Cool and Creamy
Easthampton's Cottage Street is the place to go for ice cream.

by Caroline Pam - August 3, 2006

Mt. Tom's Homemade Ice Cream

34 Cottage St., Easthampton, 529-2929
Summer hours: Sun.-Thu. 12-9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 12-10 p.m.

www.mttoms.com.
Cups and cones $2.50-$3.10; sundaes $3.10-$4.

Easthampton, Massachusetts, Center of the Universe," the official yellow bumper sticker claims. "Eho" offers proximity to Noho and unbeatable prices, and has attracted a steady trickle of would-be gentrifiers enamored of the town's post-industrial quaintness. However, Easthampton's biggest boosters seem a bit blinded by visions of what it could (and may) become, rather than what it actually is. In fact, this largely blue-collar community in the imposing shadow of Mt. Tom has a self-determined identity that has nothing to do with its big sister up Rte. 10. This split has created exile enclaves like Eastworks (which houses Easthampton's main fine dining attraction, the Apollo Grill) while the downtown struggles to exist, like many others of its size and economic bracket.

A recent chow prowl along Cottage Street landed me at Mt. Tom's Homemade Ice Cream parlor, which provides both an unbeatable nostalgic atmosphere and arguably the best handcrafted ice cream anywhere in the Valley. The espresso cookie ice cream I sampled was soft and creamy, and tasted as if it were really made using the excellent locally-roasted Indigo coffee also on offer here. Mt. Tom's is open year-round, and also functions as a full-service coffee shop.

More importantly, all the patrons seemed to be having a lot of fun, as did the grade-school kids on field trips in the numerous portraits that adorn the walls. You can sit at the bar on a swivel stool, order a malted milkshake, chat with the friendly and multitalented owner, Jim Ingram, and pretend you're in a Norman Rockwell illustration.

Adding to the effect are the hundreds of shiny-lidded glass jars full of every novelty candy imaginable. Carrots "n' peas, anyone? How about a jawbreaker the size of a small child's head? That is sure to delight the kid in everybody, and is an irresistible dream come true to the under-10 crowd. Who wouldn't want a greasy smack on the cheek from an oversized pair of waxed lips?

As far as the ice cream is concerned, the customers rave. I heard one couple say they come up from Agawam just to get some.

The regular lineup of classic flavors is prepared with skill and respect for tradition, while the shop is also a haven for experimentation with new delights such as Guinness ice cream (smooth and deep with a hint of bitterness) and shiraz sorbet (intriguing and fruity, but a little odd). Whether you're among the newcomers to Easthampton or a resident for generations, there's no arguing about the universal taste for ice cream.