Denise's Homemade Ice Cream

In April 2004, Columbus received the best gift Bean Town ever presented another city. Denise's was a Boston favorite. It earned local and regional attention including recognition as a Great Ate ice cream place by the east coast oriented Phantom Gourmet. Stan Zafran packed up the business when his wife Denise chose to move to Columbus to be near her family. Thanks Boston, Denise's is much better than baked beans.

When this writer called to ask Stan a few questions about Denise's, he insisted I come see him at work. Six hours after meeting the head dipper of Denise's, I had tasted nearly every flavor and helped create three batches of ice cream. The Zafran philosophy of ice cream is a mix of cooking, chemistry, and creativity. While discussing his passion for ice cream, Zafran is as likely to mention viscosity as cocoa or an Italian gelato recipe. Making great ice cream is hard work and takes a lot of time. The best ingredients are expensive so you have to love what you do and hope the customers will love what you make. There are many places where Stan could cut corners by using canned fruits, cheaper supplies, or premixed sauces, but Stan can't stand for that even if it means less profit. He cares deeply about the quality of his product so he refuses to use any additives or artificial flavorings.

He also has a passion for teaching his employees and working with them, which is reflected in the names of some of his flavors - Monty's Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, Naomi's Thin Mint Mint Oreo and Kate's Chocolate Sorbet. As cruel fate would have it, Kate likes ice cream, but it does not like her. She does not care much for standard fruit sorbets so Stan made her a chocolate version he invented through trial and tribulation. There are over 40 flavors to choose from including Guinness Stout, Chai Tea, Carrot Cake, Pistachio (the real deal, not the fake stuff that looks bright green), Lemon Pucker, and Sex on the Beach Sorbet

One of Stan's 2007 inspired creations is Cantaloupe. Stan laboriously scoops out melons by hand to get the perfect flavor for a delicious ice cream that has a creamsicle quality to it. This is much better than any real cantaloupe and by far the best way to add fruit to your diet for the summer. Deciding on just one or two flavors may cause a culinary conundrum or a brain freeze but the scoopers at Denise's are more than happy to offer multiple samples. If Stan sees you stuck pondering the fruits of his labor, expect him to ask you to try his latest concoction, possibly right of out the ice cream machine.

2899 N. High Street
Columbus
614 267 8800

- Denises Ice Cream -