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Post by thesolution on Sept 21, 2015 10:42:19 GMT -5
Halo Top Vanilla Bean: Halo Top ice Cream offers a low-calorie, high-protein, and low-sugar ice cream based off all natural ingredients. They state on their webpage "We know it sounds too good to be true, so don’t just take our word for it – dig in and see for yourself just how good healthy ice cream can be!" After being offered to try two pints from the company I figured I would give it a shot to see how this is. I have never had a low calorie, high protein ice cream before, so I was very intrigued on the quality and taste. All of their flavors except chocolate have just 70 calories per serving (with chocolate at 80 kcals a serving) Upon lifting the lid you are presented with what you would expect a very fine looking vanilla base. Upon my first bite it gave me a small hint of a vanilla bean coffee creamer but with a very faint aftertaste. The flavoring could of been a bit stronger, but for nearly 70 calories per serving beggars cannot be choosers. After a few more bites I did start to find a balance of vanilla bean and a french vanilla taste which was unique. The creaminess of the ice cream is on the denser side, but does melt pretty quick. I assume that is normal based on how the ice cream is made compared to regular ice cream which is full of buttermilk fat. For a "healthy" vanilla it is worth the calories, but do not get your hopes up as a mind-blowing or powerful vanilla based flavor. There is hints of vanilla bean and french vanilla, but nothing over the top. For the price (Nearly 5$ a pint) If you were to buy this in the stores it may be a far stretch for a treat, but that would be personal preference on how you want to allocate your money. For a treat every now and then it may be worth the money to you, but for the flavoring and quality of the vanilla I would pass. Grade: C- Found: Wegmans Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Sept 15, 2015 18:19:29 GMT -5
Gelato Fiasco Maple Sap Tap Gelato Gelato Fiasco Maple Sap Tap Gelato is labeled as "Inspired by sap on snow. Maine maple syrup with house-made maple walnut toffee pieces". I have read one review of this from Nick @ On Second Scoop and he gave it a very positive review and encouraged I pick it up for a Scoop. We tend to have a lot of similarities in taste when it comes to ice cream, and this was one I picked up in my 6 pint package from Foody Direct. Upon taking my first few bites of the Gelato you get exactly what you expect from Gelato Fiasco. Their creaminess and texture of their gelato is pure and fine. It literally starts melting as it touches your spoon! The base flavor reminded me of Steve's Sunday morning maple syrup swirl to an extent. While Steve's is a bit richer in flavor (the swirl) I expected a bit more from the Gelato Fiasco Base. The Maple is present, but faded in flavor. I basically got a rich maple aftertaste. The flavor would be similar to a knock off brand maple syrup you could buy at a grocery store. Nothing like a Canadian Maple Syrup that is cream of the crop and loaded with flavor. Now lets talk about the Walnut Toffee pieces provided in the pint. Gelato Fiasco sure did not shortchange anyone with this mix-in feature. Every spoonful has a caramelized walnut compliment that suits the base well. The Caramelized toffee gives this pint the added richness and flavor it needs to help raise the grade of the final offering from Gelato Fiasco. The mix-ins provide a perfect crunchy compliment that are not jaw breaking, and are bite size in size. Maple Sap Tap was a good pint, but not a great Pint. If I could rescoop some of the previous pints I had in the past I would rank the PB, Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk, Sriracha Peanut, & S'mores a higher grade than this one. The Maple Base did not have enough flavor in it to get an A grade from myself, but the walnut toffee mix-ins really helped raise the overall score of the pint to a degree. With a loaded mix-in pint and a decent base I would probably consider re scooping other flavors off their line before this one. I would not even include this in my top 5 off the Gelato Fiasco Line. Grade : C Found: FoodyDirect
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Post by thesolution on Sept 15, 2015 17:40:20 GMT -5
Steve's Blackberry Crumble Steve's Blackberry Crumble is labeled as "Blackberry Cobbler meets rich vanilla ice cream in a classic pairing. large chunks of cinnamon oat streusel folded into vanilla grass-fed milk and cream and blackberry jam. With a hint of a meyer lemon swirled throughout. Simple summer flavors paired prefectly that you can enjoy anytime of the year". One great thing about Steve's is that is it dairy free, egg free, GMO Free, and Soy Free. Upon opening the pint I dug right into Steve's vanilla base as there was a nice big swirl of Jam present on the outside of the pint. The Vanilla ice cream is pretty simple and to the point. Nothing that would trump a very sweet and rich Graeters, but just a basic bold vanilla flavor from Steve's. I would not say it is a great vanilla, but it is much better than many other offerings out there for a generic flavor (Better than B&J, Turkey Hill, talenti vanilla). The creaminess and firmness of Steve's ice cream kind of reminds me of a gelato in texture. The Mix-ins to this offering are straight forward blackberry jam and a cinnamon oat streusel. The blackberry Jam is good, but not great. I was expecting Steve's to give you a fresh preserve like tasting blackberry jam, but that was not the case. The blackberry has a faint taste to it, and is satisfactory. its not overpowering in flavor, nor does it resemble a fresh preserve you may scoop out of a jar from a grocery store. The Cinnamon Oat Streusel comes in nice thick size chunks. These can be hit or miss based off reviews I have read. Throughout my pint I had 7 large oat streusel chunks that had a nice crunchy texture to them. there is a small hint of cinnamon in each bite, and much larger than similar offering from Jeni's called "Brambleberry Crisp. Overall it is a good pint, but did not exceed expectations of Whoopie Pie or Cookie Butter which could be Steve's best offeringins. The Jam had a decent taste to it, but nothing over the top. I would relate the blackberry jam to a blackberry jelly with a very mild flavor. A few bites had a bit of an artificial blackberry taste to it which threw me off. The Cinnamon Oat strusel has a nice cake texture and cinnamon aftertaste, but I also got a bit of a buttery vibe to it. After eating this Pint I would say its good, but not one of Steve's best. I would much rather opt for Jeni's Brambleberry Crisp which has a stronger fruit flavor, and also a denser oat streusel. Grade: C+ Found: Whole Foods Cleveland, Ohio
