“Let’s moooooooo-ve on over to the moooooo-vie!”
We were the only childless couple. A cheerful (or miserable?) tour guide lead bouncing littles, their parents and us through the brightly colored halls of where dreams are made—or at least mine are. In honor of the cows that produce the delicious milk used in the manufacturing of the legendary ice-cream, “m-o”s were drawn out. Every single word containing an “m-o” for the whole half-hour tour. Did I mention we were the only adults unaccompanied by kiddos? If you’ve ever watched Sesame Street, it was a little like a song they used to sing: “One of these things is not like the other…”
It was also hilarious.
That was February four years ago when Ski Gypsy Man and I were on one of our many adventures. The Ben and Jerry’s factory happens to be one that I hold dear. Aside from the fact that it lies in the heart of Vermont‘s ski country, the allure of ice-cream certainly holds my attention. Tucked away in Waterbury, off the Scenic Route 100 Byway (also known as The Skier’s Highway) it’s a must stop attraction. For kids young and—ahem—very old, the tour offers the chance to see the factory in action, learn about the company’s history and gorge on samples.
This time we were back in the sweltering heat of July, a far cry from the chilly winter day when we first visited. Other differences were also staggering: swarms of children and adults alike, a large line for ice-cream and vendor trucks galore. That being said, it’s likely that most visitors find an icre-cream factory a more appropriate summer rather than winter destination. Weirdos.
Apart from the delicious mound of frozen dairy product I promptly shoved in my face (thank goodness for running!), I was wildly entertained by the Flavor Graveyard. You heard correctly, this is indeed the final resting place of ice-cream flavors come and gone. Rumour has it that they’re occasionally resurrected. How morbidly delicious.
For those interested, I chose a limited edition flavor this visit: “Scotchy Scotch Scotch”. For the Anchorman obsessed such as myself, it is the most perfect, tasty homage to Ron Burgundy’s drink of choice. In this case, milk was not a bad choice.
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If you do happen to make your way down Route 100, I would strongly recommend going during ski season. When/if you do, please say hello to some of my favourite resorts: Okemo, Mount Snow, Killington, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, Stowe and Jay Peak.
Winter is coming,