CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

After eight plus years of charting my eating and drinking I sometimes lose track of what I’ve written about. While taking Mrs. Gourmand to Moretti’s I noticed a sign at the Tremont Goodie shop that said they served Riverside Ice Cream. This intrigued me. As an ice cream scholar I had never heard of it. Luckily for me, Mrs. Gourmand and I usually dine out like the elderly, often arriving at our destination around 5 pm. This worked out well, because when I looked at the Goodie Shop’s hours, I observed the Friday closing time was 7 pm, which allowed time to dine and then a dash into the shop for goodies.

As soon as we walked through the door, two very friendly teenagers told us we had to try the cinnamon sticks. They had some samples out and they were getting ready to bring a fresh tray out for the counter. I was intrigued by this since it is odd for a bakery to stock items less than 1 hour before closing time. My answer came soon enough. Within a few minutes of sampling the cinnamon sticks and checking out the other treats behind the counter, several people came through the door to pick up large orders of these delightful little treats. Interrogating the kids behind the counter I quickly discovered that these small squares of chewy, gooey goodness are beloved item for regular and new customers alike. Orders have been shipped all over the world and it is not uncommon to sell out every day.

The cinnamon sticks are about three times larger than a fig newton and about as thick. They are light yet dense and a little chewy. They taste and consistency are like a blend between a cinnamon bun and a cake donut. As good as these were I was surprised that I had not heard of these or tried them before. I was certain I had included the Goodie Shop in (The Dining Duder’s favorite series) The Ohio Donut Trail but checking the archives, it is not listed. Then I realized I had only been to the place once years ago. Then I found that the only mention of the shop was one of the few CMH Gourmand guest post written by the avowed champion of The Tremont Goodie Shop Molly Kurth.

Go figure. Now on to what lured me in to a place that deserved more of my attention. I’m pretty sure I had visited or sampled every homemade ice cream spot in Ohio. Back in 1997, I spent weekends traveling around the state to find the best ice cream in the state for an article for Ohio Magazine. So when I saw on the Riverside Ice Cream package that it has been made since 1953 I was truly befuddled. As it turns out, it does have a long history but distribution is limited to a few stores north of Columbus. I took a pint (plus) of Butter Pecan home to sample and found it to be good. Tremont Goodie Shop stocks a few flavors of the ice cream year round. If you live in Delaware or Marion you can find a larger number of flavors at Kroger.