you really expect me to eat an ice cream cone? I was letting toxic masculinity get in the way of things. At any rate, I ordered myself a cherry-dipped cone, and let me assure you, dear reader, that it was enjoyed with abandon. I had forgotten the felicity that comes with enjoying an ice cream cone, and with a price of just over three dollars, it is a sensation that is hard to beat. Surpassing the cherry dipped, with its gloriously comforting, artificial, chemical fruit flavor, Dairy Queen specifically is an American confectionary staple, full of other creamy desserts including the world-renowned Blizzard. These items further the reality that The Queen is a venue that has an ice cream treat for everyone and should not be written off as a dessert-one-trick-pony.

There is something beautiful about the simplicity of the ice cream cone (pronounced ice-CREAM-cone). Especially coming from DQ, the three, creamy swirls in a crispy, light cone, covered in a smooth, flavorful coating, is particularly inviting. Ice cream is something that all people can unite under and enjoy regardless of age, gender or political mantra. If you have a taste for ice cream but want something a bit more adventurous than the traditional cone, Dairy Queen has another option which goes unsung: the Royal Blizzard, which is a blizzard with a core of chocolate, or other fillings. The Oreo Royal Blizzard is something that maintains the childlike joy of ice cream while incorporating sophisticated, richer flavors into an inventive treat. In addition to a cherry dipped cone, the Royal Blizzard is something that feels like a warm hug, despite the icy sensation of the cream itself. Dairy Queen has proven itself to be an epicenter for dessert flavor, innovation and nostalgia that I would recommend for anyone, especially if they are in need of an ice cream cone.

LG

As any self-respecting Midwesterner knows, ice cream is perhaps one of the most sacred events possible, pertinent year round, rain, snow or shine. Did you really celebrate a birthday, or a good report card, or a church league basketball victory, or simply getting through the work week properly if you didn’t cap it off with a tasty ice cream treat? Throughout my life, there has been one parlor that stands alone, lightyears and dairy farms ahead of the rest. Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream. The name alone evokes hordes of endless memories for many a Clevelander. I can’t think of a more magical place than the local Mitchell’s ice cream shop. As soon as you open its doors, the first thing you notice is the sweet aroma of freshly made waffle cones, followed subsequently by the buzz of the eternally-running model train that hums overhead. Fellow columnist Ben Zangas stated it perfectly when he said, “they should sell a Mitchell’s scented candle.” That nostalgia inducing smell is only the tip of the iceberg, however. I can confidently say that I’ve never encountered a company that has so thoroughly perfected a product as Mitchell’s has honed their ice cream. The product at Pete and Mike Mitchell’s Cleveland based franchises is stupidly simple, but unmistakably delicious. There truly is no signature menu item at Mitchell’s, which might be part of what makes it so special. There are dozens of flavors to choose from, spanning from staples such as Caramel Fudge Brownie to seasonal offerings like Tiramisu to more eccentric flavors like Wildberry Crumble. They all share one thing in common; each flavor is made using only the freshest local ingredients. This can often be a stale and empty statement in the restaurant industry, but there really is a noticeable freshness in Mitchell’s ice cream. There truly is not a single flavor at Mitchell’s that is bad. They have been unbelievably consistent in their product and identity for over two decades in northeast Ohio. In the 15 years I’ve lived in Ohio, I have never, ever been disappointed in an ambitiously scooped waffle cone, hand-spun malt, or a simply handsome and picturesque cup of ice cream. There truly is no surpassing Mitchell’s, my undisputed king of Cleveland ice cream.

JC

Lastly, I think we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the longest lasting ice cream manufacturer in Northeast Ohio, beating out even Dairy Queen in years of business, Malley’s Ice Cream. Starting very locally with its spot on the corner of Madison and Virginia in Lakewood, everyone and their mother (and grandmother for that matter) has eaten at Malley’s before. I’ve been going to Malley’s ever since I was very young, and it has always had an old-school, comfortable atmosphere, with the feel of the 1950s, especially because they always played 1950s music. My grandma is probably the biggest proponent of Malley’s in the Cleveland area, and in my youth, and still to this day, she would always turn a baseball game or even just a regular day into a trip to Malley’s. All of this, and I haven’t even talked about the ice cream yet. While Malley’s isn’t as big on ice cream cones per se, their ice cream is still off the charts. Whether you go with the classic hot fudge sundae or the delicious Sweet William, there’s something for everyone at Malley’s. With their delicious hot fudge and subtly sweet whipped cream, these toppings, made in house, perfectly top off the rich flavors of any of the ice creams. A final highlight of Malley’s is their large selection of chocolates, right as you walk in the place. They are equally as delicious as the ice cream flavors. 

BZ

To reiterate, ice cream is a treat that is made for all people, regardless of social status, and with the several options available within the Cleveland area, it should be understood that to go on living without ice cream, life would simply not be as sweet. My fellow writers and I implore all readers to go out and get a cone from any of the establishments we have written about in this article, as well as any supplier of ‘cream in the region. Despite coming ever closer to the days of harsh winter, ice cream is something that brings happiness from young to old, rich to poor, and even to the lactose intolerant. But perhaps the cherry-on-top to conclude these claims is that ice cream unifies all people. The world would be a better place if all people sat down, friends and enemies alike, to enjoy a cold, welcoming, and above all, delicious Ice Cream Cone.