David's Dairy Treat

2609 State Route 26, Cincinnatus, NY - (607) 863-4330

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Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on 11/11/2008 8:35:00 PM

As we enjoy our chili dogs and burgers and fries at a picnic table partially shaded by a big tree (there is no indoor seating at all at David's Dairy Treat), we note to each other how much the meal reminds us of the kind of "dining" one might find at the snack bar at the town pool, right down to the pale, twiggy fries. That's not quite a fair assessment, actually, because the food is better than that, but not enough so to make it especially noteworthy.

So why, then, are we taking the time to write about David's Dairy Treat? In a word, maple. Maple sundaes, to be more specific. The dairy part of David's Dairy Treat is good, creamy soft-serve, and the list of sundaes that you can have made with the stuff is long. We assume that the toppings are pretty much standard issue, but there is one topping listed as maple syrup. Real maple syrup is a luxury item, yet the "maple syrup" sundae is priced the same as the rest, so we had our doubts.

So we asked about it and, sure enough, the woman said it is real maple syrup. Not only that, they use locally made syrup from the current year's spring tapping! The sundae made with this syrup is delicate and extraordinary, a mellifluous conjunction of cream and vanilla and wood and smoke. The ice cream is not drowned in syrup; there's probably only a couple of tablespoons of the sweet elixir, but the flavor is insinuated into every spoonful.

Cincinnatus is a tiny town in New York State maple country, on the way to nowhere in the triangle between Utica, Syracuse, and Binghamton. You do not drive through Cincinnatus, you drive to Cincinnatus. And that is just what we recommend you do the next time you are near any of those three cities. Keep in mind that David's Dairy Treat is a very generic-looking, outdoor-only, walk-up drive-in; expect to find it open only during those seasons such places are ordinarily in business.

Scorecard

Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip

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"A maple syrup sundae is made with local maple syrup poured over a tower of dense and creamy soft-serve."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"The food is fine at David's. The chili dog is topped with a beany chili and crunchy fresh onions, and is not bad at all. But the real reason you are here is the maple sundae. "
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"David's Dairy Treat is the most ordinary-looking summertime stand you could imagine. Very locally popular, though."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle