INSIDE SCOOP

leo’S hoMeMade ice creaM 816 W high St, carliSle, Pa • 717-960-0000 • leoshomemadeicecream.com oPen year round 12-9PM • caSh only

We were getting ready for our first group outing of the year – a Weekend Escape to State College, PA, and I was in need of a great ice cream ride. You might say, ‘Why go anywhere but The Creamery at Penn State for ice cream?’ and you ’d be right, except The Creamery would not be open on Saturday. For those who made it to State College on time on Friday to enjoy a scoop, good on them. So I scoured the suggestions via the world wide web, searched the Only In Your State Ice Cream Trails for Pennsylvania and poured over my piles of scrap paper on places that ‘needed to be visited’ . All roads pointed to Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream in Carlisle, PA. The day ’s ride was lovely, traveling on some very curvaceous and scenic roads in this part of Pennsylvania. As luck would have it, the planned lunch stop did not open until later that afternoon, so we ended up at the diner next door to Leo’s. The day was on the hot and humid side, so we were happy to be able to sit inside with the air conditioning. With lunch finished, we hopped over to Leo’s for some muchanticipated dessert. Tom Leo, founder of Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream, spent his youth on his family ’s dairy farm, which sold milk out of glass bottles and ice cream made by his father. Years later, Tom found himself experimenting with his own ice cream creations at Leo’s Dairy. With practice comes perfection and he opened his own ice cream store in 2003 in the town of Boiling Springs, PA. Some years later and currently, they are located in their shop on High Street, within walking distance from downtown Carlisle and close to Dickinson College. I’m sure that both benefit greatly from their proximity to such a wonderful ice cream shop. In 2014, they were named one of the top ice cream shops in the U.S. by TripAdvisor and have not looked back from their celebrity status. Luck for us, Leo’s has a very lovely and covered outdoor seating area, as they were only serving from their walk-up window this day. During normal times, they have indoor tables for your comfort during inclement weather. It seems that Leo’s has over 100 rotating flavors that Tom has developed over his many years in business, some being quite unique. I certainly will not list them all here (you can check out their website if you are interested) but will give you some of the more interested ones: Cinnamon Oreo, Grapenut, Cranberry Walnut, Coffee Espresso Bean Fudge, Raspberry with Dark

Chocolate Raspberry Cups, Pumpkin Marshmallow with Pecans, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Anise. A couple of these were on the board this day but so were some other more intriguing flavors. With mask in hand, we made our way to the window to see what the day ’s flavors were. I really wanted to try their Habanero Corn Bread but that was a no-go so I opted for their regular Corn Bread as well as a scoop of Honey Sunflower Vanilla. Both were quite delicious and creamy but I felt that the Vanilla was a bit on the mild side. What I have found in my extensive tastings is that I do prefer a less sweet ice cream and these certainly fit into that category. We took a seat on the covered patio and were savoring our cooling treats as the sky grew darker. Within moments that sky opened up and let loose a heavy downpour, soaking the bikes and the gear that was left on them. By the time we were licking the last of our cones the storm had passed and we were ready to continue on our day ’s ride, sugared up and happy. Leo’s offers cones and bowls in kids, small and large as well as banana splits, floats, shakes and sundaes with a multitude of toppings. You can get your ice cream to go in prepacked pints and you can check their daily flavors online with their FlavorCam. Leo’s Homemade Ice Cream is in a lovely part of Pennsylvania with loads of great riding surrounding it. You won’t be disappointed if you find yourself parked in their lot, spoon in hand, should a sudden storm come your way. Sit and savor, that’s what I say. Do you have a favorite ice cream shop you ’d like to share with our readers? Email shira@backroadsusa.com and we’ll be happy to feature it in these pages.