The Inside Scoop

Hold onto the last lick of summer at three local dessert parlors

This week marks two important events in the history of ice cream: one happy (the anniversary of the hand-cranked ice cream machine, patented by Philadelphia dairymaid Nancy Johnson in 1843) and one sad (the last scoop served at Bucks County's revered Goodnoe's, which closed on Labor Day after 51 years). But

This week marks two important events in the history of ice cream: one happy (the anniversary of the hand-cranked ice cream machine, patented by Philadelphia dairymaid Nancy Johnson in 1843) and one sad (the last scoop served at Bucks County's revered Goodnoe's, which closed on Labor Day after 51 years). But Philadelphia's i-scream tradition is still strong at these spots that won't let summer go just yet:

Twist Ice Cream Parlor in Paoli, where vanilla gets gussied up with fresh blueberries and hunks of cheesecake (39 East Lancaster Avenue, Paoli; 610-640-1800).

Lollypops Homemade Ice Cream in Mount Laurel, with its ever-popular banana pie concoction: banana ice cream with pie crust pieces and vanilla icing (200 Larchmont Boulevard, Mount Laurel; 856-231-7677).

Bassetts Ice Cream, home to Gadzooks!, a chocolate ice cream loaded with caramel, chocolate chunks and peanut-butter brownies (Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Arch streets; 215-925-4315).