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Post by thesolution on Sept 11, 2015 18:14:35 GMT -5
Graeter's Cincinnati Pig Tracks
Graeter's Cincinnati Pig Tracks is labeled as "Graeter’s version of the famous Moose Tracks flavor made with soft fudge and peanut butter cups in our vanilla ice cream." Knowing Graeters and how they are consistent with thick, delicious, and rich mix-ins I had very high hopes for this offering. If they could replicate anything like what they put in their signature chocolate chips towards peanut butter cups or fudge this will be a home run for Moose Track Fans! Right away on first bite if you have never had Graeters vanilla it is top of the line for a base. Graeter's takes a basic flavor in vanilla and adds a very sugary/sweet lingering aftertaste that leaves you digging for seconds. The mixture starts out sweet and subtle, but slowly incorporates all the characteristics of a high-quality vanilla bean towards the tail end of each bite. Easily one of my favorite vanilla bases on the market. The Soft Fudge mix-in seemed more like a swirl as I progressed down the pint. After looking for small chunks of fudge I really only saw the peanut butter cups provided in this pint. The Peanut butter cups are similar to the mini reese cups you would buy in a grocery store. One thing is for sure Graeters does not short change you with the amount of PB cups in this offering. Very similar in taste with a dense outside chocolate shell and a nice creamy peanut butter filling that goes perfectly with the sweet, creamy, and luscious vanilla base. Cincinnati Pig Tracks I had very high hopes for, but I was slightly let down with the fudge inclusion on this Graeter's Pint. The lack of fudge resembled a small brown swirl from top to bottom. The base was something I knew would be epic from first bite to last. If you have not had Greater's Vanilla base it is a must try. The peanut butter cups combined with the vanilla base alone gave this pint a great score, but I can't say this is one of my top 3 flavors on the Graeters line. I would still prefer Buckeye Blitz, Cookies and Cream, or Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip as top flavors over this one. Grade: B Found: Graeters.com
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Post by thesolution on Sept 11, 2015 18:03:10 GMT -5
7-Eleven GO! Yum Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream
This outrageously tasty treat is loaded with two flavors of soft and chewy cookie dough, vanilla brown sugar and chocolate, each mixed with a heavy helping of chocolate chips. Cookie dough lovers rejoice. This pint is labeled as "Vanilla bean ice cream with brown sugar and chocolate cookie dough,both teaming with chocolate flavored chips" The Vanilla bean base was a bit flat in flavor after scooping a few bites. Nothing really stood out in the vanilla bean flavoring. I found a regular vanilla bean coffee creamer packed a bit more punch than the 7-eleven base offered in this pint. After reading several other reviews and watching a video review most tended to agree with this statement. Nothing really stands out, there is no bold vanilla bean flavor that is present in most vanilla bean ice creams or gelatos. The brown sugar and chocolate chip cookie dough teamed up with chocolate flavored chips sounds like a mouthful for mix-ins. This was the 2nd pint of 7-11 I have scooped and they tend to not let you down with a mix-in or swirl compliment. Nearly every bite contained small shards of chocolate flavored chips. The chips are very soft, melt right away in your mouth, and have a nice milk chocolate flavor to them. The amount of cookie dough in this pint is significant with every other bite if not more! the brown sugar cookie dough is hit or miss compared to the chocolate chip cookie dough . The brown sugar offers no real sweet or sugary compliment like you would expect. For only 2-3 brown sugar cookie dough pieces the only benefit from them was the similar texture to the regular cookie dough with no real change in flavor. The regular cookie dough mix-in offer a great raw cookie dough taste and perfect cookie dough texture in each bite. Very similar to cookie dough you would find at a coldstone creamery. While this 7-eleven offering was not shy on the mix-ins (which I love) the base did not help this pint out. The weak base was a let down from the start, one of the weaker vanilla bean bases I have tried in my time. If they would of spent a bit more flavoring on their base to upgrade to something better like a Ben & Jerry, or a sugary vanilla base like Greater's offers this would be an easy A. The amount of mix-ins started to resemble that of 2nd street where it was loaded. The cookie dough pieces are not as large, but in a greater amount than most pints. From top to bottom this is loaded with chocolate, cookie dough, and a 2-3 pieces of brown sugar cookie dough. For cookie dough lovers this would be worth a scoop, for those who don't really care for cookie dough this is an easy pass. Grade: B Found: 7-Eleven Cleveland, Ohio
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Post by thesolution on Sept 6, 2015 12:50:26 GMT -5
Gelato Fiasco Sriracha Peanut Gelato Gelato Fiasco Sriracha Peanut Gelato is labeled as "Is it nutty, salty, or spicy? Smooth or crunchy? This captivating combination of peanut butter, sriracha, and salted peanuts will leave your taste buds crazy in love". With such an intriguing description I expected a Peanut butter spicy pint packed with peanuts. Hopefully Gelato Fiasco does not let me down! Combining Heat with peanut butter is a good combination that many would find unattractive. Personally myself Peanut butter and hot sauce go great together and make some killer combinations. How would this stack up to the rest of the GF Line! Right away popping off the top I noticed a very fine light brown base with a hint of red coloring to it. Assuming that was the added sriracha to this pint, I smelled a bit of spice just taking off the lid which was appealing. Upon first bite I was presented with a mild peanut butter flavored base and a small hint of spice. The spice was quickly overshadowed by the stronger