Dippin’ Dots Strawberry

Published
by
matt
on July 7, 2008
in ice cream
. 0 Comments

I was at the mall Sunday and saw the happy green tent that is the Dippin Dot display case. Now I haven’t had dots in years. Years, and this was a weekly mall treat for me in 2002. So I thought for the sake of nostalgia, I decided to get myself a “scoop” of the dots.

Now, for those of you who don’t know, Dippin Dots are little tiny BBs of ice cream that was frozen with liquid nitrogen instead of traditional methods. Yes, this is perfectly safe, even though liquid nitrogen looks like the beginning of a bad science project, it is basically just a liquid form of the air we breathe, sans the oxygen and a few other gases. The stuff is uber cold. Like -300 degrees F, at least (or most, I can never remember how those negative numbers work.) The stuff is used to freeze warts off humans, turn bananas into hammers and make tennis balls shatter like glass (Thank you Carnegie Science Center).

So this hyper frozen ice cream freezes so fast that ice crystals can’t form, and thus the milk separates into tiny balls. They can be used for most things ice cream can, except, of course, for the soda, malt and shake. (P.S. try an ice cream soda sometime. They are amazing. I recommend cherry.)

So the question is, how does this convection stack up. The answer: just fine. What the ice cream lacks in creamy consistency it more than compensates in flavor, convenience and overall cool factor. They can be eaten without a spoon, don’t make a mess and won’t give a brain freeze.. The flavors are bright and clean, but not overwhelming. As much as it doesn’t look like it, you still feel like you are eating ice cream, with the same sweet cooling sensation.

I give it 4.5 stars of five, just because mine was a little old and tasted just a tad off.

Give it a try. Hit the spot with a dot.

Dairy Queen Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard

Published
by
matt
on July 1, 2008
in ice cream
. 2 Comments

So i just moved to a new town and there is a DQ just down the street from my new apartment. So, I decided to do the green thing and bike down to the ice cream shop and get myself some green ice cream. (I even went dressed in a black shirt and a pair of green shorts.)

When I worked in the ice cream shop about eight years ago, my boss’ son referred to the green mint chip milkshake as “a frog in a blender.” Indeed, it was neon chemical waste green with ribbons of black running through it.

The Dairy Queen Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard is not far off from that. Now I truly love love love Thin Mints. I look for those little girls every February like it’s my job and always get some to inhale the day they come in. So I was thrilled at the prospect of a Blizzard devoted to the cookies. 

While the Blizzard was good, it was not great. This could be because my Blizzard-maker girl was about 16 and had just messed up making a cone and stuck the mistake in the freezer for herself later. At any rate, the cookies were stale and lacked that sharp-sweet mint taste of the cookie. In fact, there weren’t all that many cookies in the thing to begin with. The mint flavor was decidedly lacking, too. This is because all Blizzards use vanilla soft serve, and unfortunately, this one did not use enough flavoring syrup.

I would still get another one, but I won’t expect anything stellar this time. Just something sweet.

Edy’s American Idol Limited Edition Cheesecake Diva

Published
by
ashley
on June 5, 2008
in 4, edy's, other flavors and swirls
. 0 Comments

So aside from having the LONGEST NAME EVER, Edy’s Cheesecake Diva ice cream is one of the five limited edition flavors put out to promote American Idol.

There are five flavors — Cheesecake Diva, Cookies N’ Dreamz, Mint Karaoke Cookie, Most Orange-ina, and One Split Wonder. And then you’re supposed to vote on which flavor you want to see added to the Edy’s lineup permanently.

Oh, did I mention these are all part of the “Slow-Churned” style, so they’re all half the fat and 1/3 fewer calories? Yeah.

Sadly, voting has already ended and the winner turned out to be the Mint Karaoke Cookie. Unlike this year’s American Idol, I think you voted incorrectly on this one, America. Either all of the stores were out of Cheesecake Diva when you bought the vastly inferior Mint Karaoke Cookie OR you just don’t know what good taste is.

