Free Local Treats to Beat the Heat with Batch & Hood

By Melissa Massello, July 17, 2013

Seriously, it’s a scorcher out there. You know that feeling when you take an ice cold shower and, feeling refreshed, walk outside and are immediately sweaty and gross again? That’s today in Boston. It’s hot. Damn hot.

Thankfully, two local ice cream institutions — one historic and nostalgic, one new and trendy — are doling out sweet treats in Boston today to help us beat the heat:

HOOD’s HARVEY BAR

HP Hood, founded in Charlestown in 1846 and now based in Lynnfield, is intrinsically linked to summers and birthday parties for generations of Bostonians. (My own family indulged in some Hoodsie cups on the deck at the Cape over 4th of July, above, to beat the sweltering sun.) This week, Hood is launching their newest dessert, the Harvey Bar (named after founder Harvey Perley Hood), by handing out free samples and coupons today through Friday on City Hall Plaza.

More info over on Boston.com.

BATCH AT LATIN JAZZ

This week, I shared my admiration for Batch ice cream’s business model in the Op-Ed pages of the Boston Globe, and tonight Batch is sharing its love for its South End neighbors by giving out free ice cream from 6 to 8 pm at Titus Sparrow Park during the free Latin Jazz concert. (The park is adjacent to West Newton Street and the Southwest Corridor.) I highly recommend trying the salted caramel — I may have had more than one free sample at Taza’s Cinco de Mayo street fair (above and below).

Whatever you do today, be sure to apply plenty of sunscreen & drink tons of water! And never, ever, leave your dog in the car for even a minute in this weather. PSA, out.