Could the Hudson Valley Soon Enjoy 4-H Milkshakes Year Round?

A new ice cream spot opens this weekend that will be selling shakes that may taste very familiar.

Hyde Park residents may remember the legendary Toto's Ice Cream stand from the 1970's. Over the past four decades the business on Violet Avenue has changed hands several times, most notably serving as a Rita's Italian Ice location.

Now, the grandson of the original owner of Toto's has reclaimed the ice cream stand and will reopen the business this weekend as "Nana's Ice Cream and Grill." Owner Joe Kakish says the name comes from his wife, Mariana. She's a daycare worker and the children she takes care of have a hard time pronouncing her name, so they affectionately call her "Nana."

Nana's Ice Cream and Grill will be family run, offering hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, salads, mac and cheese bites, mozzarella sticks and other menu items. But the real draw may just be the ice cream.

According to Kakish, Sinon Farms in Poughkeepsie will be supplying all of the ice cream for Nana's. The local dairy is the same one that has been used to create those legendary 4-H milkshakes at the Dutchess County Fair. While Kakish is careful not to claim that they'll be exactly the same, we're assuming they'll be just about as close as you can get to the real thing. In addition to shakes, Nana's will also offer hard and soft ice cream and sundaes with all of the toppings.

Nana's Ice Cream and Grill at 864 Violet Avenue in Hyde Park opens this weekend. As part of the grand opening, they'll be offering free photos with the Easter Bunny and will have a bouncy house set up for the kids.

You can find out more details and keep up with any new developments at Nana's Ice Cream and Grill's Facebook page.