The ice cream has a sharp, tangy cheesecake flavor base which really is one of the better cheesecake flavors I’ve tasted. There are thick fudge swirls throughout the mix and a smattering of chewy brownie pieces. This was truly the American Idol winner. This is the David Cook of ice creams. If you’re dieting, this is the ice cream for you. You cannot tell this is diet ice cream. It is that good.

I mean, there are some faults, don’t get me wrong. The brownies suffer from the same artificial taste, but are still nice and chewy. I think there are a few things you can add to this to elevate it to AMAZING, like maybe some hot caramel and some pecans.

BUT it holds its own in the contest. You can still find these American Idol flavors on shelves until July, and after that, they’ll be forgotten. And in the meantime, you can enjoy the David Archuleta of flavors, Mint Karaoke Cookie.

Where purchased: Giant in Alexandria, VA
Cost: $2.50
Taste: 4
Flavor originality: 2.5 - would’ve liked to have seen something else to punch it up
Overall: 3.5

Edy’s Limited Edition Summer Peach Pie

Published
by
ashley
on June 2, 2008
in 3, edy's and fruit
. 4 Comments

I can’t think of anything that sums up summer better than a peach cobbler.  Fresh-picked slices of peach, chewy cobbler base, sweet syrup — and topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Nothing is better.  Nothing.

So when I was digging around the ice cream freezer the other evening and I spotted this flavor, I decided to see if there was some magical way Edy’s had managed to get all of the peachy crusty goodness into ice cream.

Results were surprising.

First, let me preface this by saying I don’t like fruity ice creams that well.  The fruit flavor is usually cloying and artificial.  This was no exception.  The ice cream base was peach flavored and unfortunately, tasted almost too sweet.  And definitely way too peachy.  There were random chunks of peaches scattered throughout but not enough to really enhance any of the flavor.  Plus, it seemed like some of the chunks suffered from ice crystals.  There were pie crust pieces in here too, which I felt were a really good addition.  If there had been more of them, I think I would’ve liked this a little more.

This isn’t a BAD ice cream.  As a novelty limited edition flavor, it’s good.  If you like peaches and peach flavored things, you’ll like this.  But I have to admit that I wish Edy’s had kicked up the flavor a bit — maybe added a bit of cinnamon somewhere and instead of using the ice cream as the peach flavor, maybe used a soft vanilla or brown sugar ice cream and upped the pie crust and peach chunks.  But unfortunately, I don’t work for Edy’s, and I don’t make my own ice cream.

Bottom line — nice attempt, but it fell a little short.  Maybe next year, Edy’s.

Where purchased: Giant in Alexandria, VA
Cost: $2.50
Taste: 3
Flavor originality: 4 - i thought this was a very innovative flavor — instead of the usual peach, they took a step further and did peach PIE.
Overall: 3.5

Edy’s Double Fudge Brownie

Published
by
ashley
on May 30, 2008
in 4, batters, chocolate, edy's and swirls
. 1 Comment

It has taken me awhile to go through the backlog of ice cream in my freezer.  My boyfriend has started to get annoyed with me.  We still had 3/4ths of a quart of cookie dough, almost a whole quart of nasty yogurt blend, and a full quart of the double brownie.

Guess which one got finished first?

Hint:  I’m not one of those people who like to eat the bad stuff first so I can have the good stuff as a reward.

So the double fudge brownie was WAY better than any of them.  This is a deep, rich chocolate ice cream with a chocolate swirl and chunks of brownie pieces.  The brownie pieces tasted a little artificial, but were still decent.  I microwaved the last little bit trying to get it out of the carton and when I scooped it out of the carton, half-melted and slightly warmer than usual, the ice cream tasted like brownie batter.

The only thing that would have made this ice cream move into five-star territory would maybe be the addition of some kind of nut.  I feel like I needed something crunchy in there to bounce off the mushiness of the brownie chunks.  Maybe a walnut for walnut brownie, or even a swirl of caramel and some pecans for a turtle brownie.

