Photo: WBZ NewsRadio/ Emma Friedman
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — New Englanders are known as a hardy bunch, and look no further than local ice cream shops on a 17-degree day.
Granted, it did warm up to an almost balmy 27 degrees later in the day on Tuesday in Boston.
But make no mistake, it was cold, although not cold enough to keep folks away from their favorite year-round treat.
At BerryLine in Harvard Square, customers inside were enjoying some ice cream.
There was even a customer sitting outside digging into his frozen yogurt.
BerryLine Assistant General Manager Christopher Keegan said it's busy at BerryLine year-round, especially on the weekends. "It gets a little hectic, but for the most part, we like it," he said.
Keegan added that during the winter months, lots of his customers order online and have their treats delivered.
There are several reasons given why New Englanders embrace their winter ice cream, including local quality.
New England is home to renowned creameries like Ben and Jerry's, Hood, Gifford's, and Herrell's, to name just a few.
Yankee Magazine said New England's 'ice cream culture' was established a long time ago due to the cold climate, making ice storage more feasible.
Also, the large student population in New England can be counted on to consume generous amounts of ice cream.
One of the biggest differences, Keegan said, between summer and winter customers... when it's cold out, "A lot of people get the frozen yogurt with our homemade toppings. And then when it's warmer, people tend to go towards the fruit."
WBZ NewsRadio's Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.
