Weird ice cream place in North Carolina?

February 16, 2007 10:09 PM

I'm trying to remember the name of an ice cream shop in Asheville, NC, or thereabouts. I was there in 2002, I believe. They used a big machine that loudly pulverized your ice cream flavor and toppings together, and then extruded it like soft serve. Is this place still around? I got the feeling that it was kind of like a franchise, and that the machines could be found elsewhere. Best ice cream I've ever had.
posted by unknowncommand to food & drink (13 comments total)

We have a similar thing here in Australia called Cold Rock, except it's mashed together by a person on a refrigerated slab of granite instead of by machine. Pretty good icecream but not the best.
posted by polyglot at 11:11 PM on February 16, 2007

The American chain "Coldstone Creamery" does what polyglot describes as well, but no machine.
posted by luriete at 11:30 PM on February 16, 2007

polyglot, there are at least two chains that do the same thing here in the States (Cold Stone and Marble Slab, and I think MaggieMoo's does mix-ins as well), but both lack the big machine aspect.
posted by kindall at 11:39 PM on February 16, 2007

The nearest I've had to that is frozen yoghurt, from a stall in Covent Garden Jubilee Market. You choose the frozen fruit you want to go into it, they put it in the top and, yes, it's pulverized together and served like a soft-scoop in a cup. It tasted just like ice cream.

So it might have been frozen yoghurt. Does that help anyone in Asheville locate the machine?
posted by essexjan at 11:53 PM on February 16, 2007

Was it Kamm's Custard in the old Grove Arcade? If I remember correctly, I first went in 2002 as well. The only other place in Asheville that I can think of that mixes your flavors/toppings is Marble Slab.
posted by mewithoutyou at 12:00 AM on February 17, 2007

You can buy a machine to do that at home.

When I was 13, I worked in an ice cream parlour that had a commerical machine like it for the frozen yoghourt (as mentioned above); when making it for myself, I dumped in way more fruit than anything else; the result was delicious and not entirely unhealthy. Not the silliest thing to spend money on...

Though that one does get mixed reviews, and given all the 'sprinkes, nuts, candy...' it's not clear that it'd work with fruit.

Blending your ingredients at the start and taking it out a little too early means comparable results from a standard-issue ice cream maker, for what that's worth.
posted by kmennie at 3:55 AM on February 17, 2007

Ah, it was definitely Kamm's! "Flavor on Demand". I highly recommend it. The machine had some impressive name like Emancipatrex or Destructor56. I think I'll call and ask and see if the machines are anywhere nearer to me. Thanks guys!
posted by unknowncommand at 5:15 AM on February 17, 2007

There was an ice cream shop like this in Naples, FL. They but blocks of ice cream into the machine along with toppings. Best. Ice Cream. Ever!
posted by necessitas at 5:46 AM on February 17, 2007

Not that it is close to North Carolina, but I highly recommend Philadelphia's Scoop DeVille for a similar frozen delicacy.
posted by zachxman at 7:00 AM on February 17, 2007

You're right, necessitas, it *is* blocks of ice cream. I completely forgot that part. Man, I am tempted to drive to Philadelphia if it's the same.
posted by unknowncommand at 7:12 AM on February 17, 2007

Canadians enjoy a similar treat, but with yogurt, at Yogen Fruz
posted by seawallrunner at 9:02 AM on February 17, 2007

Ditto on zachxman's Scoop DeVille recommendation. Their device looks more like those earth-drillers with the giant threaded cone on one end. But the end result it fantastic. Scoop DeVille offers about a million different ice cream and mix-in combinations. I'm awfully partial to mint chocolate chip with mint oreo, myself.
posted by shiu mai baby at 10:18 AM on February 20, 2007

*is* fantastic, *is* fantastic, dammit. This is why I'm not a proofreader by trade.
posted by shiu mai baby at 10:29 AM on February 20, 2007