Where purchased: Giant in Alexandria, VA
Cost: $2.50
Taste: 4
Flavor originality: 3 - brownies get points, but they should add some more innovations
Overall: 4

Potbelly’s Chocolate Ice Cream Cone

Published
by
ashley
on May 14, 2008
in 4, chocolate and other shops
. 1 Comment

You know, unfortunately, I didn’t even think to get a picture of my ice cream cone before I devoured it on my way back to work.  A single dip is just $1.50 there and let me tell you, I think it’s way better than going to a Ben and Jerry’s.

Potbelly’s only offers three ice cream flavors - vanilla, chocolate, and coffee.  They also only offer 1 cone option –  a basic cake cone.  Normally I am a sugar cone girl, but for some reason, the cake cone really balances out the taste of the ice cream.

This is not your normal ice cream, either.  This has an ultra-creamy taste, but it’s also a bit grainy and is slightly soft.  It honestly tastes like someone just churned it out in the back.  The chocolate flavor is not overwhelming, either.

We go to Potbelly’s quite often as it is just around the corner from our office and they make very tasty sandwiches.  They also offer milkshakes and malts, but my heart belongs to the single scoop.

Where purchased: Potbelly’s on 17th and L Street
Cost: $1.64 with tax
Taste: 4.5 — homemade ice cream taste!
Flavor originality: 1 (chocolate, plain and simple)
Overall: 4

Kroger Deluxe Rainbow Sherbet

Published
by
matt
on May 13, 2008
in 3, fruit, ice cream and supermarket
. 1 Comment

OK, so sometimes I like to diet on the cheap. So I bought the store brand (gasp!) of sherbet. Why? Because it’s sherbet, and if I am going to spend money on something rather good. If I want something rather good, you can bet I’m not going to eat sherbet.

Kroger's Deluxe Rainbow SherbetHowever, I have to say that I was mildly pleased. Sherbet is a good alternative to ice cream because it is low in fat. Additionally, it is good to cleanse the palate. I recall a dinner party I went to once also where rainbow sherbet was served as a dessert with a Pirouline stuck on top. It was a classy dessert that was light and clean, with relatively little to feel heavy on the stomach.

At any rate, Kroger’s take on rainbow sherbet (raspberry, lime and orange) is rather tasty. It is a tad sweet, and the consistency of the mix depends on the carton. Usually one flavor is predominant. This box is largely raspberry, which is fine by me because my last box was mostly orange. Ah, thus is the result of a store brand.

The sherbet does have a good consistency and the taste lingers clean. It is especially good after a meal to be a sweet fix that is not overly filling and to get rid of the lasting taste of dinner.

I would recommend getting this, or if you don’t have a Kroger, to try your own store brand, at least once. Sherbet is a good thing, believe it or not, and if you like it, you owe it to yourself to have some. If you have never had sherbet before, then you need to have some. It is a light treat that usually satisfies. Now, about store brands. While I far from advocate using them for serving others, but if you are just eating them at home, then see if you like it. It might save you a couple bucks.

Where purchased: Kroger
Cost: $1.99
Taste: 3
Flavor originality: 1
Overall: 3, for a good taste coupled with value.

Nutritional information: 1/2 cup serving, 120 calories, 0g fat, 30g sodium, 28g carbs, 21g sugars

Free Scoop of Vanilla Honey Bee at Haagen-Dazs

Published
by
ashley
on May 13, 2008
in haagen-dazs and news
. 0 Comments

Today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. only in participating Haagen-Dazs shops, they’re hooking the public up with a free scoop of their new flavor, Vanilla Honey Bee.

Not only does this new flavor sound mighty tasty, proceeds of its sales go toward protecting the disappearing honey bee population.

The Haagen-Dazs website advises that you call your local store, though, to see if they are participating.

Breyers French Chocolate Free Double Churn

Published
by
matt
on May 13, 2008
in 4, breyer's and chocolate
. 1 Comment

Aside from having one of the longest names in all of ice cream, I have nothing but good to say about Breyers take on a diet ice cream.

