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Tasty Tuesdays: Sweet Austin Treats to Beat the Heat

4 August 2009 3,150 views View Comments

Great minds must think alike because Yelp sent an e-mail today titled “Lick the Heat Away with Yelp” and the Daily Texan now seems to have a “Tasty Tuesdays” feature. Bryan, Andy and I talked last Thursday about the topic for this week’s Tasty Tuesday and KGSR show on Thursday and we settled on “Sweet Austin Treats to Beat the Heat.”

For me, the ultimate Austin summer treat is a gelato or sorbetto from Teo on 38th Street. My favorite is the peanut butter nutella and I also love their real fruit sorbetto’s and coffee drinks too.

teoMy favorite ice cream is Baskin-Robbins, rumored to be adding 30 locations to the Austin market in the coming years. Listen, I wouldn’t kick Amy’s out of bed and I really love a Mexican Vanilla scoop of ice cream with crushed nuts and Amy’s hot fudge ladled on top but I’m a Baskin-Robbins mint chocolate chip or pralines and cream girl at heart.

101407_Monkey_Ice_CreamIf I have a craving for frozen yogurt, I hop in the car and drive as quickly (and safely) as possible to the Mambo Berry truck at food trailer row on South Congress. There, I order a small sized swirl (plain and green tea mixed together) topped with fresh blueberries. It’s totally natural, low sugar, and made with best-quality yogurt. I can’t think of much else more refreshing on a super hot day.

mamboberrySometimes there is nothing I crave more than a frozen drink. At those times, my go-to spots in Austin are Holy Cacao for their out of this world chocolatey frozen hot chocolate or the Alamo Drafthouse for their $5 midnight madness shake.

frozenhotchocI would be remiss in discussing sweet treats if I didn’t mention shaved ice, or as they are commonly known, sno cones. I’m actually part of a sno cone club that has met at Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs almost every other Sunday this summer. I’m not a huge fan of the snowballs and one day decided to try making a wine cone instead. I failed. Next up on my list of sno cones to try are Hola Aloha and Treat for their natural flavors. I already really enjoy Jim-Jim’s with a located on the south entrance of Barton Springs Pool. For more on shaved ice, check out the article in this week’s Chronicle.

snoopy-ice-machineFrom my grocers frozen section, I enjoy Skinny Cow Cones, Brazos Supreme Ice Cream, and Blue Bell Mint Chocolate Chip Bars.

Please comment below and I’ll share on the KGSR “Late Show” this Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. CT. What sweet Austin treats are your favorites to lick, slurp, and suck the heat away?

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  • Blue Bell ice cream is definitely a favorite, especially in the south. We serve it exclusively at our "old time" style ice cream stores.

  • texaswatch

    The capital of the second largest state, as Texas is, must definetly has its resources.

  • Jodi

    Just want to say, thanks for the comments, everyone. Also -- I'm dying for a thick milkshake right now. "Anyone, anyone?" - RIP John Hughes.

  • double tonic

    so bummed i missed you on the show this morning and haven't been able to chime in yet on one of my favorite topics!

    i agree with nearly every single person on this thread, which is to say that this town has no shortage of cold, creamy, sweet treats.

    i love our trailers and sno-cone stands as much as the next guy -- and hats off to anyone who's braved a $5 shake at Alamo; hopefully you had a friend to share with! -- but the next time you're at a grocery store, try my fave -- the blue bell birthday cake ice cream. it has chunks of cake and ice cream in it. it's hard to find so when you do, by a couple of gallons. trust me on this. :-D

  • Film Guy

    Can I say that as a non-dairy guy who is relegated to either sorbet or nothing most days... the Tres Leches at Mr. Naturals was a real treat. Moist, rich and tasty... made me forget I can't eat milk products!

  • Lisa

    Austin Scoops has the best Peanut Butter ice cream! Local ingredients and very friendly owners.

  • Jodi

    I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Jam from Thai Fresh on W. Mary makes wonderful from scratch ice cream with local ingredients. Right now, she has coconut peach ice cream (according to her @thaifresh Twitter account)

  • Valorie

    My first experience with a snow cone was ages ago and I felt they were not exciting - only had red, blue colors and the taste was not all that great. About a month ago my co-workers turned me onto Snow Beach and BOY do I LOVE snow cones! My first true cone was the sugar free orange with cream (like a dreamcycle) The next time around I did the rootbeer and cream. A low fat alternative to a rootbeer float! Yum. Next will be wedding cake!

  • Optimista

    I LOVE Mambo Berry, as well. I also have been known to visit Yogurt Planet because it's close to home and I can better control quantity AND take just a little of roughly a jillion toppings, but Mambo Berry's yogurt is much better than YP's.

  • Jodi

    Jenna - I had to take your advice (I know Laura K. loves 'em too) and try the Espresso Soft Serve ($4/single, $4.50/double). They make their own soft serve in house and can put any of their coffee syrups on top. My friend Ilyse and I shared a double and were underwhelmed. The consistency reminded us of a Wendy's Frosty but was too expensive for what it was.

