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Post by usawinston on Aug 25, 2013 10:28:47 GMT -5
His opinion, his grade. First Amendment, get over it. awaiting his response
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Post by usawinston on Aug 25, 2013 9:43:05 GMT -5
Okay, so 2 in agreement that it's not an A! This flavor is a real outlier in the ICIs A grouping. Compared to how he's evaluated other A's, this one just doesn't fit the bill. The ICI has been pretty spot on with how I view Ice Cream, and here he just isn't making sense. He's ranked a few flavors an "A" that I don't agree with. Ben & Jerry's Banana Cream Pie, Half Baked, What A Cluster...I'm sure there are a few others. I just think you're going to disagree on some things, everyone likes different things! I think he did mention that the base was a little lacking, right? I think what made him give it the "A" rating were the brownies, which I really enjoyed too. Those 3 are probably some of my favorite B&J by a long shot. You're only supporting my case here. In other words, I almost always agree with ICI, and in this case, I'm pretty sure he's off.
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Post by usawinston on Aug 25, 2013 6:45:33 GMT -5
...or maybe people just have different opinions? I agree the base was terrible, but my mix-ins had plenty of flavor, especially the brownie pieces. Personally, I wouldn't give it an "A" but I could see how someone could give it that grade. Heck, I am sure it's probably someone's favorite flavor already. People just like different things. Okay, so 2 in agreement that it's not an A! This flavor is a real outlier in the ICIs A grouping. Compared to how he's evaluated other A's, this one just doesn't fit the bill. The ICI has been pretty spot on with how I view Ice Cream, and here he just isn't making sense.
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Post by usawinston on Aug 25, 2013 5:18:49 GMT -5
I tried Rockin' Blondie (again) last night and there is no way this flavor is worthy of an A. It has almost zero distinguishable flavor; everything tastes pretty much like sugar---and that's about it. The mix-in density isn't very high, and the mix-ins have virtually no real taste. I move that you downgrade it to a "B" or possibly a "C" so that others don't make the same mistake I did and pay money for it. I feel you allowed the enticing concept of the dessert influence your opinion of it, when in reality it just isn't very good.
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Post by usawinston on Aug 22, 2013 5:20:50 GMT -5
The mango lassi sandwiches are/were limited edition. As is/was the pumpkin maple curry pecan sandwich. Hopefully that one returns this autumn, but I think they were only available in scoop shops and not online or in commercial outlets. I tried (tasted) both of them. The Pumpkin Curry was good, but I had been on a long pumpkin curry run (it's really not that uncommon), and it just wasn't any different. The place by me should still have some mango lassi sandwiches...though I don't have the time or money to mail them, sorry
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Post by usawinston on Aug 21, 2013 15:30:23 GMT -5
I tried the sweet corn (tasted @ shop) and it's pretty good, but from memory it really isn't more than Black Raspberry, cream, and Corn. There are many other flavors deserving of my time and calories, even those I'd prefer to revisit. I would consider the Pistachio and Mango Lassi sandwich, which was great when sampled (or any other sandwich); the Yahoo Sue sounds enticing but I don't think they have it near me; I'd skip cloverton entirely, as it seems that it's engineered for their sundaes; I'm a sucker for Bananas and so I actually quite enjoyed Bananas and Honey; their black coffee is the best coffee Ice Cream I've ever had--my wife gets it almost every time; the buckeye state is a serious must if you love PB (which I know you do!); the riesling sorbet is very very good for sorbet; Pistachio and Honey is the best pistachio I've ever had...
All the ones I indicated that are worth your time would definitely earn an "A".
