One of the best parts about my job is that it requires me to travel to random cities across the country. Without it, would I be able to say I’ve seen cities like St. Louis, Fresno, and Cleveland? Probably not. And the same goes for Detroit, Michigan - my latest destination. Detroit was never high on my travel list, and I don’t have family or friends in the area to draw me in.
I’ll be the first to admit that I harbored some less-than-glamorous visions of Detroit. I’ve heard so much about the collapse of the U.S. auto capital and rampant violence in recent years. But the true Detroit didn’t match up with my vision whatsoever. First of all, the airport is gorgeous. Clean, airy terminals with high ceilings and massive windows. Seriously, Detroit’s airport is now in my domestic "Top 5”, after Denver, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. I stayed at the Westin in the airport (early-morning flight back to DC), which has a TSA check-point in the hotel lobby. Just five minutes from check-out to my terminal. Cool, right?
There is a Detroit outside the airport, however, and I was equally impressed with the glimpses of the city I caught on my brief trip. To me, Detroit seemed like the quintessential Midwest American city - all the American-made cars on the road spoke volumes of the Midwestern American pride people feel here. I loved it.
As it turns out, Detroit is also home to one of the most American ice-cream shops I’ve ever found. While researching before my trip, it was quite apparent that Treat Dreams in Ferndale was the “must try” ice cream.
Despite being just three-years old, Treat Dreams is considered one of the best ice-cream shops in the area… and definitely the most unique! Only an American ice-cream maker would dare serve up flavors like Hot Jalapeño, Lobster Bisque, Pistachio Wasabi or Sunday Breakfast (with bacon!). Owner Scott Maloney, who calls himself “a mad scientist of ice cream”, was formally a banker with no formal ice-cream-making training before opening his shop. But Scott certainly has a knack for thinking outside the proverbial box! Treat Dreams has created hundreds of flavors in-house, and they offer at least a dozen daily on their constantly-changing menu.
Apparently, the best time to come to Treat Dreams is on a workday during the late afternoon. There were only a couple people in the gigantic shop, and I had the undivided attention of the lady behind the counter. I was surprised to see a couple vegan offerings; I hadn't expected a Detroit ice-cream shop to cater to the vegan crowd! After I asked her a couple questions about the flavors, I was encouraged to try a sample. Who could turn that offer down? I requested a bite of Raspberry Jalapeño. The raspberry flavor was creamy and sweet at first, but the jalapeño kicked in quickly, coating my tongue with a low heat. K would have loved it, but I was in the mood for something a tad more traditional. Although I'm not a cheesecake fan, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut stood out. 'Tis the season! I also was intrigued by the vegan flavors made with rice milk... particularly the Banana Split, which was described as “banana ice cream with chocolate sauce and strawberry sauce." Without sampling either beforehand, I ordered a single-scoop cup of each. The grand total was $5... not too shabby!
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| Banana Split on bottom; Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut on top |
The verdict? One of these ice creams was not like the other. This was one of those occasions when one flavor far outshone the other. I was disappointed with the Banana Split, which was very icy because of the high water content in rice milk. The banana flavor was too subtle, and even the chocolate and strawberry swirls lacked the intense flavors I was hoping for. Feeling deflated, I turned to the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Walnut and -- wow -- it BLEW my mind. The pumpkin ice cream was laced with thick, gooey swirls of frosting-like cream cheese and studded with walnut pieces. I'm usually not a big fan of cream cheese, but its characteristic flavor accented the spiced pumpkin ice cream. The contrast in textures between the firm ice cream and the cool, soft swirls was irresistible. I couldn't help but polish off the entire scoop, and it was SO worth it. Please, please stop by Treat Dreams next time you're in Detroit... and stick with the traditional ice cream if you're not vegan. I promise you'll thank me :)
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