Everything is green outside my window, the thermometer is rising above that crucial 70 mark, and all I can think about is ice cream. Well, how much I want it, to be precise. And ice cream is hot, at least in the news. From the recent brouhaha in Portland all the way to New York City, ice cream brawls are bubbling up everywhere this spring. Last week the PPH reported that "City Councilor Kevin Donoghue's e-mailed an inquiry to residents asking whether the trucks and their music were a pain or a plus." The responses were mixed, so the issue was dropped - for now.

In New York City, things got a bit more violent. In an article about the prevalence of ice cream truck tiffs, the NYTimes reported that a couple (in their sixties) that owned and operated two ice cream trucks was "ambushed in the Bronx and beaten with an oversized wrench" in 2004. The cause: a rival's response to their ice cream truck route. (The rival was sentences to ten years in jail!)

And in Thomaston, another clash was reported a while back by The Courier-Gazette (see Mainecoastnow.com for the online version), this time between the legendary Dorman's Dairy Dream and the Richmond Company, which, according to the article, is planning "to construct the $22.5 million, 350,000-square-foot Thomaston Commons, which includes a restaurant along Route 1 and a retail development" directly behind Dorman's.

So in the name of research , I thought it necessary to sacrifice myself to uphold the standards of blogger journalism. I have four words for you: Down East Sundae Shake. It's not on the menu at Dorman's, but my coworkers that grew up here said I had to try it. They'll give it to you for under five dollars, you just have to know to ask for it. I got mine with vanilla all around and hot fudge. It's basically a super thick vanilla shake on the bottom, topped by a soft serve hot fudge sundae on top. Delicious. It's definitely worth braving the Route 1 construction in Thomaston.

Any other legendary local ice cream shops I should try in the name of research? I've heard that John's in Liberty is worth a trip. The more suggestions, the better…it's a long summer ahead with many ice cream cravings to satisfy.

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