20 AMERICANWAY
NOVEMBER 15 2009
T R A V E L
AlthoughBranson,Missouri,
holds the title as one of the
country’s leadingdestinations
for family entertainment,
there’smore to the town than
headline acts. TheOzarks area
is a culinary capital in its own
right. Kids and adults alikewill
findplenty of tasty surprises to
delight in, particularlyduring
theholidays.Here is a guide to
several places that deserve their
own standingovation.
1
Andy’s FrozenCustard
Even die-hardNew
Yorkers havemade the trek here to satisfy their
sweet cravings. Octobermarked the start of Andy’s
most popular treat, thePumpkinPieConcrete, a frozen
custardmade fromAndy’s pumpkin pie. 3415West 76
CountryBoulevard, Branson,Missouri; (417) 377-5501;
2
AskinosieChocolate
Twowords:
peppermint
bark
. Thismeans layers of handmade dark and
white chocolate, with crushedpeppermints sprinkled
on top. Askinosie is also the only small-batch chocolate
maker inAmerica thatmakeswhite chocolate from
scratch. 514East Commercial, Springfield,Missouri;
(417) 862-9900;
3
AssumptionAbbey
The private chef to the
Duke andDuchess ofWindsor personally handed
down the recipe and technique that themonks use
for preparing andbaking their holiday fruitcake. It’s
so good thatWilliams-Sonoma sells it. Route 5, Ava,
Missouri; (417) 683-5110;
4
BransonRidgeWinery&Marketplace
Located
onBranson’s scenic boardwalk, thewinery hosts
tastings, boasts the cozyCafe diVine, and offers visitors
a crack at craftingpersonalizedwine labels. 307
Branson LandingBoulevard, Branson,Missouri; (417)
335-9700;
5
HammonsBlackWalnut Emporium
An integral
part of theMidwest culture since 1946, Hammons
Walnut Farmgrows blackwalnuts that are bold
and robust inflavor. During the holidays (right after
harvest), it’sworth the trip for the oh-so-sweet-and-
rich black-walnut ice cream. Pick up some black-walnut
syrup too. Itwill make your pancakes sing. 105
HammonsDrive, Stockton,Missouri; (888) 429-6887;
6
Mount PleasantWinery
The grapes grown
here include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and
chardonnay. Their respectivewines can be tastedwhile
touring, enjoyedduring awinemaker dinner, or (yikes!)
sippedduring a chillingmurder-mystery dinner. 3125
GreenMountainDrive, Branson,Missouri; (417) 336-
9463;
ANOZARKS
K¬NDOFHOL¬DAY
/
BY NEAL TURNAGE
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