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By ANN PINSON / The Dallas Morning News

When the temperature soars to around 100 degrees, you may as well make the best of it. That means sipping or munching on something cold, but not just any treat will do. Here's a sampling of some of the coolest of the cool, from ice cream to popsicles to bubble tea.

Henry's Ice Cream
2909 W. 15th Street, Plano.; 972-943-3639
www.henryshomemadeicecream.com
The walls are painted in a black-and-white cow pattern, and the slogan proclaims that "ice cream makes you pretty." There's plenty of whimsical fun to be had at Henry's, but it's obvious that owner Henry Gentry takes his ice cream seriously. The menu sports about 40 flavors such as dinosaur egg (blue with white marshmallows), orange creamsicle (orange sherbet with vanilla ice cream) and cinnamon. However, Mr. Gentry says the best-seller at the moment is Gov. Shapiro's Texas Praline, which was served at an Austin celebration of state Sen. Florence Shapiro's day as acting governor in April. The ice cream is made from a 16 percent butterfat mix from Schepps Dairy, which gives it a wonderfully rich taste. One scoop costs $2.85, two scoops $3.39. The shop's not the only place where you can get your Henry's fix, because about 285 local restaurants serve it, too. Mr. Gentry moved his business from Philadelphia to Plano in 1992, and since then, he's covered the cow-spotted walls with clippings about the store and its community projects.

Paciugo
3699 McKinney Ave., 214-219-2665 | 5509 W. Lovers Lane, 214-956-7979 | 32 Highland Park Village, 214-219-6161 | 975 W. John Carpenter Freeway, Irving; 972-831-8999 | 2301 Preston Road, Plano; 972-612-1333 | Central Market, 320 Coit Road, Plano; 469-241-8332 | Central Market, 5750 E. Lovers Lane, 214-234-7000 | Central Market, 4651 West Freeway, Fort Worth; 817-989-4700
www.paciugo.com
This Dallas-based gelato chain (the name's pronounced pah-choo-go) has been spreading throughout the area since the first store opened on Lovers Lane in 2000. Every location whips up about 40 smooth, dense flavors of Italian-style ice cream ($1.99 for a child's portion, $2.99 for a regular, $3.99 for a large, $4.99 for an extra-large at the West Village location) each day on-site. The rainbow of choices includes strawberry, tiramisu, pink grapefruit and violet. There are water-based, milk-based and soy-based options. The chain's launching a new concoction this week called the gelato frizzante, gelato blended with San Pellegrino's sparkling water or soda. There'll be tasting parties at the West Village location on July 16 and 23, as well as samples available at the stores each Friday and Saturday through Aug. 6. There are five stores in the Dallas area, as well as kiosks in American Airlines Center and Central Market locations. Flower Mound and Addison residents, get ready for some frozen goodness. Paciugo outposts are scheduled to open in both places in August.

Wild About Harry's
3113 Knox St., 214-520-3113
www.wildaboutharrys.com
The huge hot dog figure out front and the smell of hot dogs might catch your attention first as you walk down Knox, but the frozen custard is just as much of a draw. The four mainstays at this Knox-Henderson hangout are vanilla, chocolate, coconut and coffee. About 40 other custard flavors make rotations, and 10 to 12 are available per day ($2.25 for a single scoop, $3.25 double and $3.95 triple). The recipe was adapted from one that owner Harry Coley's mom used to use. German chocolate cake and "death by chocolate" (several types of chocolate, including chocolate chips and white chocolate chips) are popular flavors. There's a little chalkboard in one corner for kids to draw on, and the decor includes letters and notes from customers on the wall. Harry's has been open since 1996.

Frutitas
539 W. Jefferson in Oak Cliff (near the Fiesta Mart), 214-942-1255
Popsicles laden with fresh fruit are the specialty at this store, founded by Raul Rodriguez in 1983. Coconut is the most popular selection, followed by strawberry, lime, mango and pecan. The water-based cantaloupe pop is refreshing and hearty, with plenty of chunks of melon throughout. Popsicles cost 75 cents. Staff members were friendly when we asked them to help us pick a flavor during our visit. Water- and milk-based selections are available. Ice cream, including one with cajeta (a milk-based caramel), is another option to help you keep cool. When you enter, the popsicles are in the case to the left, the ice cream is on the right. Both are made on-site.

