Cold Stone Creamery: Memories of Steve’s

If you know, you know.

“Just get the Heath Bar,” a friend suggested for the third or fourth time, having grown weary of my lack of understanding about what I was supposed to do.

It was the mid-1970s in Somerville, Massachusetts and we were standing in a line that stretched around the block to get in to Steve’s Ice Cream. Before Steve’s, ordinary ice cream existed. Steve took some of the air out (literally), learning how to make a dense, more flavorful product. But what he became known for was something he called “mix-ins.” When you ordered your ice cream at Steve’s, there were crumbled candy bars and other items that might have been called “toppings,” but here was the genius: Steve would scoop that new and improved ice cream onto a stone slab and mix the “toppings” in, using a couple of heavy-duty spatulas. Crumbles of Heath Bar were one of, if not THE, most popular.

This buried memory of decades ago was unearthed in a flash during a recent and first visit to the new Cold Stone Creamery in West Lebanon, NH. When the man working there plopped the scoop of ice cream onto a small granite slab and started to stir in some peanut butter and a few other goodies, my aging brain snapped to and I said, “This is just like Steve’s.”

At Cold Stone, my husband and I shared a single serving (two spoons) like high school besties. It was dense and sweet and tasty, and had some shards of peanut butter cups throughout. According to the Creamery website, the ice cream is “made fresh in every store.” A glance around revealed multiple variations of ice cream made to order, including some plant-based options. There were smoothies and ice cream cakes.

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I have since learned that Steve Herrell is well acknowledged to be a pioneer in the modern ice cream era. Ben and Jerry visited with him before launching their own brand in Vermont. Cold Stone Creamery with its “cold stone” for mixing, and Dairy Queen’s Blizzard, both with add-ins (I won’t use “mix-ins” as I think that was Steve’s term,) took inspiration from Steve’s. Steve left his Somerville business in 1977 and after some time established a new ice cream business called Herrell’s. He has retired, but Herrell’s continues at its location in Northampton, Massachusetts. Steve wrote a book, Ice Cream and Me, published by Not Too Shabby Press, in which he apparently and improbably confessed, “I’m kind of a vanilla guy.”

“Steve Herrell proposed mixing popular cookies and candies into rich, creamy, natural ice cream made in the store window. Almost every business owner said that we would ‘lose our shirts’ with this model. Instead, it revolutionized the industry.”—Judith Herrell, quoted in Boston Business Journal, 2011

And the next part I could not have credibly invented. As we were finishing our ice cream, a gentleman of a certain age (close to my own) wandered up to the counter. In an exchange with the employee about choices, he asked “Got any Heath Bars?” To which the employee replied that he didn’t, but he did have some other kind of toffee that might do. The man wavered, remaining skeptical.

I could not hear the resolution of the no-Heath-Bar-issue, but I bet the gentleman was a former Steve’s customer. Perchance he and I even stood in line together some fifty years ago, both of us then younger, both of us still, decades later, on the lookout for the ultimate ice cream. How I wish I would have asked.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We now have over 3200 subscribers.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, Next Avenue, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

In the Spirit of this Season . . . Asking for your support for Artful. And for the Haven.

My dearest readers and subscribers,

Artful is free to read and there are no plans to change that.

There are costs, however, in producing it. So for the first time in Artful’s 6 year history, I am asking for your support with a one-time contribution.

The plan is this. From now until the end of the year 2025, I will be accepting contributions of support for Artful. None are too small. This year, Artful is participating in Haven Giving Days (formerly known as 19 Days of the Valley—see below), which means I will be donating to the Upper Valley Haven one-half of all contributions to Artful during this time. Your support will help me to cover expenses, and help the Haven to provide food and shelter for our community.

The best news is that the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation has pledged to match all donations to the Haven during Haven Giving Days, up to a total of $200,000.

(There is no obligation. If you can’t or don’t want to send a financial contribution, that is perfectly okay. You can still support Artful by reading, hitting the Like button, and occasionally sharing a post with someone else who may find it interesting.)

Since this is new, I am starting out simple and a little old-school. (As in, no Venmo.) If you care to contribute, please send a check, for a modest and affordable amount, made payable to me: Susan Apel, at P.O. Box 155, Wilder, VT 05088. If you would, note “Artful” on the check’s memo line. (Note: Artful is not a 501(c)(3) organization.)

A few fun facts about Artful:

Artful’s first post was on December 13, 2019. It was about the annual Woodstock Wassail celebration. 901 of you read it.

Today, each post on Artful gets between 3000 and 4000 views, and sometimes more.

In 2019, we started with 76 subscribers; we now have over 3,200.

Six years of Artful has produced 615 posts.

Artful regularly makes it way to local theater productions, often on opening nights or at previews, at Northern Stage, Shaker Bridge, We the People, Parish Players, and other stages, and reports back. I haunt the Hood and the Hopkins Center, regularly roll through AVA Gallery, Artistree and the Hall Art Foundation, preview performances at the Briggs and Lebanon Opera Houses, read and report on local Upper Valley authors and photographers. Sometimes I go to the movies, and occasionally to artsy places in Boston.