peanut butter base. Coming form a guy who lives hot stuff and very spicy food this did not even phase me. On a scale of 1-10 I would rate the spice factor a weak 3-4/10. The heat did not take away from the peanut butter base at all. Both flavors worked together very well. Gelato Fiasco included salted peanuts as their mix-in of choice in this selection. In the spoon shot you can see a small hint of peanuts present in the pint. As I dug deeper down they started to amplify in a large amount. The salted peanuts were light on the salt, but had a great crunch factor in every single bite. The peanut pieces are very small in size, but come in a large amount as you work through this pint. The peanuts offered a good compliment to an interesting spicy peanut butter base. You would be hard pressed to not have a scoop of peanuts in every single bite after the first few spoonfuls. Gelato Fiasco asked Is it nutty, slaty or spicy? This pint completes all of these things in an interesting fashion. You get the nutty compliment from the salted peanuts. The spice factor is on the weak side, for those who enjoy a hint of sriracha or hot sauce. The base reminded me of Peanut Butter Straccitella without the chocolate pieces and replaced with salted peanuts. Smooth or Crunchy? This pint offers both. The Gelato Fiasco base is known to be extremely creamy and delicious packed with the crunchy salted peanuts. Was i crazy in love with this pint? I would say its very good, and not to mention extremely unique to see peanut butter and sriracha hot sauce combined in a gelato. If the heat factor was a bit higher, and the peanuts were denser in size I would consider it a home run. Grade: B+ Found: FoodyDirect.com
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Post by thesolution on Sept 2, 2015 17:04:32 GMT -5
Steve's Whoopie Pies & Sweet Cream Ice Cream Steve's Whoopie Pies & Sweet Cream Ice Cream is labeled as "Whoopie pies mixed into light vanilla sweet cream. Large pieces of whoopie pies folded into lightly-sweetened grass-fed milk and cream and a swirl of buttercream." I have had quite a few whoopie pie's and cookie sandwiches in my time, so this was a flavor that really sparked my eye. How well would this hold up to some of Steve's premium flavors such as Salty Caramel, Speculoos Cookie Butter, and Sunday Morning. Upon lifting the pint I was presented with black speckles and a very fine looking vanilla base. Upon first bite the sweet cream base provides a buttery vanilla flavor with a minor sweet/sugary aftertaste. It is not as strong as a Graeter's vanilla base, but a step up from the original vanilla Ben & Jerry's base. After taking a couple bites I was not seeing a buttercream swirl, I started to think this was infused into the base. Buttercream is usually dense in flavor, and the texture of this ice cream was much thicker than a usual ice cream pint you would buy at a grocery store. The density of the vanilla sweet cream base started to remind me of custard for how thick and rich in flavor it was. Now onto the Large Whoopie Pies folded into the base. This was like striking gold after a few bites. I had full chunks throughout my entire pint. I almost thought I was looking at Graeter's signature chocolate chips by how dense and thick in size the whoopie pie pieces resembled. Each piece has a good chocolate flavor to them that compliments the fine vanilla base. The slight sugary aftertaste in each bite of the base and the rich chocolate pieces make a killer one two combo and piece a whoppie pie together perfectly. The Whoopie Pie pieces are very hard in texture more along the lines of a cookie compliment. I would be mistaken to say this was not a home run. From first bite to last bite I was surprised at how well Steve's flavored a Whoopie Pie in ice cream form. I could honestly say they could call this Chocolate Buttercream Cookie Sandwich. Due to how thick and dense the ice cream and mix-ins are it almost seemed like a cookie more than a whoopie pie. When I think of a whoopie pie i think of it being much softer in texture that melts in your mouth compared to cream filled cookie. I have seen reviews where people got next to nothing mix-in wise in this offering, but mine was the complete opposite experience. I would rescoop this in a second! Head to Whole Foods or your local Co-Op and buy this now Grade: A+ Found: Whole Foods Cleveland, Ohio
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Post by thesolution on Aug 26, 2015 19:17:43 GMT -5
7-Eleven Fudge Marshmallow Ice CreamAfter hearing nothing but great things of 7-Eleven Ice Cream from multiple sources online I had to finally give these a crack. Luckily for myself I stumbled upon a 7-Eleven by accident on my way home from Cleveland. As I was about to head onto I-90 I needed to grab gas and low and behold I staggered into a 7-Eleven and grabbed as many pints as I could fit into my cooler. The first one I am going to try is one I do not see any feedback on being Fudge Marshmallow. Fudge Marshmallow is labeled as "Real Cocoa and thick, swirling marshmallow and fudge ribbons". As promising as this sounds I was expecting a s'more without the graham cracker. Hopefully my dreams come true in seeing this in an ice cream. Upon popping the lid I instantly saw a very dark and fine chocolate base. There were also hints of the marshmallow swirl along the outside and a ribbon of fudge. With all three elements present on the base this leaves a good chance of a greater treasure underneath. The first bite was very promising as the base is loaded with a bold milk chocolate taste. Instantly you get a huge burst of hershey chocolate flavoring, and a delightful aftertaste that leaves you digging back for a second bite. Even at 240 calories a serving I was surprised by how creamy and rich the flavoring is in this pint. For a convenience store based ice cream this destroyed a mediocre ben and jerry chocolate base by a long shot. The Marshmallow swirl and fudge ripple were nothing short of incredible. With a small glimpse on the surface of the ice cream I was in for a treat the second I got into the pint. After I ate a quarter of the pint the amount of marshmallow and fudge started to take over in great amounts. The swirl is amplified just like the fudge ribbon the deeper you dig.The texture of the marshmallow swirl reminded me of Torched S'more from Gelato Fiasco. The marshmallow is super soft and like it was melted on top of campfire. The Fudge ripple was thick, creamy, and packed a hershey syrup like taste. When you combine a very solid base with two great compliments you piece together a fantastic ice cream offering. The "Cocoa" labeled base took me by surprise with flavor as I would rank it up there as a premium chocolate base. This is no Jeni's do not get me wrong, but the sheer amount of richness in the chocolate is great. The Fudge ribbon packs a turkey hill like swirl that has a bold hershey chocolate syrup flavor. The marshmallow swirl is very light in texture, and has a nice creamy compliment to the bombardment of chocolate. If you are a Chocolate lover who enjoys marshmallow look no further. This brought me back to my campfire days of melting marshmallow's between two hershey chocolate bar's. Grade: B+ Found: 7-Eleven Cleveland, Ohio
