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Post by thesolution on Jan 23, 2016 12:22:02 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter & CookiesBen & Jerry's Peanut Butter & Cookies is labeled as "Sweet Cream Ice Cream with Chocolate Sandwich Cookies and a Crunchy Peanut Butter Swirl". After seeing some feedback with the new walmart exclusive the hopes have not been high. Ben & Jerry's has been on a roll at the end of 2015 moving into 2016 with good limited edition flavors. They also released Cake My Day being a target exclusive. With a label of chocolate cookies and a PB Swirl this could have potential to be a good one. Upon opening the pint there were small specks of chocolate cookies and a hint of a peanut butter swirl. The sweet cream base is a step up from the basic vanilla ice cream Ben & Jerry's does offer. You get the sensation of a cream filling of an Oreo to a lesser extent. It does not provide the quality frosting flavoring like a sweet cream filled cookie would provide, but it has an extra kick to the base to give it an edge over vanilla. I would like to see B&J continue to utilize the sweet cream base in the future to help upgrade some of the basic vanilla flavors. The Chocolate Sandwich Cookies and Crunchy Peanut Butter swirl are not really noticed upon lifting the lid. After a few bites you start to get chunks of cookies starting to surmount in the pint. Sometimes Ben & Jerry have very inconsistent pints from top to bottom, and the mix-ins are very scattered. The cookies had a similar texture and taste to those of Ample Hills in chocolate cookies and cream. They tasted a bit off , and did not have a genuine oreo/cookie taste like found in Graeters Cookies and Cream. The Peanut butter swirl could of been bigger and stronger in taste. It was a good addition to a cookie and cream base/mixture, but the presence of the swirl needed to be bigger to stand out. The peanut butter provides a nice salty aftertaste to a dense peanut butter flavor, but nothing as strong as PB Pie from Haagen Dazs. Overall it was a good pint, but nothing great from a limited edition flavor of ben and jerry's. They should continue to keep the sweet cream base around as it is a major improvement from a lot of their other flavors.. The mix-ins both needed improvement. The cookies needed a denser flavor and consistency.The Peanut Butter swirl tasted good, but needed to be larger since the cookies overpowered this aspect. With some small tweaks to the mix-ins this could have potential. Grade: B- Found: Walmart Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Jan 23, 2016 10:23:38 GMT -5
Perry's Ice Cream One BuffaloPerry's Ice Cream One Buffalo is labeled as " Vanilla ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls, sponge candy piece, and fudge-coated pretzels. It’s our scoop!". Reading that label it seems like a dream come true. Sea Salt Caramel Swirls remind me of Sea Salt caramel from Talenti. Sponge Candy is a trademark in Erie, Pennsylvania made at Romolo's chocolates that melts in your mouth. Lastly fudge coated pretzels are absolutely delicious. Pretzels, Caramel Swirls, and Sponge Candy will make for an outstanding combination of mix-ins. Lets see how Perry's put everything together in this offering. Perry's vanilla ice cream base is a middle of the road offering. This vanilla will not blow you away, nor is it to the point of being mediocre and taking away from the overall experience. If you prefer higher butterfat ice creams, you might find yourself downgrading this based off the soft and creamy vanilla base. Thankfully, the ice cream below the surface does not melt quickly. The softness works well with the swirls, sponge candy, and fudge coated pretzels in the offering. It is not like a Graeter's vanilla that has that extra luscious kick to the overall flavoring. I would compare Perry's to a modern Ben & Jerry vanilla base. Onto the mix-ins. First of all after popping the lid you can see small chunks of both sponge candy and fudge covered pretzels. There is also a small shadow of a sea salt caramel swirl present. The sponge candy is exactly as you would expect if you have ever consumed that dessert before. The sponge candy offers a great outside chocolate crunch, that instantly melts in your mouth. The fudge covered pretzels offer a rich and bold chocolate taste, and provide an extra crunch in addition to the sponge candy. The sea salt caramel swirl was brilliant. You get that rich and dense caramel swirl with an extra kick of salt to enhance the flavor of the overall experience. Perry's may be an overlooked brand because it is not offered in most general grocery stores. While the base alone was not a saving grace, the mix-ins really did this pint in to enhance the overall experience. If you are a fan of covered pretzels, sponge candy, and a thick delicious swirl this will really be something to consider. The sweet and salty combination of the mix-ins and swirl take this pint over the top. The swirl is no where near as salty as Ben & Jerry's Salted Caramel swirl offers, so the salt is not overpowering to the point of turning people away. The Perry's combination offers a lot of crunch, a ton of flavor, and a chocolate and caramel lovers