I Dream of Creemee

Cree-mee in the Rain, a Cree-mee in the Rain....

2010-06-24T18:50:00.009-04:00

The problem with having no windows at my desk is that this afternoon, as I was wrapping up before a four-day weekend, I was blissfully unaware that the greater Burlington area was entrenched in a classic summer torrential downpour. The good thing about these rains is that they're almost always over within a half-hour and the sun is back out. Had I bothered to look out the window I might have just delayed my departure, but alas, I had already shut down my computerand packed up my stuff. No stopping now.

After fighting my way through the Winooski traffic circle (which, by the way, I'm nominating for the most ridiculous intersection in all of Vermont - what idiot puts traffic lights in a rotary??? Grumble. Anyway.), I passed this new creemee truck on Riverside Ave. that I've been eyeballing for a few weeks.

Through my fogged up windshield, I saw a sign that said, "Free Creemees 4-6 p.m. June 24-July 1." That's today! Riverside Ave. not being the most scenic place to enjoy a creemee anyway, I figured no better time than to try the place when it was a) free and b) pouring.

I felt a little sheepish darting out of my car to the truck, which mercifully had an awning by the window - after all, what fat kid absolutely must have a creemee with weather like this? The guy inside obviously didn't expect visitors, so after a minute of standing there I tapped on the window. He gave me a big smile and asked what flavor I wanted.

He was so nice I couldn't bring myself to comment on the fact that among the available flavors were cheesecake, coffee and cream, and tropical something-or-other. Anyone who's read this blog knows that I don't consider it a creemee unless it's chocolate, vanilla, or maple. I ordered coffee cream. It came in a cup - cones are forthcoming, he promised. They're trying to start slow, offering free creemees to help get the word out. I can respect that. Food next week, too. Righteous.

I darted back to my car and as I ate the rain let up, just as I suspected. The creemee had a nice consistency, not too rich but not icy. I definitely could have done without the flavoring - I wonder if I could have just ordered plain vanilla without the swirly gook. By the time I got back home, the sun had come out and steam was rising off the myriad puddles in my potholed street. Turns out my random little pit stop had been perfectly-timed! Creemee saves the day again.

Creemee Win. Well, Not Really.

2010-05-07T13:52:00.004-04:00

As much as I talked a big game yesterday, I really didn't plan on going back to Benny's today. I wasn't holding a grudge or anything, it's just that I've been trying really hard to reign in my diet and lose the 10 pounds I've gained as a result of a knee injury. Surprisingly, creemees are not part of the plan.

But I had to be at work at 5 a.m., which meant quitting time was just after lunch, AND it is gorgeous and sunny out, AND, as I've mentioned before, Benny's is on my way home.

After today's visit, I may hold a bit of a grudge.

I showed up solo this time (sorry, Cheryl!) and asked for a creemee. "We only have vanilla today," she said.

Fortunately for her, that's what I had in mind. I ordered a small vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. "$2.50," she said.

I'm sorry, $2.50? for a SMALL? I know times are tough. But I'm certain I paid less than $2.00 last year. "They're $2.50 this year?" I asked. That was meant to be a rhetorical question, as I was already going back into my wallet for a third dollar bill. The woman at the counter huffed. "You know what? I'll take the $2.00," she said impatiently.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I really wasn't looking for a handout. Sure, I don't like spending $2.50 on a small creemee, but it's not like I can't afford the extra $.50.

"No, it's fine," she said. The elderly women behind me who were waiting on their french fries congratulated me on getting such a good deal.

It gets better. The man who made my creemee, the same guy who told us they weren't ready yesterday, stuck his thumb through my cone by mistake. His solution? Put the broken cone inside a second cone. I ask you, have you ever tried to eat a creemee with two cones? I didn't think so. That's because most people, when they stick their thumbs through something you're going to put in your mouth, they make you a new one. I'm just saying.

For the record, eating a double-coned creemee is extraordinarily unstable and not nearly as satisfying as eating two creemees, which I support whole-heartedly.