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Post by thesolution on Aug 26, 2015 18:54:38 GMT -5
Graeter's Black Cherry Chocolate ChipGraeter's Black Cherry Chocolate Chip is another classic off their signature series. Graeter's labels this pint as "Sweet dark cherries from the Pacific Northwest with their signature dark chocolate chips in naturally flavored cherry ice cream to create this delicious and luxurious flavor" After having one of the finest flavors Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip I was skeptical on how good this would compare. Comparing a Raspberry to a Cherry is comparing apples to oranges, but we all know how good Graeters is at flavoring. Upon lifting the lid I spotted massive chocolate chip pieces as expected from Graeters and a light red cherry base. My first bite was very surprising as I am not a huge cherry fan. I got a chunk of a dark purple cherry that bursted with a cherry filling on top of a very mild tasting cherry base. Graeter's is known to put a bit of sweetness in their base ice creams that makes the cherry base have an added kick of flavor. The dense and rich ice cream Graeter's offers adds a nice sweet twist that leaves you digging in for seconds immediately. I immediately uncover a deep-purple cherry that had been hiding just beneath the surface. The black cherry base starts out mild and then slowly intensifies the black cherry flavoring as the ice cream melts down. When combined with the natural richness of their rich, dense ice cream, they've found another winner. Graeter's hasn't incorporated any of the natural tartness of actual cherries; only their sweetness. Although this base isn't quite on par with their Black Raspberry, it's not far behind either. The bursted pieces of cherry manage to avoid the icy tendencies that tend to plague the majority of fruit mix-ins. Instead, they've taken on a jam-like consistency and provide an additional burst of sugary, cherry flavoring. When it comes to Graeter's and their signature chocolate chip series you know what to expect. If you have read any of my previous Graeters reviews, the massive chunks of chocolate chips are nothing new. Graeter's seems to find a way to make their ice cream have mix-ins larger than the spoon you eat your dessert with. After 3 bites I had a chocolate chunk that stretched an inch in diameter. The luscious taste of milk chocolate infused into large chunks of chocolate never get old with Graeter's. Graeter's hasn't incorporated any of the natural tartness of actual cherries; only their sweetness. Although this base will not top Black Raspberry, it's not very far behind either. Picture taking the jam of a cherry and infusing it into a very rich & sweet cherry flavored, base and that is what Graeter's offers in Black Cherry Chocolate Chip. Combine this great base with their signature chocolate chips and you have another classic offering on the Graeter's line. While the base does not top Black Raspberry in my opinion this is something you should consider scooping. Even coming from a guy who is not a massive cherry fan this was a great change of pace. Grade: B+ Found: Graeters.com
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Post by thesolution on Aug 26, 2015 18:29:50 GMT -5
Gelato Fiasco Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk GelatoGelato Fiasco Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk is labeled as "Roasted Almonds are even more delicious when punctured with chocolate. We melt Chocolate chips into cold gelato for bursts of cocoa sweetness amid smooth and creamy almond butter." When reading that label this has two of my favorite things combined into one sentence. Almond Butter is not seen as a typical base for an ice cream or a gelato, so right away when I ordered this I had very high hopes. Right away when popping the lid you are presented with a very smooth looking almond butter base, and lots of chocolate flecks on the surface. Digging into my first bite you get exactly what you expect. Think about digging into an almond butter jar, but indulging with a creamy gelato texture. The almond butter flavoring is on point and executed to perfection from Gelato Fiasco. The incredibly smooth texture of each bite makes this a perfect fit for a gelato compared to a denser/harder ice cream base. Next lets talk about the Chocolate Chunk mix-ins. As you can see in the pictures Gelato Fiasco did not slouch on this pint. It started to remind me of the abundance of mix-ins found in Sea Salt Caramel. In almost every bite you are getting chocolate, if not lots of chocolate, or a complete chunk of chocolate. This is no Graeter's when it comes to mix-ins in size, but the density and boldness of each bite of chocolate compliments the almond butter very well. Overall if you love almond butter & chocolate this is a dream come true. Look no further as this is one of Gelato Fiasco's best offerings in my opinion. Combining a very smooth, creamy, and delicious almond butter base with loads of chocolate is a killer one two punch. The chocolate chunks are not rock hard, and provide a hershey chocolate taste in each bite. I would have no second doubts on ordering another one of these pints. Even with the 10$ price tag to order this pint offline it was worth every single penny. Grade: A Found: FoodyDirect.com
