My father began taking me to Thomas Sweet Ice Cream Shop when I was around six or seven years old. He introduced me to Blend-Ins, which is ice cream that is blended with candy in a special machine. YUM! I started off with Sweet Cream Ice Cream and blended-in Oreos, Plain M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. My Dad thought it was ridiculously sweet, but always managed to take a taste or two of my piece of heaven in a paper cup.
A year or two passed and I evolved, slightly. By age eight, I only had two items blended-in (Plain M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups) thanks to the invention of Cookies ‘N’ Cream Ice Cream. In fact, I’ve been treasuring this combination for the past 23 years! (I deviated slightly when I was home in NJ this past weekend. I got Birthday Bash Ice Cream, which contains yellow cake, cake batter, and sprinkles inside of vanilla ice cream, instead of the Cookies ‘N’ Cream. I like it, for a change, but the next time I go to Thomas Sweet, I’m going back to my personal concoction that I’ve loved since I was eight years old!)
Thomas Sweet has been a special place in our family for years. I remember going there with eight of my closest friends when I had my tenth birthday. I went there with my parents on a many Saturday nights. Often, I’d stop by Thomas Sweet (i.e., the one in Princeton) after school for an occasional Blend-In when I managed to convince my Mom that I “just needed to have one.” In fact, I think that a few of the birthday cakes we had at family celebrations, later in life, also came from our beloved New Brunswick Ice Cream Shop.
This past Saturday night, my parents, Marc, and I sat at a small table in Thomas Sweet together eating our cups of sweetness. Sitting there, with three of the people I care about the most in this world, made me definitely feel like I was at home.
TWO WRITING TEACHERS 
Oh, I want to go there! I love the idea of creating your own blend! And your fave sounds totally yummy!
I was so worried that I was going to get to the end of the piece and find that the shop had closed, so hearing that you, your parents and Marc sat there eating your treats just this past weekend was extra special. Great story. Thanks for sharing … now, could you share the address?!
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I love this ice cream shop! I have eaten in this New Brunswick shop many times. It is not far from where Iive.
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Sounds delish! I think I’ll pick up some ice cream on the way home tonight! -llm.
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mmmh. as a pregnant woman, i should not have read this post. the mere mention of ice cream, even at 6am… i’ll stop there. suffice it to say, i’ll surely have ice cream in my hands before the day is out. great story and for the record, that first combination sounds yummy to me!
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Blending flavors is such an interesting concept, I think, and I have only experienced it at Cold Stone Creamery. In fact, at my son’s birthday party a few months back at the Basketball Hall of Fame, we had the party in the Cold Stone place and got behind the counter, making our own creations.
Yummy but filling.
Kevin
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Your ice cream store story reminds me of my favorite ice cream place. I will have to write about it. I am going to take the kids to the ice cream shop tomorrow. Thanks for the memory. http://www.debrennersmith.com
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Full circle Stacey with lots of terrific details and a photo for dessert of course.
Can’t wait to share my return to Israel and Banana Beach.
Did get to play with my new photo share on Flickr:
and figure out how to create a label as well. Very productive Sunday night. Great time at the Israeli Parade this morning.
Bonnie
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