Sizzling summer: Smokin' Joe's serves ice cream, sandwiches and more in Mount Cobb

Jul. 5—Smokin' Joe's Ice Cream Shoppe in Mount Cobb has something for everyone.

The family-owned business features an extensive list of ice cream offerings from soft- serve in a chocolate waffle cone to Banana Split Ice Cream Bar Cake. While there you can also grab Texas wieners, sandwiches and steaks for the grill.

The nine-year-old ice cream shop is an extension of the longtime Mount Cobb business, Smokin' Joe's Quality Meats and Deli.

Any way you scoop it, ice cream is one of the highlights of the summer season, especially in Northeast Pennsylvania. While the tasty treat can be enjoyed with family and friends all year round, there's nothing like ice cream to cool down during the warmer weather. Over the next several weeks, Chef's Table will spotlight ice cream shops throughout the region where residents can fulfill their cravings for sundaes, soft-serve and much more.

This week, Chef's Table spoke with ice cream shop manager Kris Padula about this family business that serves up ice cream, sandwiches and more.

Q: What is the history of Smokin' Joe's Ice Cream?

A: The history of Smokin' Joe's Ice Cream goes back to the early 1940s when John Sobleskie opened the small market in Mount Cobb. In 1956, Joe Dombrowski Sr., son-in-law, took over running the market due to Sobleskie's failing health.

Dombrowski and his wife, Dolores, built the current building that houses the market and an apartment above the store. After several additions and changes in the business, the market remained a successful family business for many years specializing in a full-line meat department, deli and groceries.

Today, the market is known as Smokin' Joe's Quality Meats and Deli and is owned by Joseph Dombrowski Jr.

In 2014, we converted a former garage into an ice cream shop and Smokin' Joe's Ice Cream was born. The ice cream shop is managed by Joe Jr.'s sister, Kris Padula, who has grown the business over the years. To have the ice cream shop open year-round, Padula added a soup and sandwich menu to the shop's offerings. The menu includes homemade Texas wieners, special panini sandwiches such as garlic parmesan ham and cheese and balsamic chicken with mozzarella, red peppers and spinach and homemade soup during the winter.

Q: What would you consider to be your most popular items?

A: Our most popular items are definitely our creamy soft-serve ice cream served in cones and used in our sundaes. We also offer 28 varieties of Turkey Hill and Hershey's hard ice creams as well.

Our shakes, which can be made with one of many flavors of hard ice cream, are also a hit with our customers. Popular shakes are vanilla peanut butter or chocolate peanut butter banana.

We also have a large selection of candy that customers can choose from as toppings for their ice cream. The selection includes crushed peanut butter cups, Heath pieces, Butterfinger, gummy bears, Kit Kat, Oreo pieces, M&M's and Reese's Pieces.

Customers also enjoy our ice cream in homemade vanilla or chocolate waffle cones or waffle bones for sundaes.

We also make ice cream cakes, brownie ala mode pies and loaf cakes in various sizes for any occasion and themed for holidays. Our most popular loaf cakes are banana split, brownie peanut butter, brownie caramel or strawberry shortcake.

Our ice cream cookie sandwiches are also a year-round staple in the ice cream shop and our grocery store. We offer chocolate chip, brownie, oatmeal and Oreo cookie sandwiches.

Q: What is your signature dish?

A: Our signature sundaes would be brownie ala mode and strawberry shortcake. Our Texas wieners are our signature sandwich.

Q: What type of seating do you have?

A: We offer outdoor seating with picnic tables in our large parking area. We also have an ice cream window for service and inside counter service is available during inclement weather.

Q: Do you have any special events or seasonal menu items planned at the shop?

A: We currently host a vintage car show every third Wednesday of the month from May to September. During the summer months, especially July and August, we have special ice cream treats based on national holidays such as Banana Split Day, National Chocolate Ice Cream Day and Strawberry Day.

Q: What does the future hold for Smokin' Joe's?

A: I hope that it will continue as a family-run business for a long time.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

A: Picking a favorite flavor is so hard because I order all of the flavors I like. My ultimate favorite is chocolate marshmallow or chocolate with a ripe raspberry chunk on top.

Q: Lastly, do you prefer rainbow or chocolate sprinkles?

A: As for me, I like chocolate sprinkles the best. Or otherwise known as chocolate jimmies!

Brian Fulton, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribune's expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140.