I'm going to chalk yesterday and today's mishaps up to early-season kinks. It is still a mighty convenient and pretty place to get a creemee. I will probably go back there sometime this summer, but I'm definitely not in a hurry.

Creemee Fail.

2010-05-06T13:27:00.006-04:00

Well, the 2010 creemee season is off to a roaring start. My friend and colleague Cheryl and I were very excited a few weeks ago to see the Benny's by the Jets snack truck reappear at the bottom of the hill between Limekiln Road and Airport Parkway in Colchester (I think it's still Colchester, anyway)

Their sign boldly proclaimed, "Opening 5-6!" Cheryl invited me and a few other colleagues for an opening day creemee roadtrip. Hell, we even used our intra-office electronic calendars to make it an official off-site meeting!

Sadly only Cheryl and I were able to attend, but the joke was on us. Under partly sunny, partly blackening skies, we stepped up to the window and asked for two creemees. The nice man behind the counter said "Oh no! I knew you two were going to ask for creemees. We were running a bit behind and we didn't get to prep the machine. We have everything but creemees."

We looked around at the other customers happily munching on their hotdogs and french fries, all satisfied and happy. We almost cried. We explained to him about the sign, and how we put it in our calendar and everything, but to no avail. We were not going to have our creemee today. He promised us they would be ready the next day and implored us to return. We will, I'm sure, but I do have to question whether I can support any establishment that does not put cleaning the creemee machine at the TOP of their list.

Editor's note: photo by Cheryl Willoughby of the gang at Benny's last summer. A much more carefree, happier time when the creemees flowed freely).

I Will Mock You if You Order Flavorburst

2009-09-18T15:13:00.004-04:00

I just returned from taking a newish colleague out for a creemee. Actually, we were out driving around so Peter could practice recording audio in a moving car for a story he's doing next week.

Since summer is waning I suggested we drive to the creemee stand, and proceeded to tell him the long and sordid history of our traditional workplace creemee runs.

As we got in line he commented on all of the various Flavorburst options. I explained to him that if he were to order a Flavorburst cone that he would most certainly be mocked by me and our other colleagues. At which point, right on cue, the old lady in front of us at line turned around, holding a giant red and white Flavorburst cone. Maybe she didn't hear me.

Peter ordered chocolate.

The Magical Taper and Decreased Creemee Consumption

2008-05-06T17:29:00.003-04:00

Dear Readers,

I have a few reports to write up, but please excuse me if I have no new creemee adventures to document over the next few weeks. I'm training once again for the Vermont City Marathon on May 25. Long-distance running is one of the great joys in my life, both for the sheer fun and endorphin high of running itself, and because it allows me to pretty much eat whatever I want.

Not necessarily in that order. Let's face it: it's really all about the snacks.

My hard training culminated in my final 20-mile run last weekend, however, I have now embarked on what is possibly the most difficult part of a training program: the taper. That's the three (or so) weeks that you reduce your mileage and let your body rest and heal before the race. In theory, it's a great idea. In practice, it pretty much sucks. Sure, I have more time to sleep and enjoy the spring weather, but what they don't tell you is that this new-found freedom often comes with feelings of restlessness and anxiety. You're so used to running 30-40 miles a week that your body just doesn't know what to do with itself.

The reason I am telling you all of this is because during the taper period I also have to watch my diet carefully. I don't want to gain weight that I then would have to carry along for 26.2 miles in a few short weeks. See where I'm going with this? No creemees for me. Well, that may be an overstatement. Far fewer creemees for me. All the more reason to hate the taper.

So go out there and knock back a few for me, please, and I'll report back after the marathon. Email your creemee stand reviews to idreamofcreemee at gmail dot com. And thanks!

Office Hijinx

2008-04-22T17:14:00.005-04:00

When it comes to conspicuous creemee consumption (and, let's face it, everything else really), I am not a woman known for her subtlety. During the recent spate of warm, sunny, gorgeous spring days, many of my office interactions have gone something like this: my friend Jonathan sends me an email about carpooling to a work function because it's the "green" thing to do. I reply, "Awesome. Are creemees green?"

