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| Less than five miles from Dartmouth stands a veritable ice cream
oasis offering a smorgasbord of flavors and very friendly service. The
Whistlestop ice cream stand is run out of the home of Jennifer and Luke
Mattern, who started the business together in 1998. Luke was working as a
tugboat captain, so he spent a lot of time away from home. The couple wanted to
start a family business that would allow them to work together. After noticing
the baseball teams walking from the nearby diamond, they realized that the blue
house on Depot Street would be a great place for an ice cream stand. They
converted the apartment building into a single family home and turned the front
room of the house into an ice cream parlor. Customers line up to order on the large porch strung with hanging pots of petunias. Once they get their ice cream, many sit at the American flag picnic tables in the front yard. Railroad signs dot the yard and porch, and a tiny toy train runs on a track around the porch's roof. It's hard to believe the Whistlestop story began only five years ago. The throngs of loyal customers and cosy domestic setting give the impression of a family business passed down for generations. Jennifer credits Blitzmail with contributing to the business's rapid growth. During the second season, some Dartmouth students discovered Wilder's hidden treasure and news of the fantasy ice cream stand spread like wildfire over the network. Jennifer noted that on the first day of this season, some students arrived within an hour of opening because a friend had notified them over Blitz. Dartmouth students have been loyal customers, coming as sports teams, fraternities, and community service groups. The Matterns have even seen some groups of students come in their pajamas. "The students will come in caravans, one car after the other, and they'll pour out. It's like clown cars," said Jennifer. If you don't know anyone who goes to Whistlestop, you might have trouble finding it. If you Google Whistlestop, you won't find the ice cream stand. The closest you'll get is the Whistlestop Restaurant in East Clarendon, Vermont. Although, as Google will show you, the Whistlestop Restaurant is much loved by Appalachian Trail hikers for its generously sized breakfasts, it's not the Whistlestop ice cream stand, which lures legions of loyal Dartmouth students every year. A call to the East Clarendon restaurant confirmed this, as the friendly hostess that answered the phone directed me toward the town of Wilder. After further investigation failed to yield any more specific information, I finally said to my companion, "Wilder's not that big. If we go there, we'll find it." And low and behold, we did. At the risk of sounding like Yogi Berra, I must say that once you know where it is, it's really easy to find. To get there, cross the bridge into Vermont and take a left onto Route 5 South just after the overpass. Three miles down the road, next to Ken's Kountry Store, take a left onto Depot Street. You can't miss the big blue house with ICE CREAM painted down the side. Nor should you. Whistlestop is absolutely worth the drive down Route 5, as anyone show's been there will attest. One of the main attractions is the unbelievable variety. There are more than 250 flavors listed on a board next to the order window, but the ninety different base flavors, along with numerous mix-ins and dips, offer nearly endless possibilities. The Whistlestop crew will whip up any combination you can imagine. Of course, being a dedicated journalist, I conducted thorough research (read: ate a lot of ice cream) during my three trips to Whistlestop last weekend. My first try, cocoa kahlua, was less than thrilling, tasting pretty much like chocolate soft serve with only the rare hint of coffee liqueur. But that's what I get for playing it safe. More unusual combinations proved to be much more exciting. Coconut raspberry was well balanced and flavorful. Walnut nougat with toasted coconut dip was deliciously rich, and pina colada was like summer sun on a cone. Other great combinations were banana mango and chocolate raspberry banana. Of all that I have tried so far, the best was the fabulous pink champagne. Some flavors take a bit more courage. One of the most unusual is beer. According to Jennifer Mattern, "It tastes just like a flat Milwaukee." Another strange flavor is dill pickle, which Jennifer says is "surprisingly good." I encountered only two brave customers who had tried this flavor. One anonymous Dartmouth student would only say that it was an "interesting experience,:" while Gordie Ehret '02 confirmed, "it tastes a lot like pickle." Of course, if pickle doesn't tickle your fancy, you have hundreds of other flavors to try, so don't despair. If you have dietary restrictions, you will soon be able to enjoy Whistlestop too, as the Matterns are planning to offer sugar-free and lactose-free options. The Whistlestop season normally runs from mid-April to October. This year, they will close some time in September because of renovations to expand the porch. The Whistlestop is open seven days a week. Until June, they will be open from 3:00 to 9:00 weekdays and earlier on Saturdays. Summer hours are Monday through Thursday 11:00 to 9:30, Friday and Saturdays 11:00 to 10:00, and Sundays 1:00 to 9:30. [Kiku Langford '06, Karen Chen '03, Ann Chang '03 and Holly Sedillos '05 enjoy their cones on the welcoming steps of Whistlestop ice cream stand. Flavors range from chocolate raspberry banana to beer, for the daring!] [Oh the Flavor! Emily Miller '04 enjoys these afternoon ice cream cones at Whistlestop, a family run ice creamstand in Wilder, VT.] |