delight. I have been burned in the past with Perry's and their mix-ins, this one finally lived up to their name and consistency from start to finish. Grade: A- Found: Wegmans Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Jan 16, 2016 13:39:26 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's S'moresBen & Jerry's S'mores is labeled as: "chocolate ice cream with fudge chunks, toasted marshmallow & graham cracker swirls". The ideal combination to give you the replica of the famous campfire dessert. Ben & Jerry's also exclaimed on their pint "So we just had to pack this ice cream all the graham-crackery, marshmallowy & chocolate stuff that makes s'mores so glorious". I have had some great S'mores ice creams in the past. Wegmans with a fantastic Marshmallow base, 7-11 was a quality pint with a huge marshmallow swirl, and Gelato Fiasco had a very strong cinnamon/graham cracker base. Lets see how Ben & Jerry's does compared to some of the top tier S'mores on the market. Upon popping the lid, the first layer shows a dark brown base with tons of the toasted marshmallow swirl sitting right on top. Ben & Jerry’s chocolate ice cream acts much as it always does: slightly overpowering and not very rich. The high butterfat base also means the chocolate takes a while to melt down, but it does not pack a very solid chocolate flavor. Many people are turned away with how bland Ben & Jerry's does their basic chocolate base. The dark chocolate offered in Roasted & Toasted is a great step up from what they have in this S'mores pint, and I will also say the Milk Chocolate in PB World is fantastic as well. I would like to see Ben & Jerry's use this more often in the future. The two swirls contained inside this pint of S’mores really save the day. The toasted marshmallow swirl is great as it was in Clusterfluff // What a Cluster. The marshmallow swirl is light, fluffy and the toasted touch gives it the roasted marshmallow authentic s’mores feel. The graham cracker crust swirl gives this creation the finishing touch by involving a gritty cracker texture and the taste of honey. The Fudge chunks are similar to a lot of the Ben & Jerry's offerings being extremely hard in texture. Fudge Chunks offer a good flavor, but are almost jaw breaking at points of eating the ice cream. Allow the pint to sit out for a good 5 minutes before digging in. Overall with an improved base this could be a real home run. The basic chocolate from Ben & Jerry's needs redone. it simply is mediocre at best. The Dark & Milk Chocolate bases from Ben & Jerry's are light years ahead in taste and quality. Do not get me wrong, the swirls and fudge chunks definitely helped this pint out, but did not do enough to save it as a top tier flavor from Ben & Jerry's. The Swirls alone were good but not 7-11 and what that pint offered. I would put this towards the bottom for a S'mores ice cream on the market. If you are looking for a great all round S'mores (7-11). If you want a stronger marshmallow base (wegmans) or Graham Cracker base (Gelato Fiasco) would be your better options: Grade: C+ Found: Wegmans Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Jan 11, 2016 17:12:50 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk
Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk is labeled as "Chocolate Ice Cream with White & Dark Fudge Chunks, Pecans, Walnuts & Fudge-Covered Almonds". Talk about a mouthful in that one. Ben & Jerry's has never been known for top tier chocolate ice cream. It looks like they paired up with Everything But the and mixed around some mix-ins to make a variant flavor on their lineup. Being a big fan of Everything But The.. I am eager to see how this stacks up on the B&J Line. Ben & Jerry’s chocolate base has never impressed m’ e and it’s no different here. I am not going to say it’s bland, but it comes off pretty flat and lacks the richness of a milk chocolate bar or ice cream. Ben & Jerry's has a killer dark chocolate ice cream base, but they can't seem to get their regular milk chocolate/regular chocolate in check. There can be room for improvement, and there should be a reformulation on this base flavor in the future. Super Fudge Chunk enlists White & Dark Fudge Chunks, Pecans, Walnuts, and Fudge-Covered Almonds. I have already written about my gripe on the fudge chunks and Ben & Jerry's before, but I will say it again. Their fudge chunks are super hard and can be jaw breaking at times. The flavoring is decent, but you need to let them sit out and soften before digging in. The walnuts like in Chunky Monkey were fantastic and carried over into this pint. The fudge coating added a pleasant crunch that released the nutty almond flavor inside. The white chocolate chunks were my favorite inclusion and worked well with the base. They’re about the same size as the dark fudge chunks but they have a softer texture. Overall I went into this pint with middle of the road hopes, and came back a bit better than expected. First of all I love mix-ins, but the fudge covered almonds and white chocolate chunks really helped develop the weak chocolate base. The Walnuts were a great addition like in Chunky Monkey, but were a bit overpowered by base.The amount of mix-ins were involved in every single spoonful from top to bottom. Ben & Jerry's is good with consistency when it comes to mix-ins and usually leaves a fair amount to satisfy their consumers. Grade: B - Found: Wegmans Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Jan 11, 2016 17:04:52 GMT -5