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Post by thesolution on Aug 22, 2015 11:23:07 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Not So Shortcake After hearing about this being released I stopped at my local walmart to be greeted with this and Pumpkin Cheesecake back in stock!. My other walmart is also offering Cotton Candy at the moment (but not strawberry not so shortcake). Needless to say I have never had a Strawberry offering from Ben & Jerry and have no idea what to expect. Upon reading the label "strawberry cake ice cream with strawberries & shortbread pieces" i was very excited to see a new mix-in of Shortbread pieces. With how the new flavors and exclusives have had a ton of mix-ins I was skeptical on trying this. Save our Swirled was good for a fruity flavor, but I am eager to see how good the Strawberry Cake Ice Cream is. Lifting the lid you are presented with a very fine strawberry looking base and a nice chunk of shortbread piece in the far right hand corner which is always a good sign. The Strawberry cake ice cream is good. I would rate it pretty close to the Strawberry Base in Graeter's Strawberry Chocolate Chip, but with a bit of an extra richness in flavor. The strawberry cake ice cream has no artificial flavoring and leaves a great long lasting strawberry aftertaste in each bite. It reminds me of taking strawberries and melting them on a stove pan and making a strawberry compote. I was actually surprised by Ben & Jerry's new base flavor and my first experience with their strawberry ice cream. The mix-ins of Strawberries and shortbread pieces were a great compliment to make this shortcake offering. The shortbread pieces are everywhere in this pint. after the first initial layer of ice cream they are in every single bite. It reminded me of the surplus of mix-ins from Talenti Sea Salt Caramel where the truffles are all over the place. The shortcake pieces are very soft, add a nice chewy texture, and have a glimpse of a graham cracker aftertaste to them. The strawberries are very small and look like little dots throughout the pint. I found them to not really have much impact on this pint as far as flavoring goes since the shortbread pieces were in such abundance. Overall I was skeptical on a fruity offering from Ben & Jerry's while never having their original Strawberry Cheesecake flavor. The base is good and if they made more in this Strawberry cake ice cream flavor I would suggest giving it a crack. The shortbread pieces were great from start to finish. Nearly getting one or multiple pieces in every single bite till the very end. While the strawberry mix-ins were lacking in size and flavor it was still a very small compliment to the new Ben & Jerry limited flavor. The little flecks reminded me of Nutty Caramel Swirl and how the nut pieces were shattered throughout the pint. I would consider this pint if you are a fruit fan (Strawberry), or really enjoy Strawberry Shortcake. Since this is a limited flavor you may want to act quick before it may be gone! Grade: B+ Found: Walmart Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Aug 16, 2015 17:43:24 GMT -5
New Orleans Ice Cream Co. Coffee & Chicory Coffee & Chicory is described as "A uniquely N’awlins twist as fresh cold brewed coffee and chicory jolts this delicious blend of ice cream". The base is very smooth and is melting similar to a gelato on your spoon. Coffee & Chicory offers a much lighter offering in the base despite a similar taste to Cafe Au Lait & Beignets. The only major difference in this pint to Cafe Au Lait is there are no mix-ins and a small twist on the coffee base. The initial taste of sweetened light roasted gourmet coffee is eventually overtaken by the unique aftertaste of chicory. The slight-caramel taste of the chicory was a bitter-sweet touch to an already better than average coffee ice cream. Just as Adrian the owner states how New Orleans beverage was meant to be enjoyed. If you enjoy coffee-flavored ice cream, and have purchase Café au Lait & Beignets before this is similar but without mix-ins. The small twist of a bittersweet caramel taste adds a nice compliment to a lower caloric option on the New Orleans line. While this is a very basic offering it was good, but does not meet up to the standards of the other pints NO Ice Cream Company has to offer Grade: C+ Found: Ice Cream Source
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Post by thesolution on Aug 16, 2015 17:21:20 GMT -5
New Orleans Ice Cream Co. Mississippi Debris New Orleans Mississippi Debris is labeled as "chocolate ice cream with brownie pieces, chocolate flakes, truffles, malt balls, chocolate almonds, cherry cups, marshmallow and a fudge swirl". With that said you look at that description and think to yourself this is New Orleans reincarnation of Ben & Jerry's Everything But The.. with all the mix-ins. Will all the mix-ins live up to the hype? Nick from On Second Scoop said it was missing a lot of compliments, while others have rated it a high score. The dark chocolate base of the ice cream was incredibly rich and delicious. One bite in and the flavor reminded me a hershey special dark chocolate bar. The base of this pint was very similar to the Ben & Jerry's recent release Roasted and Toasted. Both Dark chocolate were bold in taste, very dense in flavor, and had a nice chocolate aftertaste that lingered down your throat. Right away you will notice the fudge swirl coming into play that is surrounded all throughout the pint. The fudge swirl amplifies the chocolate base in my opinion by adding a chewy and rich chocolate taste to the already great base. Lets talk about all the mix-ins Mississippi Debris has to offer. The brownie bits were amazing, they were very similar to Trader Joe's Brownie Crisps smashed into ice cream. Think about ColdStone Creamery's brownies but broken into smaller bite size pieces. The chocolate flakes offered small shards of chocolate that hard a hare bite to them. They were so small it seemed like someone shattered a chocolate bar and scattered it throughout the pint. The truffles were the same consistency and texture as the fudge swirl, but consisted of a more complex, dark chocolate. The last few highlights were the malt balls. These were like mini-whoppers in size and texture. They offer a nice crunch and compliment to the rich chocolate base. The only downside is you find maybe 3-4 of them tops throughout the pint due to the massive array of mix-ins. The Chocolate almonds offer a similar texture and taste to the fudge almonds found in Ben & Jerry pints (Roasted and Toasted). The marshmallow pieces are very small in size like a replica of mini-marshmallows you buy in the store. They are very light and soft in texture and offer a nice gooey compliment to all of the chocolate involved. The Cherry Cups were unique and different at the same time. Think about eating a small chocolate covered cherry infused in a chocolate lovers ice cream dream. Mississippi Debris is really a curve ball to a death by chocolate spin off with added marshmallow's (think rocky road). The massive amount of mix-ins may turn some people away because not everyone enjoys a heavy loaded pint. The Cherry addition was also surprising but have turned some people away from this selection. Some individuals prefer to enjoy more ice cream than mix-ins. If you love chocolate, like having more chocolate added to chocolate with Almonds, Marshmallow's, brownies, and malt balls you will be in heaven. While the mix-ins of each are sparing, the fudge swirl sticks out among the crowd. Grade: A Found: Ice Cream Source
