I scream, you scream, we all scream (Cincinnati, Cheviot: neighborhood, living)

[goyguy]

It seemed like an open-and-shut case: for locally-made ice cream in Cincinnati, Graeter's rules hands down. Everybody waits for the peach harvest, since no cans are opened to make that deeelicious flavor. One dish of "vanilla with the bean" and you'll never go back to UDF. "BRING BACK MACAROON!!!" (That's my Graeter's synapse talking, lol.) The bakery's nothing special, but Cincinnati provides well in that department even after the lamented departure of the Virginia Bakery. And the folks on the north side of Bond Hill's "hidden gem" street known as Towanda Terrace are no doubt crying in their beer while the open land once owned by the former Longview State Hospital makes way for the new Graeter's factory. But other than that, the entire populace is in full accord over who turns out the best homegrown ice cream, rather than squabbling endlessly the way they do about chili parlors. Right? No beefs other than a few lowered property values and nothing-special baked goods. Right?
Hmmmm...maybe not. There were some rumblings in another thread about how Aglamesis is the champ. Could be that there's a creamery someplace like Cheviot which is kept secret from east-siders, how else to explain the lack of Graeter's at the other end of the viaducts? The plot thickens.
Put down your spoons and join the poll! And name your favorite flavor(s) in a message. I'll abstain from adding a poll point; my #1 is Graeter's caramel.

[cincylifer]

I know this is blaphemous, but I like UDF better than graeters

[goyguy]

I like their peppermint stick @ holiday time, and their butter pecan all the time. What's your fave? AND DID YOU CLICK ON A POLL SELECTION?

[Hartwell Girl]

I picked UDF...and here is a pic from the old UDF ice cream truck that was at the HC Fair this past month...

[katorade]

I voted Aglamesis over Graeter's. UDF might as well be Baskin Robbins to me, not really that special. I've actually done a side-by-side comparison before, haha. My boyfriend is from California and was intrigued about the Graeter's hype, just like I was when I moved here, so we did a comparison.

Aglamesis to me has better flavor profiles and better ingredients. Graeter's just comes across as way too sweet, even though it has a nice texture. That texture, though, isn't exactly all natural. They use oils and stuff like guar gum to achieve it. It's kind of shady that they leave out a lot of ingredients on their website and just tell you about the good stuff. Their "chips", though, are exceptional. I'm not a huge chip fan, though, so there's no pull for me.

Aglamesis' base is about as homemade as it gets save for the addition of gelatin and corn syrup (not high fructose, but dextrose/glucose, which is used in combination with sugar to keep it from crystallizing, especially in a lot of candies and caramels that need to stay soft). Their cookies'n'cream is exceptional, but my favorite has to be fruit custard, which is unique to most other shops varieties. My one qualm is that someone in their factory is seriously chop-happy. I like a good chunky ice cream, with big pieces of nuts or fruit. The last two nutty flavors I've gotten, the swiss almond and butter pecan, have had the nuts literally obliterated into a mealy powder. I want some crunch!

[Wilson513]

There's really only one way to do this comparison and that's to get a pint from Aglamesis and a pint from Graeters and do them side by side. Since I've done this three times with several people each time, I can tell you how it comes out. The Aglamesis Italian Ices always win over Graeters. Most people prefer Graeters vanilla over Aglamesis. My favorite is Aglamesis mint choc chip. Aglamesis pistacho is quite tasty also. Graeters wastes your calories on horrible stuff like Pumpkin, etc. I noticed peach mentioned, if its truly seasonal, I'll try it. But, mint choc chip is the winner.

It was hard for me to accept this result years ago since I had been going to HP Graeters since I was a toddler. But, it is what it is.

[Sunnydee]

I like all three, but for the money I'll take UDF. Shocking I know, I'm with you
cincylifer.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Sunnydee

I like all three, but for the money I'll take UDF. Shocking I know, I'm with you
cincylifer.

Me too.

The UDF Premium flavors are some of the best that I have had.

Personally, I get overwhelmed by the super premium brands of ice cream but I do prefer Aglemesis Brothers.

Now there was a place over by Spring Grove Cemetery that had some great ice cream in the 1970s. It had great tables with in-laid marble patterns. Any idea as to teh name of the place.

[The Don]

Living on the Westside, I have no idea where Aglamesis Brothers is so I really can't say good, bad or indifferent and actually UDF gets my vote .. although, let me tell you -- about 10 years ago, I went to Putz' for the first time in many, many years. I got a plain vanilla ice cream cone and was transported back in time 40 years; it tasted exactly the same as when my grandfather used to give me a nickle to get some ice cream. It was pure bliss!
For those of you who can remember ice cream from the 1950s, I commend it to you.

[Daytonnatian]

Yeah, kinda like UDF better myself.

Graeter's is just too heavy, but great every once in a while since we have locations up this way now and I stop by the old Tri-County location every now and then when I'm down that way.