There have been posts about the quirky and fascinating: the archeological dig on Baker Library lawn, the Museum of Everyday Life in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, local gems like the Rauner and Etna Libraries. Area businesses including bookstores, clothing stores and coffee places.

And of course, as I often say, looking at art and investigating the neighborhood can make a girl (and her husband) hungry, so Artful never shrinks from sampling new and established eateries in the UV, and publishing a review.

It has been, and remains, a privilege to share my thoughts and experiences on the arts and culture in the Upper Valley. Warm wishes, and my gratitude, to all of you.

Haven Giving Days continues the 19 Days of the Valley tradition started 12 years ago by Dan Fraser of Dan & Whit’s in Norwich, VT. Each December, local businesses contribute a portion of sales, host food and toiletry drives, and inspire acts of generosity throughout the Upper Valley. Every dollar and every pound of food collected helps the Haven provide food, shelter, and support to thousands of people each year.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We now have over 3200 subscribers.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, Next Avenue, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

Claremont Spice and Dry Goods: For the Foodie In You

And an upcoming Hunger Benefit Cabaret at the Parish Players . . .

Claremont Spice and Dry Goods is destination shopping.

It’s worth a meander to downtown Claremont on a Saturday afternoon. Whole and ground herbs and spices, housemade blends, coffee (big red grinders on the premises), tea, imported Italian pasta, cookbooks, and a small adjoining room filled with kitchenware: a carbon steel wok, handsome aprons, and as it turns out, a much coveted fish spatula that I should have brought home but didn’t.

You can order online and have everything shipped directly to your kitchen—I have done it myself—but why skip the immersive experience? “Online” doesn’t really allow you to poke around, read the labels, and most importantly, sniff the spices (jars with samples provided specifically for the purpose.)

And you’d miss the conversations with the owners, Ben Nelson and Chiara Tosi-Nelson, who know their inventory and will welcome you and make sure you understand the store’s layout. Ben and I chatted about the many uses for their roasted Persian lime powder (my favorite) and Chiara shared an ancient chicken recipe that includes asefoetida and has become a go-to on Sundays. Plus she offered a sample of one of their latest creations, Dill Pickle Seasoning; we are waiting to try it, per her recommendation, on some popcorn.

Back home with part of our haul: a quarter-size sheet pan, roasted Persian lime powder, lemon grass, the new dill pickle seasoning, imported whole wheat pasta and dark chocolate. And we discovered ground cherries, and brought them home for snacking.

And while browsing, we naturally thought of not just our own, but of others’ kitchens. So, a little early holiday shopping ensued. Perfect for gifts for friends and family who love to cook and eat.

The business “ . . . was a natural fit for the young couple, with Ben’s degree from Dartmouth in agricultural history and Chiara’s background in hospitality. Plus they love to eat.” —Union Leader, 12/02/2020

And what are ground cherries? We didn’t know either. Read and learn here. Now we are hoping to add them to our garden next year.

Claremont Spice and Dry Goods is located just off the square at 12 Tremont Street, Claremont, New Hampshire. Check their website for days and hours.

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On another note: Need some singing in your ears? Looking to help your neighbors?

On Nov. 21 and 22 at 7:00 pm, Parish Players will host the sixth iteration of the Hunger Benefit Cabaret at the Eclipse Grange Theatre in Thetford, VT.

The shows feature performances from a wide range of styles, including a capella and pop numbers. Proceeds from the two nights will be donated to the Vermont Foodbank and Listen Community Services to help families who are feeling the pinch of federal cuts to SNAP benefits.

For tickets ($25; $20 for seniors: $15 for students) and to learn more, go to parishplayers.org.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We now have over 3200 subscribers.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, Next Avenue, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

‘Tis the Season: Vermont on the Page

Suitable for gift-giving, or for your own long, now dark evenings

I am usually the very last person to rush the whole holiday season. So forgive me if this is all too much too soon, and if it is, just remind yourself to take a look at this post some weeks hence. My Christmas shopping list often consists of food and books. Here are some very special books that capture this magical place where we live. (On the NH side of the UV instead of VT? Close enough). Suitable for local friends and family, or big city dwellers who want to know what all the fuss is about out and why you love your small town or choose to continue to live up that dirt road.

The Promise of Sunrise: Finding Solace in a Broken World by Ted Levin.

“I was a self-employed, free-ranging naturalist home in an empty house,” writes zoologist, photographer, and award-winning author Ted Levin, arriving home to shelter in place in Thetford, Vermont (he now lives in Hartford) at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. What to do? Write a blog, of course, and title it Homeboy at Home During the Coronavirus. Later, turn the posts into a book.

Every morning Ted would step into his own backyard and capture what was happening there, tapping his observations into his phone. He has (at least) two major talents: he sees in detail beyond the ordinary, and what he sees he turns into poetry:

“Warm dogs rub my legs. The garden lies in ruin. It’s a lackluster sunrise. . . But behind the pale curtain, I see a world in endless edit. Birds and bats are coming and going. Mammals harvest, fatten, and move through the night on velvet feet. Across Robinson Hill color unfurls, spreads—a season unto itself embedded within autumn—a cold, chromatic fire.”