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Post by usawinston on Aug 17, 2013 20:45:26 GMT -5
Thanks to the Ice Cream Informant’s timely updates on all things ice cream related, I learned of the existence of Jeni’s “Loveless Biscuits and Peach Jam” via his website the same day Jeni announced it. The incredible description convinced me to visit my local scoop shop only several hours later. The teaspoon sized sample provided by the scoop shop representative proved more than enough for me to shell out the $10 required take this unique creation home. There’s no sense in discussing the aesthetics of this dessert beyond what is obvious from my pictures: it’s beautiful. The label (pictured), promises 250 calories per serving, which is actually quite modest for premium desserts. While the ingredient list more closely reflects a Breyers dessert in length, I suppose that’s expected considering the inclusion of white flour based baked goods. How does it taste? On first spoonful, the first thought that came to mind is “Buttermilk”. This stuff screams buttermilk and in a very delicious way. The subtle and remarkably unique buttermilk sourness pairs itself with a relatively creamy foundation and a distinct saltiness that is very uncommon in ice cream. So salty, in fact, that each serving provides 15% of your daily sodium requirement, which is more than double the salt of Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter cup (another salty favorite of mine), and and almost double the salt content of Talenti’s Sea Salted Caramel (which only provides 8%). I’m a huge fan of salt, and I add it to almost everything. Therefore, I absolutely loved this base. The Jam is incredible. Made with Peach Schnapps, it definitely has a very pleasant sweetness and a unique tartness to it that contrasts the sour and salty base perfectly. It doesn’t taste like mass produced Jam: the Schnapps definitely delivers unique tart notes that add yet another flavor layer to the already confusing and exciting flavor collaboration. As an added plus, the Jam makes its way into almost every bite. The biscuits deliver a blissful texture and flavor contrast to this dessert and perfectly compliment the Jam and the base. They don’t overwhelm the palate with rich flavor, as they taste exactly like moist buttermilk biscuits; instead, they primarily provide additional texture to the complex and rich base and jam swirl, leaving you salivating for yet another spoonful. Given the uniqueness of this flavor, I understand why it’s not being distributed to grocery stores nationwide (but you can order it). That said, as a fan of buttermilk, and as someone that loves all things salty, this pint definitely catapults itself into my top 3 Jeni flavors released to date, and could quite possibly be my #1 Jeni flavor. Where I found it: Jeni’s Splendid Consensus: A
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Post by usawinston on Aug 17, 2013 5:35:45 GMT -5
Yeah my old school chubby hubby had some seriously soggy pretzels. Look forward to the new...
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Post by usawinston on Aug 16, 2013 14:44:32 GMT -5
Probably on my top 3 Jeni's. tasted it. Base, swirl and mix-ins are so unique and rich.
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Post by usawinston on Aug 16, 2013 6:04:36 GMT -5
Graeter’s Caramel Truffle I recently ordered Greater’s test flavor bundle, and was pretty excited about “Caramel Truffle” their variant of the popular salted caramel truffle ice cream dessert. While the label lists the dessert to have 260 calories, all of the 5 ice cream pints I ordered--peanut butter pretzel included—are listed at 260 calories on the pint. Given my experience, my guess is that the dessert is a bit higher than 260 calories. Lifted the lid revealed a light brown surface of clearly hand-packed Ice Cream with a few truffles peeking through the surface. The base itself tasted quite delicious with a rich, creamy foundation, and a moderate caramel presence. Compared to Talenti’s Sea Salted Caramel, this base tastes like it’s around 50-75% of Talenti’s caramel richness, but about double the creaminess. Compared to 2nd Streets variant, Graeter’s base has a slight edge in the creamy department, and is about on par or slightly weaker in terms of Caramel flavor. The truffles taste identical to pretty much all of the other salted caramel truffles in other premium pints. There are quite a few in this pint, such that about every other bite had at least one; definitely around double the truffles of Talenti and a little more than half of what you’d get with 2nd Street. Pair the truffles with the base, and you have fantastic flavor and texture contrast; the truffles fill the gap left by the relatively moderate caramel base. Graeter created a strong contender with their Caramel Truffle, and I hope others can buy it on store shelves in the not too distant future. While it’s no 2nd Street Copper Kettle Caramel, fans of Talenti will probably agree that Graeter is just as satisfying. Where I bought it: Graeters.com Consensus: A
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Post by usawinston on Aug 11, 2013 16:55:56 GMT -5
Graeter’s 1870 Tower One of Graeter’s signature desserts, "The 1870 tower” caught my attention during a recent visit to the local Graeter’s Ice Cream scoop shop. Described as “A fresh chocolate bundt cake filled with hot fudge, a scoop of black raspberry chip ice cream, drizzled with hot fudge, topped with whipped cream, pecans and a cherry”, how could I resist? Upon questioning, the employee reported that the bundt cake is not actually what I would call“fresh”, but comes frozen. I watched as the employee poured a considerable amount (~3 TBSP) of chocolate fudge over the palm-sized warm chocolate bundt cake, followed by a massive (~3/4cup) scoop of their signature black chocolate raspberry ice cream; I was severly impressed. The taste and satisfaction of the dessert proved nothing short of a masterpiece: the bundt cake oozed with moist, rich chocolate and fudge flavoring; the ice cream delivered an extremely rich base without any real tartness and melted into the gooey fudge and bundt cake; the nuts integrated a fantastic crunch and texture contrast; the whipped cream offered a light kick to the overall richness. If you make your way to a Graeter’s, you absolutely must try this dessert. Where I found it: Graeter’s Ice Cream Consensus : A
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Post by usawinston on Aug 1, 2013 6:44:14 GMT -5
I pray every night, that the Atlanta scoop shop is open by August 22nd when I'm there in vacation. I pray every night, that I find Oatmeal Cookie Chunk in Columbus, OH.
