Young’s Jersey Dairy

If you’ve never tasted Cow Patty ice cream, you’ve got plenty of company. “The No. 1 question our Dairy Store guests ask is, ‘What’s Cow Patty?’” says Dan Young, CEO and self-described Chief Ice Cream Dipper at Young’s Jersey Dairy. Cow Patty probably is the darkest, most chocolatey ice cream you’ll ever eat. It’s loaded with chocolate chips, chocolate cookie pieces and chocolate-covered toffee bits, and to fathom the — uh — inspiration for its name, just peek into the stalls of the big red barn that houses the family’s Jersey cows that have been a fixture on the farm since 1869.

Although Cow Patty is Young’s Jersey Dairy’s signature flavor, the place makes dozens of others. This summer’s seasonal lineup includes Peaches & Cream, Lemon Custard and Triple Berry Sangria, while bestsellers such as Cookie Dough and Chocolate P-Nut Butter are available year-round. The latter, in fact, is a key ingredient in Young’s famous Buckeye Bull Shake, a treat delectably topped with a peanut butter-filled Buckeye candy that is hand-rolled and handdipped in chocolate at the Dairy Store.

Yellow Springs

The Youngs started selling ice cream to the public in 1960, and over the years, successive generations of the family grew their farm into a multifaceted destination that delivers good times as well as good food in the countryside north of Yellow Springs.

“We create fun for our customers,” says Young, “and everything we do and offer relates to that goal.”

In the Dairy Store, you’ll not only enjoy sandwiches and sundaes but also watch how Young’s makes its ice creams and farmstead cheeses through giant viewing windows overlooking the production area. Then, go outside to savor the farm’s fresh air and bucolic setting; feed the resident herd of frisky goats; or watch the cows’ afternoon milking in the barn. You can even bounce through the fields on the Moovers & Shakers barrel ride or play farm-themed Udders & Putters miniature golf. field-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs 937/325-0629, youngsdairy.com

Aglamesis Bros. • Cincinnati

Aglamesis Bros. ice cream parlor on Cincinnati’s Oakley Square embodies the history and tradition of the operation that Thomas and Nicholas Aglamesis established in 1908. White marble counters and Tiffany lamps convey a turn-of-the-century vibe, and the atmosphere is the perfect setting for enjoying the shop’s yearround and seasonal ice cream flavors. 3046 Madison Rd., Cincinnati 45209, 513/531-5196, aglamesis.com

Taggart's Ice Cream Parlor • Canton

The high-backed booths and soda fountain inside Taggart’s Ice Cream Parlor are the same ones that were here when Joe Taggart opened his shop in 1926. Its signature offering is the Bittner: a tall sundae glass full of ice cream covered with chocolate syrup and sprinkled with roasted pecans that weighs in at a whopping three-quarters of a pound. 1401 Fulton Rd. NW, Canton 44703, 330/452-6844, taggartsicecream.com