hen I was a kid, Ice Cream came in two distinct types: 31 Flavors (Baskin Robbins) and that crap in the square box my mom would buy from the grocery store. I can remember many nights when my parents would leave the house for the evening. My 3 sisters and I would all go into the kitchen, and battle for the box of store brand vanilla ice-cream. A 'big night' was if we had Hershey's syrup to put on top. We would usually leave the box out on the counter while we went and fought over the television. The only time we wouldn't fight is if it was Saturday, because that meant we would watch The Love Boat and Fantasy Island - the only shows we could all agree on. By the time my parents came home, the ice cream was melted and pooling at the bottom of the box. My mom would put that box back into the freezer, and it would sit there for months, because nobody wanted it after it had melted and re-frozen. Oh, and the 31 Flavors? That was just something that people on TV ate - not us.

Later on when I was in high school, my ice cream world expanded a little bit, because there was a Thrifty's across the street from my school. For something like 35 cents I could go get a 'scoop' of ice cream. They used a special tool that made the scoop more like a cylinder. But they would always put the scooper tool back into the same disgusting looking water between each customer. So my Chocolate Malted Crunch always had a coating of milky liquid on the outside that looked vaguely like dishwater. This was a good time for ice cream though, because it was cheap. And because my friends and I used to sit out in front of Thrifty's and watch the 'desperate housewives' go into the store to purchase stuff that our adolescent minds couldn't even begin to imagine.

After Thrifty's, came my Ben and Jerry's phase- I was 17, had more money, and transportation to the grocery store. Heath Bar Crunch and Chunky Monkey seemed like the pinnacle of the ice cream world - until I moved on to the richness of Häagen-Dazs. I lost interest (and weight) for a while, because the ice cream scene had become boring. There are only 72 ways of combining ice cream, nuts, and chocolate, and I had tried them all.

Then one day I walked into a Marble Slab ice cream shop (in the low-down dirty scoundrel town of Davis) and I found something that was a little different. The whole idea is that you pick a base ice cream flavor, then you start choosing junk for them to add in. You get to determine what flavors you want, and there are thousands and thousands of possibilities. Personally, I still go for the same trio of tastes: nuts, chocolate, and vanilla. But now I get to mix it up exactly the way I want to. Ice cream is a good thing again. And now we have a Marble Slab in Woodland...within walking distance of my house. (I can hear the other kids now..."fatty fatty two by four...")

Okay, I'll be perfectly honest with you. That very last item sounds absolutely disgusting. I don't think I want a flame-broiled patty, onions, tomato, and mayonnaise mixed in with my ice-cream. We don't even have a Burger King in Woodland, so I don't know how they'll get the Whoppers. Everything else sounds good though.

I went into the back of the store, the stuff they mix in to the ice cream is the real deal. They've got
real Oreos, not some cheap store brand 'Hydrox' junk. I think the raisins are there for show,
who would put raisins in ice-cream?

Marble Slab makes all of their ice cream. They also make things that are mixed into the ice cream, like the brownies, cookies, and PIE. This is apple pie, just waiting to be turned into apple pie ala mode. I didn't find out about the pie until after I had already eaten my ice cream, but this sounds like something good to try next time.

They also have a selection of ice cream cakes. These look good, with that same trio of vanilla, chocolate, and nuts.
Some caramel added for extra goo. Tell my wife that this is what I want for my birthday this year.

On the left is Pam, the owner of Marble Slab. The other five people are Pam's bankers from Bank of America. I assume Pam took out a loan there and they want to make sure they can get their money back, or at least get some free ice cream.

This kid looked happy, he put in everything but the kitchen sink, nuts and chocolate.

She had Rocky Road. 2/3 of the way there (nuts and chocolate) but marshmallows are for sissies and girls.

Don't forget to switch arms, you don't want to build up muscles on one side and look lopsided.

This is Pam Nardinelli, the new owner of Woodland's Marble Slab. I talked to her for a while, and she was very enthusiastic about her business. Most of the people she employs are high school kids. She took applications to the schools, and interviewed the kids at the schools. She said "I have wonderful kids working for me, phenomenal kids." I commend Pam for hiring all of these kids, I think it is great. As long as she remembers that teenagers lead very different lives from the rest of us, she'll be okay. Personally, I know that my grandmother died five, maybe six times when I was a teenager, usually on Friday nights. I found it difficult to remember who I said had died - I'm sure my boss thought my family was afflicted with the plague.

