Treat Dreams Ice Cream- Ferndale and Detroit

I am not sure exactly how we stumbled across the wonderful Treat Dreams Ice Cream in Ferndale, but I remember the day our family first experienced this wonderful Ferndale craft ice cream parlor.

We had spent the August morning at the Detroit Zoo and were dripping with sweat by 11am. We weren't really hungry, but knew that we must eat something. We talked about fast food, but nothing really sounded good-every option was either too heavy, or too far, or too something, and we just could not make a decision. 

I could sense my frustration rising as quickly as my blood sugar was dropping, so I had a rare moment of "dadspiration" (the rare instance when one of dad's ideas is actually a good one as defined by his teenage children) and recalled someone talking about a homemade ice cream place on Woodward in Ferndale. 

Who knew that we would be walking into an ice-cream lovers paradise?

Treat Dreams specializes in small batch ice creams and sorbets crafted on site. This process allows them to play with flavor combinations that tease and delight such as Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Ice Cream, for the Ice Cream Explorer in the family, to more traditional flavors for the Ice Cream Purist. 

We have tried the ice creams and sorbets as well as one of the new vegan ice-creams and not been disappointed. While some combinations are more likely to suit your tastes than others, they allow you to try a sample before you purchase, so you can allow yourself to dream a bit, before settling into your dessert bliss. 

During a recent Small Business Saturday excursion to Mid-Town Detroit, we stopped at the Treat Dreams on Cass Avenue. It was a chilly afternoon, the first real gusts of wintry wind were blowing through the new condos, shops and Wayne State buildings along Cass Avenue, so of course we figured it was a good day for ice-cream. It is a cozy shop, so we were lucky that there were only a few other customers at the time. 

After spending nearly the entire first quarter of the Michigan-Ohio State game deciding on our flavors- we chose.  Four different flavors for four different personalities, but each ice cream and sorbet was marked by one distinctive quality-fresh. I know that might be an odd word for discussing an ice cream, but there is such a noticeable difference in the flavor quality of Treat Dreams Ice Cream, that fresh is apt. Be on notice- It is not a place if you love gooey, sticky, gluttony options as you might find at certain fro-yo shops or other parlors. 

 This is a place for someone who enjoys quality, delicate flavors, at a very reasonable place.  

So, if you are in town for the Detroit Zoo, Tiger Stadium, visiting a cousin in Warren, or at a hockey tournament in Dearborn- add a stop at Treat Dreams Ice Cream and enjoy!  Truly deserving of a Mitten Pride Award. 

Family Questions for Discussion

1. Really only one- Which is your favorite?!

2. Okay, maybe two-When can we come back?!

3. How does making the ice cream in small batches impact the quality of the product?

4.How do they get their flavor inspiration?

5. What flavors would you like to add?

6. What is the science behind making ice-cream? Have you tried making ice-cream at home?

7. What else does this inspire you to "dream, learn, and do?"

Enjoy- and Travel Local!