CENTRE COUNTY — There is something about National Ice Cream Week that gives you permission to forget the diet, slow down for a little while and simply enjoy a moment.
With that in mind, Editor Julie Noal and I set out to celebrate the sweetest week of summer by visiting two local businesses, each offering its own unique take on a classic frozen treat.
Our first stop was Happy Valley Polish Water Ice Eats and Treats in downtown State College.
Walking through the doors, the biggest challenge wasn’t finding a seat. It was deciding what to order.
The Hershey’s Ice Cream display was filled with tempting flavors, from Oatmazing Chocolate Crunch, a creamy non-dairy frozen dessert made with chocolate oat milk and rich chocolate chunks, to Brookie Dough Blast, packed with brownie batter ice cream, chocolate chip cookie ice cream, brownies and cookie pieces.
But one dessert kept calling our names.
The Pretzel Sundae.
Topped with creamy Hershey’s ice cream, pretzel swirl and chocolate-covered pretzels, it struck the perfect balance between sweet and salty.
Delish.
Owner Miklos Vajda said the idea for the restaurant came from years of managing concession stands at Penn State athletic venues.
“I took the best food from each of the stadiums and I put it at student-friendly pricing,” Vajda said. “For instance, the same chicken tenders and fries we sell at Beaver Stadium on a football game, I sell the same tenders and fries here, just $6.95 cheaper.”
While the menu features burgers, chicken sandwiches and other stadium favorites, the business is preparing to introduce its signature Polish water ice.
Unlike traditional Italian ice, Polish water ice is made using soft-serve machines.
“The main difference is that we use soft serve ice cream machines, so ours comes out creamy,” Vajda said. “It’s just like soft serve ice cream, but it’s fat free, dairy free, gluten free and more delicious.”
From there, the road led to Pleasant Gap and another local favorite.
At Chill ‘N Ice, owners Samuel Esh and his wife have built their business around homemade ice cream crafted with A2A2 cow’s milk from Old Mill Creamery. While many customers may never notice the difference, A2A2 milk has gained attention because some people find it easier to digest while delivering the same rich flavor.
This time, I ordered the mint chocolate chip.
It wasn’t the bright green color many people expect. Instead, it looked simple and natural with a refreshing mint flavor balanced by generous chocolate bits in every spoonful.
I also picked up one of the shop’s signature Amish soft pretzels.
Soft, buttery and sprinkled with just the right amount of salt, it somehow disappeared before I made it home.
The two stops couldn’t have been more different. One blends Penn State tradition with stadium-inspired food and late-night treats. The other offers a hometown ice cream shop where handcrafted desserts and fresh pretzels invite visitors to slow down for a while.
Yet both reminded me of something we often forget.
Sometimes the best moments aren’t found at major events or expensive vacations.
Sometimes they’re found sharing a pretzel sundae with your editor, discovering a new favorite flavor or watching an ice cream cone melt just a little faster than you can eat it.
National Ice Cream Week may only come once a year.
But the memories and the flavors last a whole lot longer.