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Post by thesolution on Aug 9, 2015 10:06:08 GMT -5
New Orleans Ice Cream Company Praline CrunchNO Ice Cream Company offers "a delicately flavored praline ice cream with crunchy whole caramel pecans". While reading the description I was unsure of what praline ice cream would be offered in the base, but after popping the lid and seeing a beige/cinnamon like brown color I was intrigued to dig in. One other pint I had in the past that may compare to this will be Haagen Dazs "Pralines and Cream" which has a very similar aspect. The base of NO Praline Crunch is unique to say the least. The first scoop was very creamy, soft, and rich in many aspects. Off first bite you get a strong caramel flavor that is combined with hints of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Similar to what you may find in a pumpkin offering NO offers 4 aspects in their base which makes it incredibly overpowering and loaded with flavor. NO decided to offer the sugary aspects of a praline directly into their base which is how they define "Praline flavored ice cream". I wish this was offered by more companies because this is a very different than a basic caramel or brown sugar offering you may find (think Blondie Ambition for Brown Sugar but enhanced to a large degree). The whole caramel pecans were done very well as expected from NO ice Cream Company. I have never been let down with their mix-ins when they are offered and these pecans were dense in flavor. The first thing that popped into my head were the pecans you get from nut vendors at a baseball game. The pecans are thick in size, crunchy, and provide a caramelized after taste. I even started to pick up a sugar coating taste on the pecans as i made my way down the pint. How NO infused the sugary aspect on top of a rich caramel base was very surprising and pleasing at the same time. Overall this was different from what I expected reading just the label. Does it top the copious thick caramel swirl loaded in Haagen Dazs Pralines and cream? I would say HD gets a slight edge due the that swirl factor, but the pecans in this pint were superior in flavor with a sugary coating and caramel aftertaste. The base provides elements of nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar on top of a strong caramel flavoring. I was skeptical since nuts are one of my least favorite mix-ins, but with how well the base and mix-ins complimented each other it shocked me. New Orleans takes a basic combination and enhances the flavoring by a large margin. While this may be something you may pass when seeing the amount of selections offered off the New Orleans line, I would highly suggest giving this a scoop. Grade : B+ Found: Ice Cream Source
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Post by thesolution on Aug 9, 2015 9:39:22 GMT -5
Gelato Fiasco Espresso Chip Gelato Gelato Fiasco has been known for creating some unique flavors that are on the lower end of calories per serving. If you have never had their "Dark Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Gelato" you would be missing out on a very unique offering. While it may only be 150 kcals/serving it packs incredible flavoring that would leave your eyebrow raised. Most people associate lower calorie ice creams as lower grade or not as rich in flavor, but Gelato Fiasco seems to overcome that. This pint of Espresso Chip is only 170kcals a serving, but my buddy Nick from On Second Scoop has very high praise, that led me to this purchase. Espresso Chip is labeled as " We still pull hundreds of espresso shots each day to flavor our coffee gelato. This one is spangled with dark chocolate slivers." Gelato Fiasco also choose coffee beans that have been roasted in Maine, blend the coffee with rich Maine milk, and swirl in Ghiradelli chocolate as soon as the gelato leaves the freezer. Upon my first bite I see exactly why they did this, as it was absolutely spectacular. The base is very rich and dense in flavor that is similar to a stronger bold brewed coffee (think bold). This is not like a light/blonde roast as you would find in Brewed to Matter or NO Ice Cream Company Cafe Au Lait & Beignets. The amount of flavor this provides is surreal just off the base alone. I could literally eat this without the mix-ins. The addition of the dark chocolate slivers are a great touch to the delicious coffee base. Since Gelato Fiasco used Ghiradelli chocolate you are getting cream of the crop flavoring. The slivers are a far stretch, more like an understatement. Some of the mix-ins offered in this pint start to resemble those of Graeters in size. You do get a few broken pieces of slivers here and there, but the majority of the chocolate mix-ins are larger than you would expect which is always a benefit. The chocolate tastes exactly what you would expect if you ever have had Ghiradelli cocoa which is rich milk chocolate flavor. For those who enjoy a stronger brewed coffee this is right up your alley. If you like chocolate guess what you get the best of both worlds. If you prefer a lighter coffee seek out Brewed to Matter or Cafe Au Lait & Beignets. I would also consider Haagen Dazs Tiramisu as a finer coffee base if you are not into a darker roast/bold tasting coffee. Overall I have 0 complaints with this. As a coffee and chocolate fan it satisfied both aspects in one pint offering. An incredible coffee base from fresh beans in Maine, and massive chocolate mix-ins scattered throughout the pint with Ghiradelli flavoring. Grade: A Found: FoodyDirect (online)
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Post by thesolution on Aug 1, 2015 19:03:21 GMT -5