Double Dip Frozen Custard
7511 Main St., Frisco; 972-377-8668
The caliche (say cuh-lee-chee) is one of the top confections here. At most places, they'd call it a concrete, but at most places it wouldn't be quite as well-mixed as it is here. You get a choice of vanilla or chocolate custard, and pick from about 40 mix-ins, including raspberry, peppermint candy and almonds ($4.86 for a regular caliche, $5.24 for a large). Sundaes, lemonade and limeade, floats and old-fashioned sodas are other offerings. The building has a garagelike covered area for seating (complete with doors that can come down when the weather's bad). Music from the '50s plays over the speakers, and the decor mirrors that of a diner from the same era. There's a hopscotch grid painted on the sidewalk for the kids. It's also a dog-friendly place, with benches outside for those with canine companions. Ask for a "poochie cone," and you'll get a free, wee cone with a couple of spoonfuls of custard for your pup. During our visit, a Yorkie wearing a bandana and a huge black Labrador were very excited about the concept.

The Purple Cow Diner
5809 Preston Road, Plano; 972-473-6100 | 110 Preston Royal Shopping Center, 214-373-0037 | 4601 West Freeway, Fort Worth; 817-737-7177
The retro '50s diner atmosphere at the three area locations reflects the name, with plenty of bovine-themed and purple decor. The signature shake is purple vanilla, which tastes like regular vanilla but is a kid-pleasing violet hue. Families were out in force during our visit to the Plano location, and children seemed to enjoy the model train running on a track overhead. Blue Bell ice cream is a key ingredient in the shakes ($3.25 at the Plano location), which have flavors ranging from peanut butter to pineapple. Grown-ups can get their shakes ($4.95 in Plano) with a shot of amaretto, peach schnapps, coffee liqueur, Irish cream or orange triple sec. Other chilly offerings include sundaes, malts, freezes and sodas. Burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches round out the menu.

QQ Cafe
3575 W. Walnut St., Garland (near La Paloma Taqueria); 972-205-9889
qqcafe.net
Bubble tea, which originated in Taiwan, is the specialty of the cafe. On your first visit, the array of choices may leave you a bit befuddled. However, the friendly staffers are used to helping folks through it; just let them know you're a newbie. Ingredients for the "milk teas" include nondairy creamer and a choice of sweetened teas (such as green, red or Thai tea). They also include black tapioca pearls, each a little bigger than a pea, with a texture similar to that of a gummy bear. QQ Milk Tea is $2.50 for a small tea, $3 for a large tea, add 40 cents for tapioca pearls. Flavorings can also be added, ranging from banana to chocolate to mung bean. There are also bubble teas made with juices. If you want other options, QQ's got you covered, with Vietnamese-style smoothies as well as a variety of shaved ice. Other attractions include a computer room and karaoke nights on Saturdays with Vietnamese, Japanese, English and Korean songs.

Highland Park Pharmacy
3229 Knox St., 214-521-2126
Sure, a business that's been around since 1912 and has an old-fashioned drugstore soda fountain packs a powerful nostalgic punch. But nostalgia alone doesn't lead to a counter packed with happy regulars. The pharmacy, which has been in its current location since 1923, serves up milkshakes, floats, limeade, chocolate sodas and phosphates. The orangeade ($1.65) is obviously made with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Orangeade with a scoop of sherbet, called an orange cooler ($2.85), provides just the right combination of citrusy tang and sweetness. Treats arrive looking picture-perfect, although they don't stay that way for long. Eager customers slurp down the cool concoctions, even if things do get a little messy in the process. The menu also includes plenty of comfort food, such as a pimento cheese sandwich that just might rival Grandma's. Thell Bowlin has owned the place for more than 20 years.

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 07.15.05