Vermont

Made in Vermont: Offbeat Creemee

Published

1 year ago

September 2, 2024

WINOOSKI, Vt. (WCAX) – Sandwiched between a park and a pool, there’s an ice cream shop in Winooski that does things a little differently.

“We got to end on it, it’s not just for the top,” said Offbeat Creemee owner Aisha Bassett, dumping sprinkles into the bottom of an ice cream cone, before layering creemee and more sprinkles on top. But, the layers of sprinkles aren’t what sets this treat apart — it’s the lack of dairy, eggs and other allergens. Before she brought dietary deliciousness to the Onion City, Bassett perfected making regular ice cream. That is until the world froze in its tracks.

“During COVID we saw a lot of restaurants have their own ice cream, and we decided we needed to change directions, pivot, have something different that is not in the area,” explained Bassett. “Started to experiment for a couple months, trying to make the perfect ice cream.”

After 12 iterations of dairy-free ice cream, and almost two months of trial and error, Aisha and her lactose-intolerant husband, Dan, nailed down the recipe. The vegan mixture is made of coconut and oat milks and is crafted in a kitchen in Burlington.

“It took a lot of ugly ice cream to get what we have now,” she laughed. “Looked at a lot of university studies and a lot of ice cream studies and tried to find the cleanest and simplest formula.”

In 2020, the duo opened up their creemee window at Myers Memorial Pool in Winooski. To say they were well received would be an understatement.

“I was amazed at how successful we were. The lines were down to the sidewalk and I was working by myself back there and I immediately had to recruit some people,” Aisha Bassett said. “The response was amazing and really blew me away.”

They’ve been busy ever since. The window is ending summer hours on Labor Day weekend. They’ll reopen in late September until the end of October, slinging creemees and hard ice cream.

“Blueberry shortcake, I love brownie batter,” said Bassett, donning ice cream cone earrings. “Berry cheesecake is like one of my favorite desserts.”

The window also offers milkshakes and decadent sundaes, like the pretzel brownie sundae — a brownie batter ice cream base, house-made fudge, house-made caramel, and pretzel pieces triple layered. For those who prefer savory or trendy treats, they even offer an olive oil ice cream sundae.

“Totally my vibe, it’s very… especially Graza olive oil,” said Bassett. “It’s very botanical, very olive-y. And the sea salt just brings it out a little bit more… good balance.”

“I see the people in line, like they’re the reason why I’m so successful, I can’t really take too much credit,” she said, while also expressing admiration for her staff. “I’m gonna cry, stop!”

You can find these sweet treats at their window at 62 Pine St. in Winooski, or you can buy pints from either City Market location and Leo & Co in Essex.

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Related Topics:aisha allergen bassett Business cream creemee dairy egg Featured food free gluten ice made news no allergens offbeat treats vermont WCAX Winooski

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Vermont

Vermont House passes mid-year budget adjustment

Published

11 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Vermont House passes mid-year budget adjustment

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont House lawmakers gave final approval this week to a mid-year adjustment of the state budget.

The spending plan passed unanimously and includes more money for state police overtime, an expansion of the Chittenden County Accountability Court and money for Meals on Wheels.

The budget also allocates $5 million to maintain Section 8 housing vouchers. That money comes from a $60 million fund set aside last year in the event of cuts from the federal government.

“We’re a quarter of the way through the game. We want to be careful to not spend everything now because given everything that’s happened in the last 12 months, who knows what’s going to happen in the next 12 or longer,” said Rep. Robin Scheu, D-Middlebury.

The budget adjustment bill now heads to the Vermont Senate.

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Vermont

Woman killed in Vermont snowmobile crash

Published

23 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Woman killed in Vermont snowmobile crash

A Vermont woman is dead after her snowmobile struck a group of trees Saturday afternoon on a trail in Brighton.

State police say they were notified around 12:55 p.m. of a snowmobile crash on VAST Trail 2001 and arrived to find a 50-year-old female operator with critical injuries.

Life-saving measures were performed, and the woman was taken to North Country Hospital in Newport where she was later pronounced dead, according to police. She has since been identified as Laurie Jackson, of Proctorsville.

