Local Kentucky Ice Cream Brands

About eight years ago, I was introduced to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream by one of our awesome friends from the Gaylord Opryland Resort.

JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAM IN NASHVILLE ONCE HAD ME SPOILED

There are six locations in Nashville–my favorite is in East Nashville–and the flavors are unique, to say the least. Sweet Cream Biscuits and Peach Jam, Brambleberry Crisp, Brandied Banana Brulee, and Maple Soaked Pancakes are just a small handful of the unusual but decadent and amazing flavors Jeni’s offers. Many flavors are seasonal as Jeni’s rotates in and out throughout the year.

I’ve never gone to Nashville JUST to eat at Jeni’s, but I eat at Jeni’s every time I’m in Nashville.

THANKS TO LOCAL KENTUCKY BRANDS, I’M NOT LONGER SPOILED

And I have actually said it has spoiled me for ice cream anywhere else. But that’s no longer true. I have since visited The Comfy Cow in Louisville and Crank and Boom in Lexington. While I won’t indulge in comparisons regarding ice cream, I can at least say, I’m no longer “spoiled.”

THE COMFY COW

The Comfy Cow has five locations and they’re all in Louisville. This is KENTUCKY ice cream, and flavors like Black Raspberry Chip, Chatty Cathy (a coffee ice cream–MY FAVORITE), and Georgia Butter Pecan are just a few reasons why word of mouth is so strong for this local favorite.

CRANK AND BOOM

Down Interstate 64 in Lexington, you’ll find Crank and Boom, an ice cream shop that started out in the back of the Thai Orchid Cafe. It was simply ice cream on the dessert menu. Now, there are two shops, and they “crank” out some seriously delicious ice cream. Crank and Boom presented me with an interesting problem…I couldn’t try EVERYTHING. There’s only so much room in your stomach.

The one and only time I visited, I mixed Coffee Stout with Gooey Butter Cake and Bourbon & Honey. By that I mean, I ordered a scoop of each, and during my indulgence, I swirled them together. I highly recommend it. It’s a wonder I didn’t get drunk. There’s real beer in the Coffee Stout and real bourbon in the Bourbon & Honey…as there should be.

CHANEY’S DAIRY BARN

But don’t think only the major metropolitan areas have cornered the market on Kentucky home-grown ice creams. A few years ago, we took a Tri-State Bucket List trip to Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green. It’s also a restaurant, in addition to serving up some of the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten. We even got to go to the source; the cows that yield the cream that goes into Chaney’s delicious concoctions are raised right there on the farm.

If you have a craving for ice cream, I do understand that almost any brand will satisfy your taste buds. But be a little more discriminating.

If you’re REALLY jonesing for ice cream, look for local.

Always look for local.