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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 27, 2013 19:07:11 GMT -5
Was gonna try more local stuff but didn't realize how hard it is to drive around here. That and some of them are only offered in big containers. Yeah, most local standbys in the NW only come in half-gallon containers, but they're the same cost as a pint! Try a couple anyway; you'll be happy you did. (And you're totally right about Seattle being hell to drive in.)
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 26, 2013 21:12:31 GMT -5
The Southern Butter Pecan is insanely good. If I see it again, it's a definite re-buy.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 25, 2013 17:37:26 GMT -5
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 25, 2013 16:03:33 GMT -5
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 23, 2013 20:38:17 GMT -5
Two things: 1. Tonight I found Mario Batali's Roman Cream Swirl, a mix of vanilla gelato with blood orange sorbetto, in my local Associated Foods. The best part is it was less than $3.50. 2. OddFellows Ice Cream in Williamsburg has posted on FB about having these new flavors in the last week: Beet and Candied Pistachios with Honey Goat Cheese, Peach & Chamomile, and Celery Sorbet. Pretty sure I'm not the only one in the NYC area who's heading there ASAP. After falling in love with Jeni's, I have to have more goat cheese ice cream! I lied: there's a picture after all.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 23, 2013 20:27:03 GMT -5
Did you see something sweet in the grocery store but weren't able to snap a photo? Here you can give everyone a head's up to keep their eyes open in case they're dying for that one-of-a-kind flavor you just spotted for the very first time.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 21, 2013 13:40:43 GMT -5
I picked this up at Associated Foods in Brooklyn, although they also stock it at the Whole Foods.
You should probably try the Southern Banana Pudding first, but if you ask me, you can never go wrong with banana ice cream of any variety.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 21, 2013 0:02:47 GMT -5
READER REVIEW: Dominique's Review of Steve's Coconut Key Lime PieIt’s summer. It’s hot out. I spent all afternoon in the sun at a Brooklyn block party where The House of YES had set up a rig so we could do aerial acrobatics in the street. It was fun, but after being covered in sweat for hours, it was clear only one thing would help me actually feel refreshed. That, of course, would be a tropical ice cream like Steve’s Coconut Key Lime Pie. Funny thing is I bought it thinking for sure it had been reviewed here before. But no! So here are my thoughts, compare/contrasting it with one of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors, Key Lime Pie. At first taste, there was way too much lime and a little hint at meringue. Even without getting a big helping of the key lime pie filling swirl, the base isn't hurting for sour citrus flavor. A few more bites in, however, the coconut cut through that pucker-inducing lime in a really clever way, blanketing it with a subtle sweetness and just a little dry coconut flavor. I like the clean, smooth lime in Ben and Jerry’s version, so I was dubious about adding in coconut, the only reason I’ve been putting off trying this one. But the lime comes on so strong that the coconut proves necessary to balance it out. Shortly after the coconut in the base began to shine, I hit a big chunk of flavorful graham crust. The next bite had only a tiny crumb, but that still had a noticeable effect. The graham cracker crumb crust – very similar in texture to the vanilla wafer cookie crust in Steve's Southern Banana Pudding, also sourced from Brooklyn restaurant Pies-n-Thighs – soaks up the intensity of the super tart lime, giving the tongue a much-needed break before taking on more of the sharp citrus. That makes room for the coconut to reenter, working like a palate cleanser that repeats throughout. As far as graham cracker mix-ins are concerned, Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t stand a chance going head-to-head with Steve’s. I only wish there weren’t as many big chunks of crust because too many bites were crumbless. I still think Ben & Jerry’s Key Lime Pie is a respectable version of one of my all-time favorite pies ( and I really love pie) and can't get enough of the double swirl of lime and fluffy meringue, but from now on, I fully support putting lime in the coconut and mixing it all up. That points to one thing that Steve’s does better than most ice cream makers: intentionally layer flavors to create a bold, complex profile. Next Steve’s I try will be another summer combo, Sweet Corn and Blackberry Preserves, which I spotted in the Union Square Whole Foods a couple days ago. Too bad it’ll melt before I get it home; must be a sign to buy an insulated bag. Grade: A-
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 20, 2013 12:19:19 GMT -5
Polished off a pint of Peanut Butter Pie yesterday. It is definitely deserving of its universal acclaim. Easy A from me. I was excited to find this in stores the other day. It was good, but I'd give it a B, even a B-. It had all the right elements, but I found it to be somewhat bland. For that many calories (330 per serving, I believe), it should be way more full-flavored. The cookie pieces complemented the ice cream, but even with a big bite of them, I wasn't tasting much chocolate at all. Is this just me?
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 19, 2013 11:28:30 GMT -5
Phin & Phebes just posted this on their Facebook page. Which one are you?
Of this list, I'd have to pick rocky road.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 18, 2013 8:23:34 GMT -5
Go figure, I've been trying to find Ben & Jerry's Cotton Candy for the past two weeks and have had no luck. My first visit to a Publix to find this and boom, there it is. Bought it, tried it and reviewed it. If you want to see my full thoughts, it's on my here. In short, I thought it was incredible. The only problem is that the pretzel bites were often stiff and threw the soft, moist texture off. Still, if you can find it, I highly recommend digging in. Probably my new favorite peanut butter base. Stiff or crispy? I love when mix-ins manage to stay crispy, like in Phin & Phebe's Peanutty Pretzel. Speaking of which, it would be super hard to top that, so I can't wait to do my own compare/contrast once I can find this new Talenti. Thank you for the review!
