Every day beginning at 11:00 am and every hour on the hour until sundown,  I hear the ice cream truck chiming the legendary ice cream tune.  You know the one I’m talking about… Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na.

Not only do I hum this song randomly throughout the day, but I’ve also developed permanent brain freeze from the constant craving for the lovely butterfat cool sweet.  Inspiring my latest post… ice cream.

Can you think of anything more refreshing then a scoop of ice cream on a hot day? Me neither!  This summer in particular I’ve had a hard time resisting the sweet stuff, especially when it’s fresh, homemade and churning right before your eyes.

You’ll be screaming too – from the heavy cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, fruit and ripples of hot fudge; add a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkled with nuts and loads of chocolate pieces “smooshed-in” – oh yeah!

That’s how Herrell’s does it in Northampton, Mass.  New Englanders beware – you’ll get hooked fast on the pure goodness they’re dishing out.

You’ll also want to scoop up Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, first housed in a vintage ice cream truck that traveled the streets of CT and NY in their early days.  They’ve multiplied into a couple of storefronts and added a few more ice cream trucks for your eating pleasure.  Check their website for daily scooting whereabouts.

Do try the pistachio ice cream made with imported pistachio cream straight from Bronte, Italy – it’s the secret ingredient that makes your wait in line so worth it.

If you’re feeling a little guilty while slurping up all this ice cream, perhaps a little history will help those calories go down easier.  The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia mixes history and good ole fashioned ice cream, making your visit one awesome blast from the past!

The Berely brothers have kept the ice cream parlor steeped rich in tradition, from the name – straight from the inventor of ice cream himself – Ben Franklin – to the soda jerks dressed in the traditional garb; serving up frosty cold cream sweets like Mt. Vesuvius sundae.  Whichever ice cream flavor you decide on here – it is sure to be a treat.

I can’t seem to get enough of the ice custard from Rita’s Ice Custard Happiness.

I visit this ice cream parlor weekly to get my fix. One is never enough.  I’m partial to the vanilla ice custard laden with warm caramel sauce.

The Gelati has everyone in the neighborhood squealing for more and I can see why… a generous layer of ice custard, followed by a layer of Italian ice, then topped off with another layer of ice custard.  You start dreaming about this stuff, in that same order.

After this summer’s ice cream extravaganza, I’m addicted to the frosty sugary substance. So much so, I’ll be screaming for it well into the fall, winter and spring – gulping it all down before it melts.  I’ll be well prepared for next summer!