If no such opportunity to slip creemees into a conversation presents itself, I've taken to stalking Jonathan at his desk, which is situated behind a floor-to-ceiling shelf of CDs. I sneak up and peer at him through the shelves, and start whispering loudly "creeeeeemeeeee....." until he gets his keys. If that doesn't work, I'll start mumbling and muttering about creemees to Dan, who has the formidable task of sharing an office with me.

It doesn't usually take much convincing, and we spent many a sunny afternoon last summer sneaking out to get creemees at Ray's Seafood, which is around the corner from our office. I took to calling it the Great Creemee Escape.* We did it so often I never bothered to blog about it, as I always figured I'd get the next one. So what better way to inaugurate the 2008 season than to report on Ray's Seafood?

Ray's is on the corner of Susie Wilson Road and Pinecrest Drive in Essex Junction. They have an outdoor creemee window in the front, which of course is always the preferred way to enjoy a cone. It's especially handy at Ray's Seafood, because as the name suggests, they sell seafood, so the inside of the restaurant smells heavily of fish. I like fish, but I'm not really a fan of smelling it.

Their cones are a bit small for the price. A baby will run you a dollar, but you get a cone a little bigger than a golf ball. The smalls are a good size for a weekday afternoon, maybe tennis ball-sized. They're about $1.60. Sprinkle application is good - not fantastic, and the consistency of the creemee is pretty good too, maybe a little grainy at times. They do offer sundaes and other concoctions, including that God-awful Flavor Burst gel, but loyal readers already know my biases when it comes to that.

All in all, Ray's serves up a decent creemee. Not the best I've ever had by a long shot, but it's convenient and hits the spot when you're stuck at the office on a nice day.

*I should note that we do not really have to slip out undetected. We rarely take lunch breaks, and our schedules are fairly flexible. However, I have been regaled with stories about staffers literally climbing out windows to get creemees under a former manager. In fact, I think it is my humble office window that facilitated the escapes!

Will Bike for Creemees

2007-08-23T22:06:00.000-04:00

Morgan of the blog Montpelier Matters found I Dream of Creemee via the Rutland Herald earlier this week and sent me an email including his recent post about perhaps one of the most perfect, symbiotic summer traditions: the creemee accessed by bicycle:

"Although my blog post is not a really creemee report per se -- certainly not a complete report anyway, just in case it is of interest (by the way, if and when I am able to do so, I will try to blog up a more complete report sometime; plus I have not yet blogged about the Morse Farm creemee ride yet, nor have was I able to do one for the Route 2 Creemee stand [ i.e., the former DQ], as when I went there, I did not have cash and they do not take credit or debit cards. Will try it both when I have cash on hand and I ride by there sometime next, etc.), fyi:

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Montpelier Matters blog

Local Creemee Rides: http://montpelier-vt.blogspot.com/2007/08/local-creemee-rides.html

Last month I was out of state visiting with a friend as well as with family members. During my third and final week of visiting I stayed with one of my cousins for a two nights and he ended up giving me a bicycle -- one very nice road bike -- which originally belonged to a mutual aunt of ours.

Due to having not ridden a bicycle in about twelve years prior to receiving this bike, I am taking my time and being careful not to over do it too quickly in doing a lot of riding.

However, when the weather was more cooperative one day last week I did manage to take a creemee ride out to the Bragg Farm, located in East Montpelier - about a mile out on Route 14 North from the East Montpelier general store. Never had a creemee there before and it certainly was well worth it and, I am not someone who gets creemees much, especially given that I usually prefer hard serve ice cream. The ride was great and I even made the hill that leads to the place, never having to stop along the way, yet making sure I drank water when needed while riding.

By the way, for those whose favorite for Maple creemees is Morse Farm, not to worry as I intend to ride up there too -- maybe early this evening, if I am able to do so anyway.