    Peter - I'm with you on the Starbucks. A coffee frappuccino led to my current coffee addiction and once a month or so, I'll treat myself to one.

  • Peter Tsai

    I love cold green tea desserts. Mambo Berry's green tea Fro-yo is awesome w/ blueberries.

    Also (don't shoot me please) Starbucks' Green Tea Frappuccino is good too (and it's available everywhere) - but I'd much rather have the Mambo Berry Fro-yo.

  • KimG

    Actually when it's hot and I have to be outdoors, I prefer Sno Beach. They're cold and refreshing and cool you off lickety split without making you thirsty like ice cream can do.

  • vhayward1

    SugarMama's has some sweet ice cream treats now too. A "cup cake split" where you choose the cupcake, they serve it up covered in ice cream, whipped cream, nuts, chocolate and caramel sauce. Or they make an ice cream sandwich which is half dipped in rich, delicious chocolate. And now I'm going to have to fetch a cool treat...

  • Jenna

    Best cold sweet treat is either Casey's New Orleans Snow balls or Emerald City Press' Espresso Softserve!

  • Comments from Facebook and Twi

    Taste No Evil Muffin Top Ice Cream Sandwiches. Mmmm

    TNEMC ice cream sanwiches, Sandy's frozen custard cones and of course snow cones! I don't have a fav ATX snow cone stand though.

    mmm frozen hot chocolate. I NEED to have frozen hot chocolate from Holy Cacao! too bad I already ate a muffin today, so no more treats. Gonna have to save up till tomorrow.

    I can never turn down Jim Jims or Casey's Snowballs or Sugar Mama's cupcakes or... mmm... salivating...

    texican vanilla gelato at Teo!

  • Jodi

    I saw in today's Statesman that there is a new milkshake trailer on Congress and 2nd called Delish Shakes. I'm gonna have to give one of their low-fat shakes a try for sure!

  • Erin Krenek

    My new fave is a chocolate and Oreo dipped banana from Bananarchy, but I'll always be a sucker for a Sno Beach. And if it's a special occasion, I'll indulge in a P. Terry's chocolate shake.

  • Addie

    Pop So Cools has quickly become my family's favorite iced treats. Our everyday frozen treats are Icee Pops, but sometimes you want a frozen pop with a little more umph. Fantastic flavor combinations, too. Think frozen aguas fresca or mojito. Yum!

  • Kay

    Sandy's Frozen Custard's vanilla cones are the best! I also love Taste No Evil Muffin Company's muffin top ice cream sandwiches. And you know, Bananarchy is a darn tasty treat!

  • Sara

    It's not for the everyday, but the Alamo Drafthouse has a Guiness milkshake that totally rocks. It's crazy rich and a little on the pricy side but soooo tasty.

  • McKinzey

    Jim Jim's is sooooo delicious and refreshing! The texture is sort of a cross between a shave-ice and an Icee. Only a little thicker. Their flavors are supposed to be made with real fruit. Mango, lemonade, guava and peach are delicious! It's the most refreshing thing ever.

    I'm also a big fan of La-Dee-Dah/Treat's frozen hot chocolate.

  • Lindsay

    Gotta love Sandy's custard! I get the dip and love having the chocolate all over my face after a hot day at Barton Springs, talk about childhood in a cone! :)

  • Kate

    Likkity's Frozen Custard, which just opened on Manchaca in between Slaughter and FM 1626, is awesome. The people who run it are super nice, and their custard is delicious!

  • Anonymous

    I going to test out Hola Aloha today, looking forward to it!! A

  • Marcos

    I'm in love with froze yogurt, have been eating it like crazy this summer. Self serve frozen yogurt is dangerous for me though... too many $11 cups. I'm heart broken that they closed the TCBY in Far West.

    I had recent terrible experiences at Baskin Robbins. They're off my list now. Amy's is too thick for me... and this is coming from the guy that eats a pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream as a midnight snack.

  • Lisa

    Oh, and I LOVED my Snoopy Sno Cone maker! That picture brings back such memories!

  • Lisa

    Blue Bell Banana Pudding is my favorite, hands down. Amy's BP is also delicious, but rarely available.

    Yesterday I had a lip-smacking good yogurt from Yogurt Planet. My favorite combo there is Pomegranate Yogurt with blackberries on top, but Cookies & Cream yougrt with crushed Oreos on top was in order yesterday.

  • Adam

    Casey's is an Austin summer staple. Sure, they're way too sweet but that's the point... we're talking about pure sugary summer decadence. I like the banana fudgsicle or strawberry cheesecake but just about everything there is damn good. Teo is always great too. I'm looking forward to trying Hola Aloha, especially the strawberry-basil I've heard about.

  • PookieSoup

    Popsocool! The Pineapple basil is awesome.

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