Breyers French Chocolate Free Double ChurnThough the serving size is small, 1/2 cup, it is adequate to get a fix for a real ice cream jones that sherbet or yogurt cannot satisfy.

This is the second flavor from this line of Breyers I have tried and they have both been winners. The texture is that of an ice cream that has all the fat. It scoops easily, unlike some diet ice creams. The ice cream has a creamy flavor that melts with a smooth finish in your mouth. Further, the chocolate flavor is clear, but not overwhelming, as many chocolate ice creams do.

A taste of this ice cream is truly no different than an ice cream with all the fat. Breyers has done an outstanding job of engineering a product that delivers on taste while keeping mind of those watching their waistlines.

Where purchased: Kroger
Cost: $2.49 on sale
Taste: 4
Flavor originality: 1 (chocolate, plain and simple)
Overall: 4, for good taste at a reasonable value.

Nutrition information: (For those who care)

1/2 cup serving; 90 calories, no fat, 22 grams of carbs, 55 mg of sodium and 13g of sugar

Edy’s Yogurt Blends Caramel Praline Crunch

Published
by
ashley
on May 9, 2008
in 2, edy's, nuts and swirls
. 0 Comments

One of my favorite ice creams in the entire world is Breyer’s Caramel Praline Crunch. It is delicious, with buttery caramel and tiny crunchy praline pieces.

Unfortunately, since we moved to DC, we have yet to find it in stores around us. This makes me sad and makes me want to write epic poems dedicated to Breyers. Everytime my boyfriend and I go to the store to pick out ice cream, it becomes a 30 minute ordeal where I lament the loss of Caramel Praline Crunch. My boyfriend? Is a saint to put up with me.

So a few days ago, I asked him to go to the store and get some ice cream for us because I knew I was going to be working late. As soon as I got home, he pulled the ice cream out of the freezer and beamed like he had just saved a drowning child from the Potomac.

“Look what kind of ice cream I bought you, baby!” he said.

Oh, I looked. I was briefly buoyed by seeing the words Caramel Praline Crunch but then dismayed to see the even larger words emblazoned above it: YOGURT BLENDS.

Listen up. Yogurt is not ice cream. Yogurt is yogurt. I can roll with frozen yogurt at places like Pinkberry and TCBY where there are toppings to take away from the tang that comes with fro-yo.

But I put on a brave face and told myself, hey, it’s only 120 calories per serving. How bad can it be?

Answer: Very.

Look, I’m sure this ice cream BLEND would be appropriate for someone who is dieting. It tastes perfectly fine if you’re into that sort of thing. Unfortunately, for me, the mouthfeel was all wrong. It was almost a little…. TOO creamy. It felt synthetic. The pralines, though, were a hefty size and granular, and the caramel swirl was pretty tasty. Though you can’t really mess up caramel. The ice cream was, again, a plain vanilla base. I wish manufacturers would realize that a more interesting base flavor goes a long way. Turkey Hill is a master of the base flavor — thinking of their brown sugar base for their cookie dough ice cream makes me want to “accidentally” leave the yogurt monstrosity out on the counter just so I can have an excuse to go buy a carton of Turkey Hill cookie dough. Mm.

Sorry. Got sidetracked. Another good thing I will say about this ice cream is that there is no tang. At least not one my ruined palate can discern. My main problem with the ice cream was that to me, it tasted a little artificial. BUT if you’re on a diet, I would recommend this as a nice alternative to sugar-free ice creams. Sugar-free ice creams shouldn’t be allowed to exist. Or at the very least, they shouldn’t be allowed to call themselves ice cream. They should have to call themselves sugar-free frozen treat.

Where Purchased: I’m pretty sure this is from Giant in Alexandria, Va.
Cost: I’m sorry, I don’t know. Probably $3.50
Taste: 1
Flavor Originality: 3
Overall: 2