I am sort of surprised that thus far none of these creemee stands (i.e., Morse, Bragg and the former DQ in Montpelier) are really bike friendly, since none of them seem to have bike racks one can put one's bike and lock them up (especially for those bikes like mine that are not only very valuable (and are therefore a worry to become stolen if one walks about a little to tour the place) but also do not have a kick stand, etc.). If they were to become more bike friendly, they would attract more bicyclists on a regular basis and not just drive-in's by motorists. It is just a thought."

Creemees, Fame and Fortune...

2007-08-21T11:15:00.000-04:00

Well, almost. Creemees? Of course. Fame? Possibly...at least in that sort-of creepy Internet sort of way. Fortune? I wish - creemee-reviewing is a losing proposition, even at just a buck-fifty a pop.

Anyway, I was very excited to find out that my humble little blog was noted in today's Rutland Herald!

Perhaps I should start updating more often....don't forget to send me your reviews at idreamofcreemee@gmail.com!

Gas Station Goodness

2007-08-03T13:59:00.000-04:00

Jolley Mini Mart is at 977 Shelburne Rd., South Burlington (on the southbound side of Route 7; though on my way back I think I saw another Jolley with a creemee sign on the northbound side, just south of this one).

In my travels I've always been a bit wary of gas station mini-marts purporting to deal in creemees...like somehow the very practice of selling a creemee under the Exxon-Mobil or Shell name rapes it of the quirky authenticity we so cherish here in Vermont.

But this afternoon was no time to pull the liberal, tax-hiking, government expanding, latte-drinking, Volvo-driving, New York Times reading anti-corporation, holier-than-thou routine. I was stuck in lunchtime traffic on the notorious Shelburne Road, struggling to get my 12-year-old Subaru's air conditioning to provide me some small shred of relief in today's 90-degree heat and humidity. Stopped at yet another traffic light, I saw a giant creemee-shaped sign shimmering like a beacon of hope. Heck, the sign was even spelled Cree-mee! I mean, I'm a little confused about the hyphen (does it assist out-of-staters with pronunciation?), but hey, there are four e's aren't there?

Three turns, two lanes of traffic and a few lights later, I popped into the Jolley (Mobil) mini-mart on the southbound side of Shelburne Road. Feeling way more out of place than a girl ever should in a cloned mini-mart, I ordered a small vanilla cone from the underage, slightly ornery woman at the counter (ah, now I feel at home!).

I am pleased to report that I am pleasantly surprised by my first gas station creemee! It was $1.64 and the ice cream part was probably about 5 inches tall. Having endured my share of driving on a hot day-related creemee disasters, I was half expecting the creemee to not only be not up to snuff, but melting all over my car. But it delivered even on that crucial element by holding up wonderfully, non-cooperative air conditioning and all. The only time I got dripped on was in eating the very bottom part of the cone - but I'm going to attribute that to consumer error.

My only problem with the experience was that it was a bit on the sweet side, even for a creemee. But it did the trick, and I was cooled enough to make it home without crying or whining too much.

Review: Goodie's - West Addison

2007-06-22T20:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my dear friend and former roomie Jefe for scouting Goodie's and contributing this blog's first review!

Goodie's is on Route 17 in West Addison*, VT, across from the Addison General Store.

Price of a small or regular cone: $1.65
Size of a small cone: Huge. Including cone, approx. 10". A medium would be too much, even for me, Jeff says.
Flavors: Vanilla, chocolate, twist & one rotating flavor (includes maple, orange, etc.)**
Sprinkle Aptitude: I don't know, no one ordered sprinkles while I was there.
Other Fare: Full food menu (burgers, fries, veggie burgers...)
Creemee Impression: Damn good. The creemee was served very cold so held its form with less than average melting on a very hot day.
Other Impressions: Staffed by very nice and helpful high school girls, ample outdoor seating.

*It should be noted that Jeff (Jefe) is a member of The Grift, whose routes are in Addison County, Vermont. Should you visit this fine establishment, the soundtrack most certainly should be Check One, an ode to West Addison (and the venerable deuce-deuce, Route 22A). Barring that, Aerosmith's "My Big Ten Inch" would do just fine.

