Foodish Ways

The wait is over. Max’s Best Ice Cream is open! This Downtown Bethesda ice cream shop is where fun treats meet doing good for the community with Best Buddies International. Read my previous blog post to learn more about the owner, Cory Alexander, and this venture with Best Buddies: https://bit.ly/maxs-best-ice-cream-coming-soon.

Learn more about Best Buddies International on their website.

Max’s Best Ice Cream is family-operated and serves farm-fresh ice cream from Vanderwende Farm Creamery. Vanderwende’s is a multi-generational family-owned and operated dairy company based in Delaware. Max’s Best Ice Cream also sources ingredients from local artisans. This dine-in ice cream shop’s menu includes scoops of ice cream and signature offerings. The signature items include extreme milkshakes, boozy shakes, sundaes, reinvented floats and a custom frozen hot chocolate blend.

The wonderful people at Max’s Best Ice Cream invited me to try a couple of the menu items and to interview the innovative pastry chef behind the menu, Dana Cree.

Pastry Chef, Dana Cree

Dana Cree is a professional ice cream maker based in Chicago, Illinois. She has specifically worked in the frozen desserts space for 25 years. She has earned the Jean Banchet award for Best Pastry Chef for her work at Blackbird restaurant in Chicago and multiple James Beard Award nominations. Cree also has a cookbook titled Hello, My Name Is Ice Cream: the Art and Science of the Scoop, which won an IACP book award. In 2018, she opened Pretty Cool Ice Cream in Chicago, a company that manufactures ice cream and other frozen desserts. Her company has worked with brands like Porsche and celebrities like Drew Barrymore. Check out my interview with Chef Dana Cree.

What I Ordered

The menu includes ice cream by the scoop made by Vanderwende Farm Creamery. Max’s Best Ice Cream also offers signature items: extreme milkshakes, sundaes, small wonders, pour overs (floats), boozy shakes, frozen hot chocolate, and chillers.

Note: This interview took place during the summer, so the menu items mentioned may no longer be available.

Arnold Palmer Float

The menu is filled with nostalgic items, which I talked to Chef Dana Cree about in the interview. It’s such a refreshing approach to ice cream.

I tried the Arnold Palmer Float, which was made with vanilla and lemon chiffon ice cream, lemon soda, and sweet tea. It was topped with candied lemon, sprinkles, and whipped cream.

This ice cream float was one of the BEST things I’ve ever had. As a fan of Arnold Palmers (sometimes called half and half), I was amazed by how this dessert came together! It was a beautifully balanced, flavorful treat.

Home Run Popcorn Sundae

When Chef Dana Cree asked if she could surprise me, of course I said yes! I was excited when she brought me a Home Run Popcorn Sundae. This sundae had a caramel pecan turtle bar base that was topped with scoops of vanilla and salty caramel ice cream. It’s topped with Fisher’s caramel popcorn, honey roasted peanuts, smoked sea salt, whipped cream, and honey and caramel sauces.

Y’all! This sundae was the sundae of all sundaes. Once again, a nostalgic take on a dessert. I loved Cracker Jacks as a kid, and this was spot on with the flavor. This sundae was the perfect salty sweet combo. The smoked sea salt was an unexpected and amazing touch! Still thinking about this sundae.

Wrap-up

I love when restaurants and shops have a mission that helps better the community. It’s important that opportunities are available for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). I could see how community-driven Max’s Best Ice Cream was when I visited. The ice cream was truly the cherry on top.

The next time you’re in D.C. Metro Area, check out Max’s Best Ice Cream in Bethesda, MD!

7770 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814

Until next time.

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