Ligonier a la Mode

STORY BY Jodi Buchan

PHOTOS BY Heidi Lewis

David Gehlman doesn’t make just any ice cream. The owner of Ligonier Creamery makes real ice cream. He blends, churns, scoops authentic batches of you-scream-they-scream, slow-to-melt, quick-to-bring-a-smile-to-your-face ice cream. If Gehlman were crafting his products near the banks of the Seine instead of on “The Diamond,” he’d be considered a glacier. In Ligonier, he may not have a fancy title, but he does have a catchy tagline: “Ice cream so good … it’s served on a diamond and guarded by a fort.”

The heart of his declaration is backed by customer reviews: “Best ice cream on the planet,” “Amazing,” “My tummy was smiling all evening!” Gehlman achieves his formula for “real” excellence by going above and beyond the state of Pennsylvania’s standard of 10% plus milkfat (or butterfat) base in real ice cream vs. the 4–6% in frozen treats. In addition, he says his store is unique in that “we run low air” [churns] with 57% air as opposed to 90% at other establishments. Gehlman adds that the higher liquid-to air ratio means his product is “creamier, thicker, denser” and evaporates more slowly and melts less quickly. He says you can really tell the difference in the soft serve — “you will know right away there’s something totally different here.”

Customers at his small-batch creamery can expect “gourmet desserts” with “an old school, traditional” flair. The menu offers a bounty of choices, including customdecorated ice cream cakes, novelties,sundaes, milkshakes, soft serve, and a daily selection of seven steady and seven rotating hand-dipped flavors that begin with a 14% milkfat base sourced from Johnstown’s Galleger’s Dairy.

Throughout the year, Gehlman tweaks, tastes, and creates upwards of 400 different kinds of soft-serve and hand dipped ice cream. He came up with one of his personal favorites, Cake by the Ocean, one day while watching the music video of DNCE’s song and thought, “I can mimic this into an ice cream.” And he did. “When you look at it, it looks like the rumbling ocean, white fluff and blue—it’s pretty cool. It’s got blue velvet cake in it, blue icing, white icing. We do some far out stuff,” Gehlman says. Dark Side of the Moon (black raspberry chip, fudge swirl), Graham Central Station (graham crackers, chocolate chunks), and 5 Chocolates (bestseller, based on a Pennsylvanian tradition) are a few stand-out favorites.

How does Gehlman come up with so many flavors? Working 20 years for Sani-Dairy in Johnstown gave him the experience he needed. He started with the dairy right out of high school, first at the loading dock and later in upper management. Then later, when he opened Roxberry Creamery, he could draw on six years of business ownership and product knowledge. In 2012, the Ligonier Creamery became the cherry-on-top location with a customer flow that inspires him.

“When people open my door, they have a smile on their face. It’s not like they’re going to the dentist,” Gehlman chuckles. He describes the change in Diamond Park since he opened his shop. “It’s become more family oriented—people sitting in the park eating ice cream.” He remembers a couple who met there on a blind date who told him “Hey, we met here in your store and now we’re getting married on the Diamond.”

What is it about ice cream that can turn a frown around, imbue philosophical wisdoms, and take us down memory lane? “Ice cream,” David Gehlman says, “brings people together.” Not only people, as it turns out, but generations and generosity. It was one such encounter that inspired the Warrior Scoop gift chip.

The Ligonier Creamery sells imprinted poker chips as gift cards—a way to deal out dairy desserts that can fit in a Christmas stocking or a get-well card without melting. The Warrior Scoop chip has an eagle with American flag wings on one side and a “thank-you” on the other. One day, Gehlman recalls, a WWII veteran stood in line. Behind him, was a young 20-something girl who said she’d like to buy his ice cream cone, to which he replied, “Nah, I can buy my own ice cream cone.” She persisted. “I want to buy you an ice cream cone,” she said, “to thank you for being a veteran.” He hedged, and she forged ahead. “Sir, I don’t know you. I wouldn’t be able tochoose what I want to do in life if it wasn’t for you.” When Gehlman handed him his cone, there was a glisten in vet’s eye. Gehlman, who shares the same sentiment as the young woman, says, “It was a life-changing moment for me.”

Now there’s a bucket on the counter for donated, pay-it-forward Warrior Scoop chips. If you’re wearing your veteran’s hat or shirt (now police uniforms, too), a Warrior Scoop chip is yours to use toward a free ice cream cone. The bucket has never gone empty. Sometimes there’s upwards of 300 chips. “One time we got down to around 12,” Gehlman says. So, he posted an FYI on the store’s Facebook page, and licketysplit the bucket was back up to 200 chips.

“You know what’s funny now?” he adds. “We’ve got veterans who come in and say, ‘I really appreciate the free cone but here’s an extra 20 bucks … put some chips in the bucket for the veterans that are coming behind me.’”

And that giving gesture is just the tip of the homemade waffle cone: fundraisers for canine officers, programs with the fire department, a 9/11 quilt memorial, collaboration with students at Ligonier Valley High School (Ram’s Rocky Road Sundae). In fact, in addition to Cathy Eller (his loyal lead of 20 years), Gehlman has a rotating staff of high school and college students. On the flip side, he’s been a recipient of “pay it forward” during a recent health challenge.

“It’s all good like that,” Gehlman says. Yep, community is sweeter à la mode.

Ligonier Creamery

105 E. Main St.

Ligonier, PA 15658

724-238-4600

Email: ligoniercreamery@yahoo.com

Facebook: LigonierCreamery

Hours: Sunday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.