Many visitors to Cuba have enjoyed the delights of Cuban ice cream, even being sucked-in to paying the CUC "tourist" prices at such over-rated facilities as the too well known Coppelia establishment on La Rampa in Vedado.
Many others have discovered the delights of lesser known establishments in quiet residential neighbourhoods, where small cones are sold for one peso a ball in CUP - about CDA .05 per scoop.
I wish to report the existence of an outstanding example of the latter, recently discovered and repeatedly visited during a wonderfully memorable visit to Trinidad. It is located at a house on General Lino Perez #177, about midway between the foot of Parque Cespedes and the railroad station on the north side of the street. If you are visiting there, be sure to check this one out!
At least two flavours are available and change daily. The flavour is of the natural fruits employed and the texture is creamy without being overly rich. The quality far exceeds even the Nestle product universally available in Cuba and the price simply can not be beaten. Many Cubans stopped by with their empty tubs and sundry containers to take some home for the family. Others sampled single balls from homemade cardboard cups or, like myself, gorged on larger quantities from plastic bowls squeezed between the bars of the living room window.
If the independant business owner concerned could franchise his sure-fire formula in North America, Dairy Queen and others would be in trouble.
In my personal DAVFITZ guide it rates three stars and is decidedly worth the trip!
dave, in Cienfuegos it was a peso in 1997 and in March of this year it was a peso and I hope it's still a peso when I get there next week because it's 85 in the shade.
Rickie, it's not the price that I was commenting upon: it's the incredible quality! I call it peso ice cream because you pay for it in CUP. I've been told by one Cuban (one with CUC tastes) that I'm one of the few roreigners who really enjoys the CUP lifestyle.
Please enjoy your trip to Cienfuegos!
One of my earliest experiences luring me "off-resort" was finding a peso ice cream place in Mantanzas, right on Parque Libertad. The girl was a bit amused at my payment of CUC, and dutifully offered me my change in a fistful of CUPS, which I didn't accept. (Hindsite, I should have, and found some more interesting experiences with them!) Best ice cream I've ever had.
The worst ice cream I have ever had in Cuba was at the Coppelia in Cienfuegos - more like a watery ice than anything else - not even worth 1 cup, imo. The best was also in Cienfuegos from a guy selling it on the street from a cart - who also tried to "sell" me his son!
in Holguin I'm pretty sure the peso ice cream on the street is a soya product. But it's refreshing, healthy, and cheap.
# 6, under the current crackdown in some of the towns that is about the only thing a tourist will get to lick .... lol
Dave, Cfgos can wait for me. I will be touring the eastern part of the island first and saving the best for the last.
I agree about the quality of the peso ice cream and have had it many times and in many places and only once got an undesirable product.
There is a myth about the cost of Coppelia ice cream that springs from the price people pay in the CUC lines and what those in the much longer CUP lines pay. I brought a family of about 8 people to the Coppelia in Guanatanamo and we all totally pigged out on some fantastic ice cream for about $5 total. Had we bought the same stuff from the CUC line in Havana it would have been $25-30.
I am always looking for that little whipped oncoction, the peso dollop, wherever I go in Cuba. That and the stands that make the fruit "batidos" usually near the beaches. I always bring a couple of the big liter plastic bottles with us and it has never cost me more than $1 to fill each bottle. That's cheaper than what the damn water cost me when I first bought the bottle !!!
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