Takeout: Peach ice cream

Peaches, unlike most people, thrive in hot weather. The broiling sun concentrates the sugars in the fruit, yielding a sweeter peach. So when it is a scorcher, with temperatures in the 90s, I think of those ripening peaches, and all the good ice cream that they will produce.

Recently, I went riding around the metropolitan area - from Anne Arundel County to Carroll County, with a stop in North Baltimore in between - hunting for fresh peach ice cream. I found three good ones, refreshing products of a hot summer.

Best Bite

Lee's Ice Cream

Address 6308 York Road

Phone 410-323-2330

Hours 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Peach bliss: This ice cream had a wonderful blend of the flavors of peaches and cream. There was a piece of peach the size of a quarter in my serving. It even had some skin on it. Even though I knew this was a dessert, with each spoonful I tasted more fruit than sugar. It was $3.66 for an 8-ounce serving.

Best Bargain

Hoffman's Home Made Ice Cream & Deli

Address 934 Washington Road, Westminster

Phone 410-857-0824

Hours 9 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

This is a smooth, delicate peach ice cream made by a family that has been in the ice-cream business since 1947. You step back in time when you walk into this ice-cream shop and the price, 6 ounces for $1.75, also reminded me of the good old days.

Also Tasted

Bruster's Real Ice Cream

Address 801 Aquahart Road, Glen Burnie

Phone 410-787-9725

Hours 11 a.m.-11 p.m.daily

This busy spot near the Harundale Plaza serves an exceptionally smooth peach-colored ice cream. I applaud the peach chunks, and smile at the price, 6 ounces for $2.43, but the ice cream was a tad sweet for me.

Know of a good carryout? Let us hear about it. Write to rob.kasper@baltsun.com.