The song of a scarlet tanager reminds me of an American robin with a pack-a-day smoking habit or the raspy-voiced folk singer, Tom Waits. (Ted Levin, Interview, Auraist)

This book will take you through a year and then some of daily meditations on the natural world that lies just beyond Ted’s (and maybe your) window. The Promise of Sunrise is available on bookshop.org, on Amazon, or at your local bookstore.

The Vermont Almanac, Volume VI

Aside from being “slimmer, more elegant,” and with a lower price point this year:

“Vol. VI will be instantly recognizable to longtime readers, with the same focus on telling stories of rural Vermont. Inside you’ll find an exploration of a Revolutionary War-era archaeological project, learn about a quirky Vermont newspaper, and view a photo essay that will help you marvel at the ordinary. You’ll step back into the days of one-room schoolhouses and get guidance on how to buy an older tractor. There are philosophical musings on the value of wild places and the art of weeding.

You’ll read about a thriving fiber mill and how robots are helping dairy farmers milk (and care for) cows. There’s lovely art and moving personal essays, not to mention poetry, history, nature, recipes and more. Want to know how to make a broom, build a stone wall, or age a deer? We’ve got that, too, and plenty more to deepen your connection with the land.

As the photo, top, implies, the Almanac is at the printer! You can pre-order here. They’ll ship to you or to your chosen one, including a gift card.

Imagining 2050: Vermonters Take a Swipe at the Future by Bill Mares, edited by Jane Smith

Our local Rootstock Publishing is out with a compilation of short essays in which 37 Vermonters were invited to imagine what Vermont will be like in 25 years. Contributor Adam Hall sees Miro Weinberger as governor, ribbon-cutting something called “City Tower” in Burlington (“ a giant middle finger to the people of Burlington”); Leath Tonino reveals that Camel’s Hump is still there,” and good thing, too, as it remains “the oracle I trust.” Among the best are essays that duel: Bob Stannard laments that in 2050 “ Vermont is . . . an extremely high-priced, sought-after place for those who run hedge funds.” But Melinda Moulton vehemently disagrees, seeing the state (on her own imagined deathbed at 100 years) as having become its best utopian self, as well as “walkable and bikeable.”

Read one of the essays aloud at your next dinner party, and discuss. Book launch on November 15 at 5:00 pm at St. Johnsbury Athenaeum. Pre-order here.

Finally, give a re-thought to two Vermont-centric books recently appearing on Artful: Jack Rowell: Photographs (here), and Tyler Alexander’s If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War (here).

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We now have over 3200 subscribers.

The Hopkins Center for the Arts helps support Artful and joins Artful in celebrating those who love, make and share the art in our community. View the Hop’s 25/26 season.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, Next Avenue, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

Hood Museum Painting at the Tate Modern

Across the pond: Four seconds in to the above YouTube video of a new exhibition at the Tate Modern in London is a familiar face. It’s the Hood Museum’s painting “Our Journey” (1993) by Nigerian artist Obiora Udechukwu, currently on view in the Tate Modern’s exhibition “Nigerian Modernism,” through May 10, 2026. The very same painting was on display—bright and beautiful—when the Hood reopened in 2019 after having been closed for three years for renovations.

As the Hood wrote in a recent Facebook post, “Luckily, we can tag along with #HoodMuseum Assistant Registrar Olivia Morea and previous Communications and Digital Content Assistant Anna Patten as they visit the work.” (Click here. Really, it will delight you.)

Not all of the art is on the museum walls. Grace Ross, a visitor services guide at the Hood, recently posted a piece about some of the art that is scattered around the campus, including, among others, George Lundeen’s sculpture of Robert Frost, Thomas Baylis Huxley-Jones’s bust of Warner Bentley, whose familiar nose has been worn to a shine by the touchings of generations of students and admirers, and of course, the Orozco murals in Baker Library. Click here to learn how Visitor Services Guides check in on the public art, and to learn how to locate the elusive “test mural” among the Orozco works.

Changes: This just in from the Hood: “ ‘Wide Babelki Bowl (In Honor of Anne Greengard ‘08)” by Ursula von Rydingsvard is off to be cast in bronze!” Read the story, and watch the hive of activity on video as workers pack up this work of art.

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“On another note . . .” is becoming a regular/irregular feature of Artful posts. Today it’s a quick mention of BowlFest 2025 at CraftStudies in White River Junction, VT. “BowlFest invites guests to taste the Upper Valley all in one place. More than 20 of the region’s beloved restaurants participate annually, with this year’s lineup featuring favorites like Pine, King Arthur Baking Company, Putnam’s Vine/Yard, and Three Tomatoes, alongside a wide array of local eateries. From hearty comfort food to inventive small bites, BowlFest offers something for everyone.” November 8, 5-7 pm, early access at 4 p.m.

Select an arty bowl, fill it with tempting bites, nosh, take said bowl home. Could be an inventive date night. Tickets and more info here.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We now have over 3200 subscribers.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, Next Avenue, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.