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Post by usawinston on Jul 30, 2013 7:17:01 GMT -5
Jealous of this. Adding this one up later this week when I return home. You should consider ordering some of the gravel and sauces. Definitely worth it.
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Post by usawinston on Jul 28, 2013 12:29:25 GMT -5
I'd recommend the shagbark first, as it seems more versatile for more flavors. As is the salty graham. I imagine everything bagel on honey pistachio is excellent.Yes!!! Will try
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Post by usawinston on Jul 27, 2013 13:01:56 GMT -5
The shagbark is amazing stuff. Also, the everything bagel literally tastes like onion poppy seed bagels crutons, and on it's own s a bit weird. But on top of a sweet ice cream is cuts through the flavor perfectly. Great point about bagel bits adding to a sweet Ice Cream. I wonder how well they will sell.. Any suggestions on creations? I also created this: Salted Caramel w/ Salted Caramel Sauce and Salted Graham. It was quite good, but the Salted Caramel is so strong that it would probably be just as good on its own.
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Post by usawinston on Jul 27, 2013 11:17:08 GMT -5
I recently moved to Columbus, OH; therefore, I decided to visit my neighborhood Jeni's Splendid Ice cream shop and investigate some of their store exclusive offerings. Jeni's recently started incorporating "gravel", “sauces” and “accoutrements” into their dessert offerings, which are essentially fancy words for "toppings". Given that pretty much all of Jeni's flavors contain little to no solids, it sounded like a solid idea and worthy of investigation. One of their signature sundaes, the “Emily Dickenson”, sounded quite appealing: 2 scoops of double toasted coconut ice cream topped with salty graham gravel, donut gravel, and salted Carmel sauce. How was the dessert? Let me be clear: it's the best Jeni dessert I've had yet, and I’ve had all of their staple flavors. There are so many flavors dominating each bite; my palate endured a constant state of confusion. Therefore, it’s very difficult to translate this experience into words. The ultra-rich coconut base and the absolutely incredible caramel constantly battled for flavor dominance. The coconut Ice Cream was far more coconutty than that of Haagen-Dazs' coconut macaroon with no tartness, and delivered strong creamy and buttery notes. That said, the dessert was by no means strongly coconutty at all. The caramel syrup plays a huge role in flavor and is probably the second or third best caramel I've ever had, seconded to Haagen-Dasz and/or 2nd Street; its ultra buttery, extremely sweet, remarkably salty and comes warm and thick. The "gravel" adds the perfect texture contrast; both the donut pieces and the salted graham offer a brittle, crunchy component to the dessert that further confuses and arouses the palate. The salty graham are considerably salty graham crust pieces. So deliciously salty, in fact, that I'm pretty sure I could feel and taste individual salt kernels. The donuts can essentially be described as pseudo sugar cookie pieces and aren't exactly delivering strong "donut" flavor; they’re brittle, crunchy, and terrific against the caramel and coconut elements--they’re essential to the overall experience. I you have access to Jeni's, you definitely want to try this masterpiece. Imagine this: a world renowned Ice Creamery meticulously designed the perfectly salty, creamy, and sweet dessert with ultra-premium ingredients. It's a masterpiece. Where I found it: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Consensus: A
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