Gobble groveto-spoon ice cream at Strathmore’s Orange Works Cafe

Tulare County

In the heart of the Central Valley’s citrusgrowing territory, the Orange Works Cafe of Strathmore stands at a rural crossroads, offering good sandwiches and amazing ice cream. Especially the orange ice cream. It delivers the creamy texture of a vintage 50-50 bar but without the vanilla nonsense, with a sharp edge of freshness and the moral authority that comes from being surrounded by miles of orange groves. A 6-ounce scoop is $3.99.

It’s a family business. The Orange Works rotates other homemade, farmfresh ice cream flavors too, including persimmon, pomegranate and cantaloupe. There are milkshakes and smoothies. There’s a Visalia location too, though I’m uncertain of its moral authority.

Bonus tip: If you’re headed from anywhere in Southern California to Sequoia National Park, you will likely drive via I-5 and highways 99 and 65. Orange Works is right there on Highway 65. Just remember that it’s closed on Sundays.