Romolo's Chocolate Peanut Butter PretzelRomolo's Chocolate is a famous chocolate shop in Erie, Pennsylvania. After my first experience with their world famous Sponge Candy Ice Cream, I had the opportunity to sample Peanut Butter Pretzel. After sampling a small scoop and getting a full chocolate chunk and pretzel piece I instantly scooped up a pint to go. Romolo's does offer other flavors such as Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Red Velvet, and a few exclusive chocolates with mix-ins, but this one really caught my eye. Right away after popping the lid you see a light peanut butter looking base. There are also signs of small chocolate chunks, and pieces of pretzels broken in the ice cream base. Upon first bite the peanut butter base is good, but a bit on the lacking side for flavor. You get a small hint of peanut butter, but it fades very quick and is not long lasting, dense, or rich in nature. I would compare it to PB2 (powdered peanut butter) in flavoring which was a bit of a letdown. It is still good, but by no means cream of the crop for a peanut butter base. Now the aspect that really rose the grade of this pint was the mix-ins. Peanut Butter Pretzel has tons of Chocolate Chip chunks and pretzel pieces scattered throughout the pint. The chocolate pieces are like shards of a broken hershey bar. Think about someone butchering up a hershey bar with a knife and scattering it throughout the pint. The taste of the chocolate pieces are good, not as rich as the sponge candy outside, but has a milk chocolate texture and taste identical to a chocolate bar.The pretzel pieces are exactly like you would expect. Take mini pretzels and break them apart and then infused them into the ice cream base with the chocolate pieces. They are full little sticks of pretzels that are soft,provide a nice crunch, and add a great salty compliment to the peanut butter base. Overall this was a good pint, but would be great if the base was a bit better. While the Peanut Butter flavor was not something as good as what Graeters (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Buckeye Blitz) or Ben & Jerry's has to offer (PB cookie Core, Peanut Butter Cup, PB World) it was still above average. The key aspect were the copious amounts of chocolate and pretzel mix-ins. With nearly every single bite you get a sweet and salty pretzel compliment, or a rich chocolate piece. Combining chocolate, peanut butter, and pretzels is an incredible mixture of flavors, and Romolo's did a great job with their peanut butter pretzel offering. Grade: B+ Found: Romolo's Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Aug 1, 2015 18:47:23 GMT -5
Romolo's Chocolate Sponge Candy ice Cream Romolo's is a famous Erie Pennsylvania Chocolate Shop. Recently after going there I noticed they have their own homemade ice Cream bar that is fixated right with their coffee Shop. Romolo's in Erie has specialized in making a candy called "Sponge Candy". Their Description is as follows: "The Sponge Candy center is a simply flavored piece, caramelized sugar, almost molasses-like with a very unusual, crisp at first, then melt-away texture. We then load this center with as much milk chocolate as it will carry." Romolo's luckily makes their own in house Sponge Candy Ice Cream which I had to grab a pint of for a review. Upon asking the employee about the Ice Cream it is a Vanilla base mixed with Romolo's famous sponge candy. After popping the lid I was presented with a fine looking vanilla base and a mixture of small light brown stream across the top. Not to be fooled because the inside of sponge candy has that yellow/brown looking color, so I assumed this was the center broken up throughout the pint. After taking my first bite I was blown away. The base is a vanilla ice cream (as stated by the employee), but after a few bites of just the base it was more a "Vanilla Bean" in flavor. Right away you get the presence of a vanilla flavor, and a rich aftertaste which is very pleasant. The key part of this pint is the mix-ins of the Sponge Candy. If you ever experienced sponge candy it will melt in your mouth with the dense crunchy sponge center. That is exactly what you get in this offering. When you bite into a sponge candy mix-in the chocolate will melt in your mouth as the sponge center provides a nice texture to the pint. Overall this was a hit from first bite to the last bit of ice cream at the bottom of the pint. Romolo's famous Sponge Candy infused into a well executed vanilla ice cream base was done right. If you have never tried sponge candy it is a must to try. Chocolate that melts in your mouth with a nice crunchy center. This pint did not lack sponge candy mix-ins, and they were heavy throughout the pint in good portions. It started to remind me of eating Graeter's Chocolate chips, but much softer in nature. Grade: A Found: Romolo's Erie, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Jul 27, 2015 12:18:28 GMT -5
Talenti Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough GelatoAfter having almost all the new flavors off the 7 new talenti flavors offered for 2015 this is the last one to review. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is one of my favorite things next to peanut butter, so I had high expectations going into this pint. After reading countless reviews and seeing the negativity being brought to the table i started to get skeptical. Without further ado, will this live up to the negative reviews? Or will I possibly get a very good pint? lets find out! Talenit's Chocolate Chip Cookie dough is labeled as "vanilla bean gelato with chocolate chip cookie dough and swirls of dark butter fudge". Upon first bite you get exactly as stated with the vanilla bean gelato. It is a rich vanilla flavor with a hint of a bitter vanilla extract aftertaste. It does not pack as much flavor as a vanilla bean creamer or a regular vanilla bean ice cream (Turkey Hill for example), but has a very smooth texture being a gelato. For some the texture of the gelato reigns supreme over an ice cream (denser/harder), but the flavoring of the base may be the best feature to this ice cream if you are looking for something plain and original. The Dark Butter Fudge can be seen outside the pint since the containers are clear. The pint I picked up looked like it provided a good amount of swirl, but the only let down was the amount of flavor it packed. I rank this very close to the brownie batter swirl in "Brewed to Matter" from Ben & Jerry's. Something you have high hopes for, but is a letdown as it tasted similar to a watered down chocolate swirl with a hint of cocoa. What is left? The Cookie dough pieces that were nearly non existent. Throughout my pint I was lucky to get around 4-5 little balls that had a soft & chewy texture. For the Cookie dough pieces that were present they were great, but if you are going to make a CCCD ice cream or gelato you better make it one of the stand out features. Overall my high hopes were shattered with the amount of correct reviews on this product. I would have to rank this down the line of the new Talenti flavors offered due to the lack of mix-ins, the weak swirl, and a very original vanilla base. If Talenti decided to up the amount of mix-ins like their Sea Salt Caramel, and use a better swirl like found in Southern Butter Pecan this may be a hit. Overall I was digging for Cookie dough and a good swirl, but found not much of either. Stick to Hazelnut Chocolate Chip & Salted Peanut Caramel in the new flavors if you are looking for a better offering. Grade: C- Found: Giant Eagle Columbus, Ohio
