Updated May, 6, 2022. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s gained a few pandemic pounds. In these trying times, there’s nothing wrong with a little gustatory excess. And I haven’t found a single place in NoVA as over-the-top as The Battlefield Country Store in Fredericksburg.
The deli sandwich I tried was piled as high with meat as a pastrami on rye at Katz’s Delicatessen—jaw defying. In fact, I had to eat each intended bite as two. First ham, then turkey. And for $6 and change, my dining partner and I were able to split it (plus a bag of chips and a fountain drink) for a filling lunch.
But this is not a post about sandwiches. This is a post about something far more special. “The Weekly Special,” to be exact. At Battlefield’s outdoor, socially distanced ice cream window, there’s a sweet world of options. But almost everyone in the long line is there for the same thing. Each week, the mad ice cream scientists at the store concoct a new shake. The weekend before I visited, it was the Hold My Root Beer.
The shake blended salted caramel ice cream with Stewart’s draft root beer. This alone was so sweet that it thinly trod the line between pleasure and pain. But that was only the beginning. The jar that held the drink was coated in marshmallow fluff and sanding sugar, necessitating that I scrape away at it with a spoon. On top of that, a dense, chewy brownie sat, infused with root beer and spread with caramel frosting. That still wasn’t all. A puff of whipped cream contained root beer barrel candies.
It only took a few bites before the sugary onslaught ran together into one sweet taste. That’s why I used salt and vinegar chips to refresh my palate for more. Did I finish? Not even close. But there’s no question that I’ll challenge myself again. This week, the special is a Rocky Road version, complete with a no-bake brownie. And I might have to make another road trip. 6150 Plank Rd., Fredericksburg
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