Graeters Mocha Chocolate ChipGraeters Mocha Chocolate Chip is labeled as " Mocha Chocolate Chip is made with luscious coffee ice cream and be-chunked with our legendary chocolate chips. Of this, even Seattle’s most discerning coffee baristas approve of this handcrafted ice cream flavor!". Coffee is one of my favorite things in this world. Knowing Graeter's and how they pack incredible signature chocolate chips into this offering made it stand out to my eye. How good is that mocha ice cream, and how does it pair with the chocolate chips? Lets soon find out. The coffee ice cream is thick, dense, and provides a mild coffee flavor. For those who enjoy dark coffee and avoid lighter/blonde roasts it may set you off a bit. For those who like a lighter flavored coffee this will be right up your alley. It reminded me of Cafe Au Lait & Beignets from New Orleans Ice Cream company with a thicker density. Graeter's French Pot Process makes top notch ice cream, and why the company provides some of the most consistent ice cream on the market for a good base and thick mix-ins. The Coffee ice cream could have held its own even with no mix-ins (if you like a lighter coffee), but any flavor can be made better with some of Graeter's signature chips. These delicious broken chunks of chocolate add tremendous texture without adding the rock-hard density the ones from other companies tend to do (Ben & Jerry's Fudge Chunks for example). These pieces are left behind long after the ice cream has melted away, which gives the tail end of each bite a rich, milk chocolate finish. The consistency and texture of these chocolate chips separate itself from others on the ice cream market. Some Chocolate Chip pieces can vary upward to an inch in size. Mild coffee fans will rejoice if they decide to scoop this one. The subtle coffee flavoring enhances as you work down the pint as it is loaded with thick chocolatechips. The large milk chocolate chips provides a great one two combo with a coffee base. This reminds me of scooping Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz, Brewed to Matter or Talenti's Gelato Coffee Chocolate Chip. Provide a thicker ice cream base, and massive size mix-ins and you have a great scoop. Grade: B+ Found: Giant Eagle Erie, Pennsylvania.
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Post by thesolution on Jan 11, 2016 16:53:26 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey
Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey is labeled as "Banana Ice Cream with Fudge Chunks & Walnuts." While very basic on paper this ice cream is tipping 300+ calories per serving. Ben & Jerry's does not offer a lot of banana based ice cream flavors on their line making this unique. I have only had a great ice cream banana in Wegmans Banana Peel-N. Let us not forget a very good one in 7-11. I would love to see how this one stacks up. Right away the banana base has a slight artificial taste that most banana flavored products suffer from. While it is very minor it is something to note. This is not pure or dense like 7/11 and Wegmans offer. The ripeness of the banana flavor shine in those two other brands that I rank my favorite over this Ben & Jerry offering. The creaminess and density of the banana ice cream is good, but has room for improvement. Ben & Jerry's offers Fudge Chunks and Walnuts in their banana ice cream base. The Fudge Chunks are massive in size, but they are a bit jaw breaking at the same time. They provide a decent chocolate texture and taste, but B&J needs to find a way to make this mix-in much softer like other brands out there that include massive chocolate mix-ins. I am not the biggest nut fan, but the Walnuts added a nice touch to this pint. The large chunks of walnuts were plentiful and became involved in every few bits as you dwindled down the ice cream. These walnuts are soft and chewy walnuts are more than welcome to stick around or be in other B&J Pints. Overall I went into this pint not knowing what to expect and left with an average of the road grade. The banana base is decent, but not a top tier offering that some other companies provide. Ben & Jerry's could enhance the richness and ripeness to make it a great flavor. The Fudge chunks are harder than rocks and you may scratch your teeth trying to break through them. The walnuts on the other hand were much softer, provided a great compliment, and need to be involved in more B&J offerings. Grade: C+/B- Found: Wegmans Erie, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Jan 11, 2016 16:34:49 GMT -5
