INSIDE SCOOP
True Vine Ice Cream Shoppe
446 River Styx Road, Hopatcong, NJ 07843
973-234-5266 • truevineicecream.com
It’s hard finding great handmade ice cream. Perusing the ‘Top 10-25-50’ lists, I find that there are more that I have been to than haven’t. When we are on road trips, Brian has a keen eye for spotting ice cream signs in a flash and it’s hit or miss whether they make their own ice cream or not. If a shop or stand is in a great riding location, has a ‘schtick’ or unique offering or is just a very cool spot, I can absolutely overlook the use of another ice cream producer being ‘hand scooped’. I know that Hershey’s is going to be good, and when a local dairy is supplying the shop, that works for me. I know that there is ‘not so good’ handmade ice cream out there, but when the effort is put in to produce something original, there are points scored.
Help from our readers is always appreciated. I recently received a suggestion from Joe Burke for a shop in Hopatcong, NJ. Looking up their website, I saw some very tantalizing flavors. I posted a sticky note on my computer so as not to forget. It seemed like every time I looked at it and thought, ‘Let’s go today’ it was Sunday, the one day they are not open. The day final appeared when we were heading in that direction, sort of, during the week. It also happened to be the week of the Sussex County State Fair, which can cause chaos with traffic heading north on Route 15, our usual way home from ‘down below’. Being creative, we vectored towards the Lake Hopatcong area and True Vine Ice Cream. The Lake Hopatcong area has always been a fun place to ride. The circuitous route around the lake, with its sometime tight curves and changes in elevation, is entertaining. Summer weekends, though, can become a bear and I highly recommend a visit to True Vine at any other time.
On this warm summer weekday, we made our way around the lake to River Styx Road. I always thought this an odd name for such a benign road, but I suppose that during the summer many who travel it may think they are on the boundary between the world of the living and the underworld due to the congestion. We parked in front of the shop, which is easily found on the point West and River Styx Road. True Vine is an open and colorful space with hand-drawn artwork on the walls, as well as their menu board. Owners Ken and Cecilia Steup have created a place to relax and enjoy their wonderful ice cream. Ken and Cecilia have a passion for food; Ken discovering his while working in the kitchen of a confection shop during high school and later as a cook in the military and Cecilia through a family of cooks and bakers as well as working at Fresh Fields (now Whole Foods). Their love for ice cream started early, and they even had their first date in an ice cream shop. When they became serious about the path to an ice cream shop, they attended Scoop School and Penn State University’s Ice Cream Short Course. With the business of ice cream understood, they went on to the creative part of developing unique flavors, consistency and high-quality deliciousness. This is all represented in their motto: Love & Ice Cream, with the True Vine name comes from John 15:1-8.
Flavors – from Fantastical to Down the Rabbit Hole. Familiar flavors like Tahitian Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry as creamy and smooth as you can imagine, Brown Butter Pecan Pralines and Dulce De Leche to tickle your sweet tooth, and Horchata, a Mexican flavor with a richness of the best rice pudding. Following Alice, you’ll find Tiger Tail, Blood Orange ice cream with a licorice caramel swirl, Key Lime Pie with graham cracker crust mixed in, Winter Wonderland, coconut ice cream with toasted coconut, white chocolate chips and marshmallows and Don’t Fear the Reaper, a lushly dark chocolate ice cream with Carolina Reaper Powder. When I saw this I thought of my brother, who would make ice cream to hurt you, with hot peppers and such. Ken assured me that, while the Carolina Reaper is a hot pepper, this ice cream packed a bite but not enough to devour your taste buds. I took his word and had a taste – the chocolate was delightful and the spice at the end was absolutely present, but not overwhelming.
Cups and Cones, from sugar to waffle to Liege Waffel, a freshly made, beautifully warm Belgian waffle. I had to try this, and topped it with a scoop each of Winter Wonderland and Raspberry Cheesecake. Brian had a waffle cone with a scoop each of Horchata and Coffee. The Horchata was as good as any ice cream I have ever tasted, but I am a huge fan of rice pudding. The coffee tasted like the first sip of freshly-brewed morning coffee. My dish, with waffel and ice cream, made me soooo happy that we decided to have ice cream for lunch. The Raspberry Cheesecake was sweet and tart, with bits of cheesecake spread throughout and the coconut of the Winter Wonderland went perfectly with it. The warmth of the waffle soaked up the flavors in all the nooks and crannies, making it most decadent.
True Vine’s toppings are too numerous to name. Their portions are generous. They also serve up milkshakes, sundaes, floats and freshly made ice cream sandwiches. There is seating both in and out.
Here’s a little route showing off the beauty of Lake Hopatcong and the surrounding area. True Vine is a lovely spot to relax afterwards with a perfect scoop, or three. Enjoy and peace be with you, today and always.