The Dairy Godmother--a Del Ray/Alexandria institutionAbout a year ago, while watching the local PBS station WETA, there was a little video about a custard shop called The Dairy Godmother (how great is that name?!) in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood. I kept saying I was going to go there and then I'd forget. Well, the other day, the video ran on WETA again and this time I wrote down the name of the place and made a commitment to go. Last Wednesday found me and some friends in Del Ray enjoying frozen treats at this wonderful little independent, woman-owned business!
Liz Davis: The Dairy Godmother herself!The Dairy Godmother is to Del Ray what Ben's Chili Bowl is to D.C.--and worth every lick. If you like frozen custard or creative sorbets, this is absolutely the place to go! And, if you have a four-legged friend, owner Liz Davis also sells goodies for the pups. If you stop in, be sure to look for Liz and say hi! She's a down-to-earth woman who exudes joy in what she does and who has created a neighborhood space of lasting value. Believe me, I'll be going back very soon!
The Dairy Godmother is located at 2310 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia, and is open seven days a week.
Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 07/08
12 comments:
Oh, I lived in your general area for many years and am sorry to have missed the Dairy Godmother! Speaking of ice cream, I haven't found a place here in CH where they mix in stuff into ice cream on request like they do at the place whose name I can no longer recall. Used to love strawberries mashed into chocolate ice cream... Good memories!
Thank you for your comment over at my Villigen blog.
Sounds like my kind of place. I love ice cream made with real cooked custard. Fantastic name too, I agree.
Z: You're thinking of the Coldstone Creamery. They just opened one of those about a year ago in Silver Spring, Maryland. It competes with a Ben & Jerry's in the same locale! I can imagine that in Switzerland they look at you funny when you ask for "stuff" in your ice cream! Your photos of Villigen are beautiful! I have friends in Basel and I use to live in Austria. I hope to get back over there one day.
Virginia: It's a great little place. You can tell who the regulars are and that it's definitely a neighborhood institution.
How cool! Love the name! Made me laugh :)
Love these types of shops. Refreshing to find these gems amungst the hoards of sterile corporate chain stores that sadly, thrive in suburbia. Please buy double custard for me and let meknow how it was. Thanks! :)
Marley: It's a great name, isn't it? The name alone is worth going.
Rob: I also love little businesses like this that defy corporate giants and thrive. I think consumers crave this kind of personal touch, but unfortunately we've been brainwashed to believe that we should all have the exact same things no matter where we are in the U.S. Businesses like the Dairy Godmother make me believe we can have regional, unique, meaningful spending experiences again. Anyway...
Any particular flavors you like? I'll be sure to have a double! And if you come out here for vacay, you'll have to add it to list of must-do's!
I don't think I ever tried frozen custard. There's a wonderful Italian gelateria a few blocks away - to die for.
I love your second picture with the owner posing in front of her store. Very nice.
Eliane: Frozen custard is similar to frozen yogurt or soft-serve ice cream, only much, much better. It's very rich and creamy and thick.
this is one of my sister's favorite places - and don't they have cakes, too? I think this is where she gets cakes for us when we have family events!
Cowbark: I don't remember seeing cakes, but then I wasn't looking all that closely. I can imagine, though, that Liz makes a good cake as her custard and sorbets are superb!
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
and treats for the pups? How can you go wrong?
Maya: Anyone who sells treats for puppies is okay in my book. Now I just need to get a puppy.
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