Los Angeles
If it’s a hot night and we’re looking for satisfying supermarket bought ice cream, the pints packed by McConnell’s of Santa Barbara will do more than nicely. For locally made ice cream, you’ll find us lined up at the counter of the exceptional MASHTI MALONE’S. By all accounts, the Hollywood parlor should have been at a distinct disadvantage when we blind-tasted L.A. ice cream this year. After all, it specializes in such varieties as rose water and orange blossom, while our litmus test was the plainest of plain-Jane flavors-vanilla and strawberry. But Mashti’s proved outstanding in both categories. Its vanilla is smooth and vibrant, while its strawberry doesn’t let creaminess overwhelm the tart sweetness.