When I first met Ellen Sledge, we found ourselves sharing a kitchen; she had just launched Penny Lick Ice Cream, and I was event planning for a caterer. At the time, Ellen was selling her old-fashioned, custard-based ice creams at farmers markets throughout the rivertowns, and you’d often find her pushcarts at popular food festivals throughout the county.
Fast forward to seven years later—Ellen, I can’t believe it’s been SEVEN YEARS—and she’s got a popular brick and mortar ice cream shop under her belt in Hastings-on-Hudson, an ice cream warehouse in Port Chester, and the start of what promises to be an incredible wholesale business. Her White Chocolate Black Cherry (pictured above) is still one of my favorites…
And while she’s leading the pack when it comes to small business food production in Westchester County, she’s able to lift her head long enough between packaging estimates and payroll to flex her creative muscle, coming up with delicious flavors while balancing her commitment to using all-natural, seasonal ingredients. (Check out my interview with Ellen on Fork This with IntoxiKate below.)
Exhibit A: Her sorbets and vegan ice cream flavors are amazing… Her Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream has changed my life… #seriously. And while Penny Lick generally offers seasonal flavors, we are lucky there’s a little Strawberry Lemonade sorbet (above) left over to transport our tastebuds to summer days.
And if sundaes are more your thing, check out the variety of flavor combos, like this one with Raspberry Lime and Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream, whipped cream made in house, unicorn sprinkles, and caramel sauce. (Because everyone needs unicorn sprinkles in their life.)
To top it all off, Penny Lick Ice Cream also makes custom ice cream cakes. My birthday isn’t until May, and I’ve ordered mine well in advance! Plus, if you have a little ice cream lover in your house, consider throwing a birthday party at Penny Lick where party-goers can learn how Ellen makes her signature sweet treat. (For those on allergy-awareness, Penny Lick is peanut and tree nut free.)
Penny Lick Ice Cream: 580 Warburton Avenue, Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706, 914-525-1580, www.pennylickicecream.com
