Made in Virginia 2015: Brown Dog Ice Cream

Brown Dog Handcrafted Premium Ice Cream

About five years ago, Miriam Elton set out to solve a problem: Her small Eastern Shore beach town was in need of a premium ice cream store. The result? Ice cream done right. At Brown Dog Ice Cream in Cape Charles, Elton treats her creamy creations with care—no artificial flavors, just fresh ingredients that are prepared and cooked for you to see and feel and taste.

The varieties on offer at Brown Dog Ice Cream, like beet and goat cheese with pistachio, or avocado with strawberry, lime and jalapeno, sound more farm-to-table restaurant than seaside ice cream store, and that’s no accident. “We try to be creative and we try to use local fruit and vegetables,” says Elton, 53, originally from Loudoun County. “So whatever becomes available from local farmers, I try to create a recipe.”

Elton does the prep work in the kitchen, roasting and cooking ingredients like local apricots, peaches, wineberries, plums, corn, figs, strawberries and blackberries. She then incorporates them into the ice cream during the freezing process. In the end, the formula is pretty simple: “The best ingredients equal the best ice cream,” says Elton. Kids, she adds, particularly enjoy chilling out in her shop with the real brown dog, Foster. Prices vary by serving size. Facebook.com/browndogicecream

See all the Made in Virginia 2015 Winners!

Overall Winner

Fern and Roby, Richmond

Home

Monolith Studios, Charlottesville (category winner)

Huger Embroidery, Richmond

Duvall Designs, Millwood

Owen Suter's Fine Furniture, Richmond

Style

Shockoe Atelier, Richmond (category winner)

Rockbridge Guitar Company, Charlottesville

Melissa Lew Jewelry, South Riding

North End Bag Co., Virginia Beach

Drink

Belle Isle Craft Spirits, Richmond (category winner)

Early Mountain Vineyards, Madison

Texas Beach, Richmond

LUMI Juice, Charlottesville

Food

Brown Dog Handcrafted Premium Ice Cream, Cape Charles (category winner)

S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Surry

Swover Creek Farms, Edinburg

Pennacook Peppers, Virginia Beach

Click here to see 2014 winners.

Click here to see 2013 winners.

Click here to see 2012 winners.

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Brown Dog Ice Cream

Brown Dog Ice Cream in Cape Charles, Virginia is the best! Miriam comes up with such great, interesting flavors like Lemon with Chia Seeds or Beet with Goat Cheese! They sound weird but they are delicious. She is closed for the winter and I miss my Sunday ice cream fix!!!!

Etta Robins more than 7 years ago