Smiling at the front counter	Making the waffle cones

This is it:

The Grand Old Slab.
The Rock.
The Cornerstone of the Business.

I can't come up with any other corny names right now, but this is where they mix the ice cream and it is the namesake of the store. The marble slab is kept between 28 and 30 degrees so the ice cream stays cold while it is being worked, and the other ingredients are being added.

This is the machine that actually freezes and churns the ice cream. They use real sweet cream as a base for every flavor. Each batch takes about 7 minutes to freeze in the churner. After this, it goes into a different freezer, where it gets down to -20 degrees.	When that machine breaks, they have this guy as a backup.

See? The ice cream isn't pre-packaged. They make it, mix it,
and put it in this freezer.

Then they take it to the front, to mix in with all the other stuff.

I ordered a 'Brownie Deluxe Sundae' (or something like that).
Pam told me it had a warm brownie in it, which sounded good to me.

On the slab, starting with their vanilla bean ice cream. Now that is a man's ice cream.	Under the ice cream was a warm brownie. That's a man's baked good.

Topped with whipped cream, caramel, cherry and nuts. Manly.

I am the president of the clean plate club.

Marble Slab Ice Cream Nutrition Information
Serving Size - 6.75 oz. Net Wt. - Unflavored
Amount Per Serving
Calories	450	from Fat 250
		% Daily Value
Total Fat	28 g	43%
Saturated Fat	18 g	90%
Cholesterol	115 MG	38%
Sodium	135 MG	6%
Potassium		0%
Total Carbohydrate	44 g	15%
Dietary Fiber	0 g	0%
Sugars	43 g
Protein	8 g
Vitamin A 20%		Vitamin C 2%
Calcium    30%		Iron 0%
Nutrition Information from the Marble Slab Website

Marble Slab is located in the Bel Air Shopping Center. 

