|
|
Dairy Queen
|
Hark! The Queen of Dairy Reigns
America may not be a monarchy, but we most certainly have our Queen. And, she reigns supreme on South Pine Street in Burlington, dishing up cool, captivating concoctions seven days a week. You might bestow upon her the title Queen of Hearts, for what do we love more than a tall, twist cone on a warm summer day? And, what’s more heartwarming than a swarm of uniformed Little Leaguers collecting their respective dues for a job well done on the mound or behind the bat?
 Julie and Steve Nelson have been dispensing delicious dainties at this delightful DQ since 1988. Ironically, this very Dairy Queen was established in 1953 by a proprietor of the same name, although he was no relation. All things being relative, though, the Nelsons are indeed...
...Burlington’s royal family of ice cream, as throughout the years you’ve most likely seen each member Nelson clan creating endless creamy combinations behind the counter. Daughter Amy is currently away at school, but the DQ domain is still staffed by Julie and Steve’s daughter Corrie and son Spencer.
Although you may think of ice cream as a summertime indulgence, take another look. The Nelsons keep the restaurant open through Thanksgiving and usually re-open by mid-February. And, it’s more than Dilly Bars, too! The lobby of DQ sports a large windowed freezer showcasing incredible layered beauties for you to take home. They’ve reinvented the Valentine here and, was that a Green Bay Packer cake I glimpsed through that display case window? These cakes come in all shapes, sizes and colors, many of them custom decorated by Julie, ready for you to take home for your next party.
Admit it. Who hasn’t dreamed – if only fleetingly on a hot, sticky day when you can feel the coolness wafting out through the order window – of a job behind the counter of that neighborhood merry Dairy Queen? You’d have nothing but fun with the crew at Burlington DQ, which employs between 15 and 18 during the peak summer season. Cake Expert Extraordinaire, Mikki Davis confesses to being an incurable icecreamholic. This she states with a wide grin on her face as she creates one of those awesome cakes that grace the front display case. “I have the perfect job,” she says. “Almost full time” means she’s at DQ most of the day with breaks to perform her crossing guard duties for the City of Burlington. Her enthusiasm is infectious as she makes bunny ears behind her colleagues for the staff photo.
Atkins? South Beach? Have we got news for you! On my recent visit, Mikki emerged from the kitchen with a gorgeous salad piled high with ingredients even Dr. Atkins himself would approve.
Chunks of grilled chicken cozied up with generous heaps of shredded cheddar in cahoots with a handful of just-from-the-vine grape tomatoes. . . and hiding underneath -- a mass of fresh, crispy lettuce – and I mean fresh. Oooh. DQ’s honey mustard dressing is the best. Tell your friends that the Queen of Treats treats your low-carb diet royally.
Of course, if you don’t adhere to the life is short, eat dessert first philosophy and you’re ready for a real meal prior to your chosen treat, the Hot Eats at Dairy Queen are very much in evidence. Chili and cheese willingly hold court with hot dogs and their more ostentatious cousins, the Footlongs. Grilled Chicken rules as the Duke of Sandwich, with His Royal BBQ filling the roll of Prince. . . pun most definitely intended.
 Did you know that Dairy Queen is over 60 years old? That’s a lot of ice cream gracing the fingers and faces of America’s generations over the years.
Speaking of old, every so often during the good weather months, the Nelsons invite members of the Burlington Car Club to display their vintage cars at the DQ. So, if you happen to be in the neighborhood some fine evening, look for the dandy automobiles strutting their stuff in the parking lot while their owners partake of the goodies on hand.
The Blizzard, introduced by DQ in 1985, is still the overwhelming favorite, says Steve, with Cookie Dough and Oreo winning the flavor competition. Nineteen-seventy-one saw the first Peanut Buster Parfait. . . (my personal favorite). Who can resist those mountains of hot fudge with salted peanuts buried within? You can still have Dilly Bars, which hit the streets in the mid-50’s, a mere 15 years after the first “cone with the curl on top” was introduced. But, really, all the complex creations in the world just can’t beat the good ol’ fashioned Dairy Queen, with its endless smooth, creamy twists climbing up, up, up to the very top curl.
Little Leaguers, Big Leaguers, Car Buffs and Ice Cream Experts of all sizes, ages and types will get the Royal Dairy Queen treatment on South Pine Street (Hwy 83) in Burlington. Stop in for a treat right now. . . and take some home for later.
The King and Queen of Burlington Dairy Queen, Julie and Steve Nelson. Hmmm. Is that a pair of bunny ears sneaking up behind Julie’s right shoulder?
The crew at Dairy Queen took a break recently to enjoy a moment outside. Left to right, Steve Nelson, Julie Nelson, Corrie Nelson, Mikki Davis and Shanna Willms.
|
|