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Post by thesolution on Jul 27, 2015 12:02:09 GMT -5
Chocolate Shoppe Espresso OreoEspresso Oreo is "Crisp coffee-inflused ice cream loaded with heaps of sweet Oreos." Aftering having Ultimate Oreo from Chocolate Shoppe I had very high expectations for the amount of mix-ins that would prevail in this pint. Full size oreo chunks that were scattered from top to bottom. Coffee Ice Creams are very hit or miss on the ice cream market, and not utilized as much as they should be. Coffee is a very high selling product on a daily basis, so it would make sense more companies would produce coffee ice cream to give what the people want! Lets see if this is as good if not better than Ultimate Oreo. Right upon popping the lid I had a full size oreo chunk sitting right at the top of the ice cream. The espresso base looked very fine and light in color. The color corresponded with how the flavoring of the base tasted which was on the mild side. The best way to describe this base if you have had previous coffee ice creams would be a mix between Jeni's Black Cat Espresso, and New Orleans Ice Cream Company Cafe Au Lait. You get the milkiness of the cold brewed coffee flavor from New Orleans, and you get the richness from the Jeni's based smashed into one ice cream pint. There are no halved beans like you would find in the Black cat base from Jeni's, but instead you are presented with massive oreo's which I will touch on next. The Oreo Mix-ins are very similar to those in Ultimate Oreo. Massive in size, dense in flavor, and provide a nice crunch to the base. While these are not just regular Oreo's thrown into the mix, you also get an oreo filling in each bite. If you look close enough at the mix-ins you can see the white oreo cream filling between mix-in. The creaminess of the oreo compliment adds to the rich coffee base and gives it a great cream flavor( which many americans put too much of in their coffee). The size resembles those found in the Graeters Cookies and Cream (if you have had that in the past) where they do not short change you in size, or amount provided in the ice cream. If you are a coffee lover, and want a nice twist on cookies and cream look no further. Chocolate Shoppe offers a fantastic lighter blonde roast in ice cream form. Combine the milkiness of the base with a rich flavoring and you have an incredible combination for a kickass coffee base. The Oreo Mix-ins are as expected from Chocolate Shoppe. Dense in texture, nice crunchy taste, and provide tasty compliment to the espresso base. Since this may not be found in many grocery stores you will probably have to order offline to grab this one, but it is worth every single penny. I would have to rank this my favorite coffee ice cream shortly behind Jeni's Black Cat Espresso and Cafe Au Lait & Beignets from New Orleans Ice Cream Company. Grade: A+ Found: Ice Cream Source
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Post by thesolution on Jul 19, 2015 11:05:31 GMT -5
Talenti Hazelnut Chocolate Chip After trying almost all the new flavors off the talenti line I have two left in Hazelnut Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. This flavor (Hazelnut Chocolate Chip) has got some of the best reviews from Powered by Ice Cream, The Ice Cream Informant, and On Second Scoop. With that said I have very high expectations going into this one considering I love hazelnut spread(like Nutella) and chocolate chips. Both of which were high attributes in all of the reviews I have read regarding this pint, let us see where this one stands in the new offerings Talenti has put out in 2015. Talenti Hazelnut Chocolate Chip is labeled as "Hazelnut gelato with hazelnuts and chocolate chips". I have not had the regular Hazelnut offering from Talenti after a lot of disappointing reviews. Upon my first bite I got a nice taste of hazelnut that had a small nutella like aftertaste combined with it. After reading other reviews many have stated this base is much better than the original hazelnut base by a long shot. The small chocolate/hazelnut/nutella offering in each bite is really unique, and as a matter in fact one of Talenti's best bases I have tried after having this pint. As far as the mix-ins go in this pint you are offered the standard Talenti chocolate chips with the same great texture and flavor as ever. Small smashed pieces of chocolate spread throughout the point that were incredibly plentiful t(similar to the amount of truffles in Sea Salt Caramel). The flavor of the chocolate chips offer enough chocolate not to overtake the hazelnut base or the hazelnut mix-ins provided. The hazelnuts on the other hand are small chunks (larger in size than the chocolate chip pieces) and are scattered around the chocolate chips throughout the pint. The hazelnut chunks have a dense texture to them, but provide a nice crunch with the chocolate chips in a solid base. If you are looking for a very creamy, chocolate, and crunchy offering Talenti basically perfected it with Hazelnut Chocolate Chip. Massive amount's of chocolate chips in every single bite, a hazelnut base with a small chocolate/nutella aftertaste, and legit chunks of hazelnuts thrown into the mix. There is a lot going on in each and every bite throughout this offering. With the surreal amount of mix-ins this placed right near the top next to Sea Salt Caramel in my opinion. I was very pleased with this and have no doubts I would offer or suggest this to anyone out there. Grade: A- Found: Giant Eagle Columbus, Ohio
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