	From:  i.c. fiend - Date: 11-Feb-05
	dang, did you have to show the calories?! I remember Thrifty's ice cream! chocolate malted crunch was my fav, too!! Sounds like Fate...wanna meet?
	From:  Good Question - Date: 11-Feb-05
	Which is better Cold Stone or Marble Slab? Everyone should go out and test and if they are not sick after all that icecream. Let us know! I have had both not in the same day, and my vote is for Cold Stone, better brownies.
	From:  Another Good Question - Date: 11-Feb-05
	When is the Jamba Juice Grand Opening? Got have my Jamba!
	From:  Jamba Fan - Date: 11-Feb-05
	Jamba Juice is already open. Don't know if they are going to have balloons and stuff, but they are selling smoothies.
	From:  the guy on the first page aka joe - Date: 12-Feb-05
	the guy on the first page is devilishly handsome
	From:  Matt Rexroad - Date: 15-Feb-05
	Great aricle. Well done. Jamba opened last Wednesday. They are working out the kinks.
	From:  Joseph Jacobs - Date: 16-Feb-05
	I'm the kid in the niners sweatshirt. I didn't know I looked so funny. But don't make fun of me because i'm from davis. Oh, and article writer? CHOCOLATE IS ONLY FOR DEMOCRATS AND FRENCH PEOPLE!
	From:  Marsha Krist (aka: Sister of author) - Date: 23-Feb-05
	Okay, here's the deal - ice-cream is too expensive. If I'm going to pay four bucks for a scoop it had better have rum in it! Also, the best frozen treat is still, by far, a slurpee from 7-11!! Who's with me on THIS one? (Oddly, my favorite ice-cream flavor is coffee!)
	From:  yea - Date: 26-Feb-05
	yea they dont go by scoops
	From:  Tracie Shepherd - Date: 20-Jun-05
	I am on weight watchers. Will you please list the nutrional information for the cup size icecream and mixings. How many servings are in each cup.
	From:  Linz - Date: 24-Apr-06
	what type of rock is used when making the ice cream?? and why is it used?
	From:   - Date: 03-May-06
	The whoppers on the mix in list are the *candy* kind. You know, the chocolate covered malted milk balls that come in a carton? Ya. It's those. Not hamburgers.
	From:  unnanimous - Date: 15-May-06
	I THINK ITS THE BEST ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD!
	From:  Lauren - Date: 01-Jun-06
	peppermint and oreo's is the best you have gotta try it...oh my gosh it is to die for!
	From:  Lee - Date: 17-Jun-06
	Cold Stone is 10 times better than Marble Slab
	From:  Dasha - Date: 11-Jul-06
	Marble Slab is better than Cold Stone!! Cold Stone doesn't have my fav flavor....Double dark chocolate!! I always get that with Heath bits mixed in.......yummmm!!
	From:  Jennifer - Date: 21-Jul-06
	Cold Stone does NOT serve their ice cream cold enough. After they mix in your mix-in and serve it to you, it's of 'malt' consistency. Furthermore, Cold Stone is wayyyy too sweet. Ice Cream should NOT taste entirely of sugar. You should taste flavor.
	From:  jane - Date: 02-Aug-06
	that ice cream is the best!!!!!! My fav is coffee with chocolate chips
	From:  Jenny - Date: 24-Sep-06
	I LOVE THIS ICE CREAM SOO MUCHH!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!
	From:  Justin - Date: 27-Sep-06
	I actually work at a Marble Slab in Shreveport, LA. Pretty much everything you said was correct. Our Marble Slab isnt that big though, and the picture of their slab looks WAY to cluttered, we like our space in Shreveport
	From:  KTB - Date: 20-Nov-06
	i know joseph jacobs! i work at this store currently..and my government teacher ALWAYS talks about matt rexroad..this is awesome
	From:  ma - Date: 29-Nov-06
	i use to work here and now i look lopsided! :-/
	From:  g - Date: 07-Feb-07
	im gonna totally go there!!!
	From:  Tia - Date: 19-Feb-07
	It's the nicest ice cream u've ever hade ever i wish they stold it in england wen i went on holiday (for a week) i had 8 in all yummy
	From:  Nadia - Date: 22-Feb-07
	I love Marble Slab! Its quality ice cream is nothing compared to bluebell or any store bought icecream. It worth the 4 bucks because you dont go everyday unless if your a fatty! and Cold Stone is complete copy of Marble Slab!
	From:  Christine - Date: 12-Mar-07
	ha, I WORK at a Marble Slab ( In Alberta, Canada). Just because I'm a geek, it's technically a 'fudge brownie delight'- And the whole thing about switching scooping arms? Too true my friend. We're all lopsided ;-D
	From:  paul hurni 4/1/58 - Date: 28-Mar-07
	just happened to be looking through the net and my sister popped up Hey pam how you doping things seAM TO BE DOING FINE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON
	From:  paul hurni 4/1/58 - Date: 28-Mar-07
	just happened to be looking through the net and my sister popped up Hey pam how you doping things seAM TO BE DOING FINE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON
	From:  mr_fish001@yahoo.com - Date: 10-Apr-07
	Hello. I am Ray Fish,I came across your Web Site and noticed you can provide me with information on my request. I urgently need to purchase a number of popcorn machines for my aid project.I will be glad to have a price quotation from you,in order to provide you with the details of my intended order/purchase.Below is the specification of my request. Club Ref: 7330400 (Floor Standing - 7.5 litres/hr) Power: 110 Watts. Voltage: Single Phase 230v. Speed: N/A Stainless steel case 3 litre stainless steel bowl Dimensions (HxLxW): 830 x 420 x 450mm waitng ernestly to hear from you. Regards Mr Ray Fish
	From:  brittinik.k.morse - Date: 18-Apr-07
	how old do you take people to work please say 15 in old
	From:  Pam - Date: 14-Dec-07
	We hire at 16 years of age - Hey Paul I just say this for the first time - Wow - so random! Mr Ray Fish I don't do popcorn machines but can help you with blast freezers! Thanks to everyone who likes our Freshest Ice Cream on Earth.
	From:  Colleen Ferrini - Date: 09-Feb-08
	Most delicious ice cream and hospitality can NOT be beat at Pam's Marble Slab!! Thank-you Pam for being a stopping place on my way thru the valley.
	From:  Connie - Date: 17-Apr-08
	Hey Pam, Remember me? I was your sister in law...I just happened to run across this. Good for you! You were always so enthusiastic and have great energy. I am in the food business too in Healdsburg. Take care and much success to you. I see Hus signed in too, LOL tell him Hey.... Hugs & the best to you all ....
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