I recommend Gracie’s Ice Cream

After a meal, I usually want something sweet. I try to keep fruit around so that I eat strawberries or raspberries instead of ice cream, fudge, or Trader Joe’s Chocolatey Coated Chocolate Chip Dunkers.

chocolate coated chocolate chip dunkers from trader joe's. — According to several Amazon reviews, the dunkers are not suited for long-distance shipping.

But when you’re really craving ice cream, no amount of fruit will ever suffice. When I moved to Somerville, my friend Libby recommended Gracie’s Ice Cream in Union Square. Though I passed it every day on my way to and from work for six months, I never once went. But then I did, because ice cream is amazing.

Gracie’s has high ceilings and creamy white walls. It’s decorated with lots of amateur drawings by employees or children (hard to tell) and cute phrases like, “Check in on your friends,” “Create your own magic,” and “DETOUR find a new life!” One said, “Don’t you dare give up,” which gave me the strength and courage I needed to eat a cup of ice cream.

a stack of ice cream scoops in a cone — Sure, this ice cream looks great, but the stack is an accident waiting to happen. Put this in a bowl, now.

Sometimes, I wonder at what demographic these signs are aimed. Do I need to be told, “YOU ARE SAFE HERE” in a boutique ice cream shop? Is a brawl going to break out among people equally devoted to pasteurized desserts and Elizabeth Warren?

Elizabeth warren with her hands outstretched — “Can I get a YEET up in here?”

But the woman behind the counter, wearing a colorful crop-top SWEATER, was so earnest and personable that I could only assume she had whipped up every quirky decoration in a Pinterest-inspired frenzy. When she told me to let her know if I wanted to try any flavors, I felt—for maybe the first time in my life—that I might actually try something before ordering it. Ultimately I didn’t. But I felt empowered.

two ice cream servers laughing and eating ice cream — Neither of these people is the woman who served me, but the general affect is similar.

At Gracie’s, there’s an option to get blow-torched marshmallow fluff on your ice cream. I’m not usually one for extravagant toppings, but I’ve been a fan of blow-torched ice cream since I went to Santa Cruz after high school graduation and had it about five times. Somerville is also the birthplace of fluff, so I felt like a true American patriot.

my face photoshopped onto a picture of a navy general — In the Facebook-hacking high school era, my friends posted this on my account and said I was ditching college to join the Navy.

I didn’t know the exact logistics of the fluff application (would it be atop the coned ice cream? Within the cone?), so I asked the server if a cup or cone worked better. She said she wasn’t a cone person, so I ordered a cup. She then clarified that if I liked cones, I would also like it in a cone. Refusing to back down in the face of adversity, I got a cup of chocolate ice cream with a top layer of fluff.

The blow-torch job left me unimpressed. I was expecting a crispy, expertly-browned layer, with a molten subcutaneous ooze, but adequate love was not shown to the fluff. It looked like it had been heated with the strength of one birthday candle. This is Trump’s America.

ice cream with fluff on top — This blowtorch is #canceled

Even with subpar toasting, it provided a chewy texture that added to the overall experience. I wouldn’t get it every time, and would have probably preferred straight-up mini marshmallows, but I am glad Libby recommended it. She is a kween.

I will gladly defend my decision to order plain chocolate, because it #vibed with the fluff, but I will get a more exciting flavor next time. Eric Boodman, a swell guy and excellent writer who just happened to walk into Gracie’s as I wrote this blog, let me try some of his “Salty Whiskey” ice cream. It was delicious and got me absolutely hammered after one half-spoonful. I’ll probably get that next time. Thank you, Eric.