An investigation shows Jackson was traveling north on the trail near Meadow Street when she failed to negotiate a left-hand turn, driving off trail to the right where her 2001 Skidoo Renegade hit several trees, according to police, who noted that Jackson was wearing a helmet at the time, and described the trails as groomed/fair condition.

Further information was not provided Saturday.

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Vermont

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Saturday, Jan. 31

Published

1 day ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Saturday, Jan. 31

The 2025-2026 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

▶ Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

▶ Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

SATURDAY’S H.S. GAMES

Girls basketball

Mount Mansfield 54, Brattleboro 42

MM: Maysa Long 15 points, 7 steals, 6 rebounds, 5 assists. Aly Dorman 15 points, 4 steals. Morgan Campbell 11 points.

B: Hailey Bristol 15 points. Juliette Pals 10 points.

Note: Mount Mansfield gained separation in the second half after entering halftime up 27-25.

BFA-St. Albans 46, Essex 42

B: Emma Harrison 17 points. Emma Parah 11 points.

E: Zoe Papaseraphim 16 points. Colleen Sonnick 11 points.

Burlington 52, Rutland 51

B: Emma Maley 17 points. Dieuna Beynnon 11 points. Mae Yenkavitch 11 points.

R: Brinley Gandin 22 points. Lilly Blanchard 10 points. Alanna Rooney 9 points.

Note: The Seahorses converted eight 3-pointers in the win handing Rutland its second straight loss. Rutland went 1-for-4 from the free throw line and committed two turnovers in the final two minutes of the game, while Burlington made its free throws.

Lyndon 60, Harwood 34

L: Makayla Savage 25 points. Gabriella Marshia 14 points. Grace Griswold 8 points.

H: Maddie Grace Ryley 13 points, 4 rebounds. Liv Kielich 4 points, 14 rebounds.

Spaulding 43, Montpelier 18

Woodsville, NH at Blue Mountain, 6 p.m.

Boys basketball

Lyndon 55, Lake Region 40

LYN: Nikko D’Auria 23 points. Logan Wheeler 11 points. Brent Wells 9 points. Beckett Bailey 8 points.

LR: Keagan Tartaglio 20 points. Brody McDonald 8 points.

Vergennes 78, Mount Abraham 54

V: Ryan Wright 15 points. Theo Elzinga 14 points, 9 rebounds. Ryker Mosehauer 12 points.

MA: Jaran Griffin 18 points. Charlie German 14 points.

Woodstock 56, Williamstown 52

WOOD: Elvis Lavallee 25 points. Brody McGaffigan 10 points.

WILL: Nick Mascitti 10 points. Keeton Hull 10 points.

Milton 53, Missisquoi 42

Lamoille 62, North Country 49

Middlebury 62, Enosburg 54

Richford 58, Oxbow 56

Winooski at Northfield, 11 a.m.

South Burlington at Burr and Burton

Watch Vermont high school games on NFHS Network

Girls hockey

Essex 4, Rice 1

E: Calleigh Bruyns 2G, 1A. Lexi Moody 1G. Sadie Lizotte 1G. Emily Morgan 1A. Leah LaBombard 2A. Aliyah Rassel 1A. Lucia Minadeo 1A. Morgan Hughart 18 saves.

R: Reilly Newton 1G. Eliza Fischer 1A. Lulu Colman 1A. Molly McGibney 35 saves.

Note: Essex scored three unanswered goals in the second period to break a 1-1 tie including goals 14 seconds apart minutes into the second period.

Burlington/Colchester 4, Kingdom Blades 2

B/C: Taylor Davidson 3G. Caroline Burdick 1G. Brett Mears 1A. Logan Jewett 22 saves.

KB: Gabby Griffith 1G. Alexis Bartley 1G. Isabel Guadreau 1A. Madison Colby 39 saves.

Note: The SeaLakers came roaring back scoring three unanswered goals after entering the first intermission trailing 2-1. This game saw 18 combined penalties.

BFA-St. Albans 8, Hanover, NH 3

U-32 8, Harwood 1

Spaulding 3, Hartford 0

Brattleboro at Stowe, 4:15 p.m.

Chittenden Charge at Middlebury, 7 p.m.

Woodstock at Missisquoi, 7 p.m.