Beating the unseasonable heat and getting a treat at Adele’s Frozen Custard in Excelsior, Minnesota

Restaurant: Adele’s Frozen Custard, Excelsior, Minnesota

I have a lot of things I love in life…and despite a lactose intolerance…ice cream is one of them.  Thankfully, these little Lactase supplements exist which allow me to indulge in my love of all things ice cream…with some restraint.

After filling up on pub grub and taking a stroll around Excelsior, Minnesota…checking out Lake Minnetonka…and letting things settle…Heather said we couldn’t leave without getting some frozen custard from what she hailed to be the best frozen custard place around.  Perhaps in the world.  I was intrigued.  For one thing…I’d never had frozen custard before.  I know…shocking.  Frozen yogurt…yes.  Sorbet…yes.  Gelato…yes.  Ice cream…always.  But frozen custard was new to me.

She took us up the ways to this great little stand called Adele’s Frozen Custard.  I was ready to be wowed.

I already liked the look of the place.  A small little structure built just off the road.  People were sitting outside and enjoying their bowls of delicious frozen goodness as we arrived.  They have a limited number of available flavors.  On the day we were there, they had the standard chocolate and vanilla…in addition to bubble gum, grasshopper, and chocolate raspberry truffle.

Since I also have to concern myself with a gluten allergy and not sure what all went into special flavors, I stuck with the standard vanilla custard with a topping of strawberries.  YUMMY!  Remember…if it has strawberries…it wins.  Heather got the chocolate raspberry truffle custard and Cathy opted for the grasshopper flavor (which I almost got and was glad I didn’t when it was served with crumbled cookie crumbs on top!).  We placed our orders, payed and waited on the frozen goodness.  Mine was the last to arrive, but in the time we waited, I was busy studying the frozen custard making machine.  It was fascinating to see the cascade of frozen custard come pouring out of it in blocks.  Mmmm.

When our orders were up, we all headed outside to sit and enjoy our flavor of choice.  Heather and Cathy were both very content with their choices.  And I was too.

So, what’s the difference between ice cream and frozen custard?  Well…it’s like this…

Ice cream is composed of a base of cream, milk and sugar.  Then air is whipped into it.  To make it into frozen custard, egg yolk is added to the ice cream base, and the air is then whipped out of it, making the texture very smooth and velvety rich.  Simply put…it’s sophisticated ice cream that creamy good.

If Adele’s is any indication of how fantastic frozen custard is…well, call me a believer.  I was blown away by the rich, soft texture of it.  My vanilla one wasn’t bland at all.  I would have been content to down it without the strawberries on top.  It was creamy good and had that full vanilla flavor that I want in a vanilla ice cream (or in this case…custard).

As this is my only consumption of frozen custard to date, I can’t really say how it compares to anything.  But I will say this…it is a rich, delicious flavor that melts on your tongue and excites every taste bud it comes in contact with.

Adele’s is also run by a local family and is open seasonally…which means this is not a year-round treat.  So get it while the place is open and the getting is good.  The parking lot was packed when we arrived and when we left.  This is no secret to the locals…and visitors should make their way there and see what all the fuss about Adele’s Frozen Custard is all about.  It’s worth the journey.

And me…I’m now a believer if frozen custard.

On a side note…it was ironic to get back into the car to head back to my grandpa’s house and have Adele on the radio at that moment.  It made the perfect ending to a perfect day with good friends and amazing food.