**Editor's Note: Full disclosure here. I think orange and blackberry should be permanently banned from the creemee flavor rotation. Maple is the only acceptable flavor option aside from vanilla and chocolate, in my opinion. And don't even get me started on those "Flavor Burst" cones that have that toothpaste-like gel swirled all over the cone. Blech! Okay, now you know my biases.

Back in Action: How to Help

2007-06-03T15:51:00.000-04:00

Hey again everyone,

Rest assured I've eaten my share of creemees since my last post, but a preoccupation with running the Vermont City Marathon prevented me from providing any new updates. With training now behind me, I shall turn my attention to my other favorite sport: creemee eating. Okay...I meant that as a little joke, but I'm giggling at the prospect of spring training for such an athlete. What sort of drills would you practice?

1. Eating with proper form so that the cone doesn't melt all over your hand.
2. Driving while eating (extra points for a stick shift and for putting on your seatbelt without spilling)
3. Ice cream headache: prevention and treatment

Anyhow, I promised I'd post rules on how to help with the research. If you happen upon a creemee stand in your travels or in your own backyard, send an email to idreamofcreemee@gmail.com with the following information:

1. Name of the stand
2. Location (road and town, the more accurate the better so I can add it to the map)
3. Price of a small or regular cone (meaning not a kiddie size)
4. How big a small cone is
5. What flavors they offer
6. If you order sprinkles, do they roll the cone in them, or do they pour them feebly over the cone so that you barely get any, wondering what you paid that extra $.50 for?
7. What else does the creemee stand offer in the way of snacks and frozen treats?
Your general impression of the creemee - how was it?
8. Anything else about the experience you think would be interesting or helpful to know.

If you have photos of the stand or of you at the stand, please feel free to send them along to me as well.

Have fun!

C is For Creemee, That's Good Enough For Me

2007-05-14T20:42:00.000-04:00

I’ve had the conversation so many times it’s like an Abbott and Costello routine:

Meesh: "I LOVE creemees!"

Non-Vermont-dwelling friends and family: “But it's just soft serve.”

Meesh: “No...it’s a creemee."

Non-Vermont-dwelling friends and family: “I don't get it. What’s the difference?”

Meesh (slightly exasperated): “It's just…nevermind. It's a Vermont thing. Medium twist with chocolate sprinkles, please.”

That's right, we're talking creemees, my friends. Pronounced “creamy.” Sometimes there are more e's, sometimes fewer. So far as I can tell, there's no direct correlation between the number of e's in the name and the quality of the product itself. In fact, the best creemee I've ever had has just (gasp!) three e's.

And no, I don't know why they spell it like that. But I've only lived here six years. It might be one of those things a native Vermonter whispers to me on my death bed.

Three e’s, seven e’s, or even the occasional exotically-spelled “crème,” there's no other word in the Vermonter's vocabulary can make even the quite grown up among us feel like a 5-year-old on a spontaneous kindergarten field trip. It’s impossible to even say it without your mouth curling into a smile.

I got the idea for this project a few summers ago, after riding with some a friend and her husband to our company picnic in southern Vermont. We were training for a half marathon at the time, and that morning we had done an 8-miler, a new high for me at the time. As we wound our way through the back roads of Woodstock on our way back to I-89, starving, squinting in the July sunshine, my friend and I looked at each other, wide-eyed, and simultaneously yelled “creemee!” Her husband was driving. He took a single look at us and rolled his eyes, knowing he was outnumbered.

Fortunately, come summertime creemee stands in Vermont are about as plentiful as flatlanders here on vacation, so it wasn't long before we were happily slurping away. But we thought, wouldn't it be great to have a comprehensive map of Vermont's creemee stands, along with prices and reviews?

So that's what this blog is all about. Of course, I'm just one person, off to find all the creemee stands in Vermont's 291 towns, cities, gores and single land grant. Luckily I have a cracker-jack team of ready and willing research assistants who've graciously volunteered their time, money and waistlines to help me out.

If you'd like to help, too, stay tuned. I'll post the information I'm trying to gather very soon.