The frozen-food case at pretty much any grocery store is packed with an overwhelming selection of ice cream, from party-size boxes of Snickers-studded vanilla to artfully designed containers of gelato. What to choose? Here are the four varieties we reach for most often. Unless noted, all are available at most supermarkets.
 Ciao Bella Coconut Sorbet $4.99 for 14 ounces Brightly aromatic, tropical, and even better topped with a spoonful of high-quality dark rum. |
 Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream $4.79 for 14 ounces The little black dress of ice cream—terrific on its own but complements an array of desserts. |
 Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream $3.50 to $4.99 for 1½ quarts We have a nostalgic affection for these soft, bracing scoops. |
 Ben & Jerry’s Banana Peanut Butter Greek Frozen Yogurt $4.59 a pint The standout from the Vermont ice-cream maker’s new line of tangy Greek yogurts. |
This article appears in the August 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