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 17, 2013 22:38:18 GMT -5
They have Riesling! I'll get over there to try that one soon; that's only 20 minutes from me.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 17, 2013 21:47:18 GMT -5
This was found at Brooklyn Natural. I've seen a few flavors of these wine ice creams before but have yet to try one. Peach White Zinfandel is pictured.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 17, 2013 17:33:29 GMT -5
Really really wish steve's was available in my area. I'll be out east for a few days this weekend, hopefully I can pick some of their selections up It's definitely worth it just to see what all the hype is about. This one, BKLYN Blackout, and Strawberry Ricotta have been winners for me so far. Others I thought were vastly overrated; Sunday Morning was way, way too sweet. Nice review! I'll definitely be adding this one up to the site soon. I've been wanting to get my hands on this one for a while now. Thank you! I appreciate having the opportunity to share my thoughts on here, and I can't wait to hear what you think of this one.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 17, 2013 17:04:32 GMT -5
I've had most everything on all of the except Coldstone's Cake Batter, High Road Vanilla Fleur Del Sel and Jeni's Savannah Buttermint. You haven't had the cake batter?! Oh man. I usually find Cold Stone's ice creams to be way, way too heavy, but that one makes me drool. It's not something I could eat every day, but it does live up to its reputation and then some. . As for my own top 5 list, I'd have no idea where to start. I'm more excited by trying new flavors than returning to ones I'm familiar with – which is, by the way, why I am obsessed with this blog. All-time faves would have to include Jeni's Goat Cheese Cherry & Haagen Dazs Banana Split, though. BKLYN Blackout is my current favorite chocolate, but that's because I just tried it a couple weeks ago. Plus, pudding.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 17, 2013 0:18:39 GMT -5
READER REVIEW: Dominique's Review of Steve's Southern Banana PuddingThe base has a unique banana flavor, just like an old-fashioned banana cream pie. It’s what cheap imitations, like Runts banana candies, are always trying to capture but can’t. What impressed me the most is that you can actually see little brown banana threads throughout the ice cream, just like in banana bread – visual proof this is the best banana ice cream out there (unless you want something that tastes like biting into the fruit, which this does not). The mix-ins couldn’t complement the ice cream better. Nilla wafers are thought of as a bland cookie for good reason, but these wafer pieces – baked by Pies-N-Thighs – are flavorful. Part of what makes them so good is the real, rich vanilla flavor, which gives the two versions of banana something to play off of. But the really genius thing about these are the fact that it’s a wafer crust, not wafer cookie pieces. They’re moist and tender, not soggy. They start off as dense but break apart into crumbs when crushed between teeth, a pretty neat trick, if you ask me. The pudding swirl functions exactly as it’s supposed to, adding a second layer of fruit flavor. While the base is rather light and super creamy, the pudding is rich and dense with banana flavor much in the same way as is a good banana bread. The flavor profile ends up like a simple sandwich: banana cream on top, vanilla wafer in the middle, banana pudding on the bottom. And the sum is definitely more than the parts. One bad thing in a sea of creamy goodness: My pint was not well-mixed enough. The bottom had way too much of the wafer crust, which means I was really missing out when I ate the first half! By the end the ratio wasn’t working as well for me at all, but the flavors were still just as insanely delicious. This is one of the best ice creams I've ever had, particularly of the pre-packaged variety, and it's far and away the best Steve's flavor I've tried so far. My Grade: A Where I Found It: Associated Supermarket in Brooklyn
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 16, 2013 23:40:19 GMT -5
Alright, legitimate suggestions here. I've recently tried some of the Tea-rriffic flavors and have decided that the best are the chai tea and the chamomile. I just had the chamomile tonight. Left it until last thinking it would be the most meh, and it turns out I have enjoyed it the most! Thanks for the info! I see these in stores pretty frequently. The first time, I couldn't resist the Chunky London Mist, which is Earl Grey tea with dark chocolate chunks (and actually, I haven't seen that one since). It was pretty good, but it didn't leave me dying to try the rest. Based on what you've said, though, I'll definitely get the chamomile next I see it.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 16, 2013 23:33:27 GMT -5
Wow, totally forgot to mention the best ice cream I've ever had. Duck fat ice cream. It's part of a dish called Cobbler on Quack at Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale, AZ. My review is online. The pastry chef who makes it, Country Velador, is a genius. She also creates things like frozen naner ice cream and miso brown butter ice cream, each made for a specific dessert. /swoon The duck fat ice cream is always on the menu because it's that amazing. If you are in AZ, go eat some.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 16, 2013 23:20:17 GMT -5
I also enjoy scooping with a plastic spoon like you, which makes it even better IMO! Glad to see I'm not the only one using a plastic spoon. Once I tried that I couldn't go back. Why the plastic spoon? I use a milkshake spoon with a very long handle and small head. It's the best thing ever.
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Post by sugarfueledbeast on Jul 16, 2013 23:14:25 GMT -5
Lucky you! Seattle is a great place to score delicious locally made foods of all kinds. I lived in Portland for four years and was a big fan of Umpqua, especially considering the price. Tillamook is another Pacific NW favorite, but I think it has kind of a weird marshmallowy texture. You might like how soft and creamy it is, though, so it's definitely worth a taste. My favorite Tillamook flavor was always marionberry pie. Both Umpqua and Tillamook look really interesting and I'm looking forward to trying them. Marionberry Pie seems to get raved about a lot. Yeah, the berry swirl is pretty much just jam – really good jam made from Oregon's favorite blackberry variety, and that state is known for insanely good blackberries! The pie crust pieces are really good too, some of the best I've had. In fact, I recently tried Steve's Bourbon Pecan Pie and wasn't thrilled with the crust pieces, which other people have raved about. I think that Tillamook ice cream is why I was so disappointed!
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