Graeters Buckeye BlitzGraeters Buckeye Blitz is listed as "Just like the Buckeye Candy, this has a chocolate-peanut butter base with peanut butter cookie dough pieces and dark chocolate chips. Not just like the Buckeye Candy, this is ice cream. Graeter’s, the world’s best". Graeter's, coming out of Cincy, and not far from the buckeye city have created an ideal combination for many ice cream connoisseurs. Chocolate, peanut butter, and cookie dough pieces being three of my favorite things lets see where it stands on the Graeter's line. Graeter's Chocolate Peanut Butter Base is lights out fantastic. The density of the thick peanut butter and chocolate ice creams pairs perfectly to make a well balanced attack. While most companies choose one or the other for a PB Chocolate based ice cream, Graeter's decided to use both to surcharge a quality ice cream. Each spoonful is so delicious you can eat the ice cream by itself, not including the giant size mix-ins Graeters does provide. Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Pieces and Dark Chocolate chips are two eye popping mix-ins. Not only do you get Graeter's Signature chocolate chips, but you get peanut butter cookie dough pieces to boot. The signature chocolate chips can sometimes be up to an inch thick in size, provide incredible chocolate quality, and melt in your mouth. the PB cookie dough pieces are like gobs of cookie dough surrounded in peanut butter. Put both together and it is a dream come true. Graeters provides consistent mix-ins from top to bottom. Do you love peanut butter, chocolate, and cookie dough? If so just buy this instantly. Graeters base alone was fantastic, and the amount of mix-ins provided in this just take it over the edge. For a 300+ calorie bomb the quality of ice cream and quantity mix-ins make it a pint you never want to stop eating. Do not be surprised if you find more mix-ins than ice cream with the sheer density Graeter's mixes into their ice cream offerings. Hands down one of the best flavors on the Graeter's line and one of my alltime favorite ice cream flavors. The thick base ice cream provides a well-balanced attack of both chocolate and peanut butter, an approach that’s rarely seen. Most companies choose one or the other rather than combining the two together. If the actual ice cream wasn’t impressive enough, Graeter’s tosses in their signature chocolate chips. A few of the ones in this pint ended up being much larger than my actual spoon, which happens often when we’re talking Graeter’s. The fact that they've also included balls of peanut butter cookie dough is just overkill at this point. These chewy mix-ins put Buckeye Blitz among the elite ice creams in our rankings. Grade: A+ Found: Giant Eagle Erie, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Jan 10, 2016 13:09:57 GMT -5
Ample Hills Nonna D's Oatmeal LaceAmple Hills Nonna D's Oatmeal Lace is labeled as "Brown sugar cinnamon ice cream with Nonna's homemade oatmeal lace cookies". In the past I have only had one great oatmeal based ice cream being Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk. While this is minimal on the ice cream market, more companies should invest in this type of a mixture. Oatmeal cookies are a very popular selling cookie, not to mention go great in ice cream. Lets see just how good Ample Hills Nonna D's Oatmeal Lace is. The base of the ice cream is labeled brown sugar cinnamon, but upon first bite it tasted like a true oatmeal cookie in ice cream form. The brown sugar cinnamon is overpowered by the dense flavor of the oatmeal cookie mix-ins. is this a bad thing? The oatmeal cookie is dominant with a brown sugar aftertaste that is pure and delicious. While I personally thought it was incredible how strong of a flavor Ample Hills created, it goes to show you how much they take pride in the quality of their ice cream. Not only is the taste fantastic, but the creaminess and texture of the ice cream is pure. Nonn'a Homemade Oatmeal lace cookies are the key aspect to this pint, and Ample Hills does not sell you short. As we know over the pints I have gone through with Ample Hills their consistency is key. Each pint has been packed to the brim from top to bottom in mix-ins. The amount of oatmeal cookies in here did not disappoint. Crunchy, chewy, and absolutely delicious in every single bite. This is a reason why Ben & Jerry's discontinued their oatmeal cookie variation, because they did not want to fork over the money to provide a quality mix-in. Ample Hills thrives on quality ice cream, and consistent mix-ins. Nonn'a D's Oatmeal Lace is nothing short of an oatmeal cookie paradise. If you were a fan of Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk this may surpass expectations. If anything this may become your new favorite oatmeal ice cream. Paired together its a match made in heaven, and provides top tier ice cream from first bite to last scoop. After scooping 6 pints from Ample Hills I have to say I am impressed on the variety they offer on the ice cream market. Grade: A Found: GoldBelly.com (Lemonbar159 = 15% off)
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Post by thesolution on Jan 5, 2016 19:51:59 GMT -5
Ben & Jerry's Phish Food
Ben & Jerry's Phish Food is labeled as ""Chocolate Ice Cream with Gooey Marshmallow Swirls, Caramel Swirls & Fudge Fish." The inclusion of fudge fish may raise an eyebrow. Not everyday do you see fish in the shape of fudge, or hard chocolate. Ben & Jerry's has been known to have a decent chocolate base, nothing as good as their dark chocolate offerings. Lets see how well the inclusions of the marshmallow swirl, caramel swirl, and fudge fish can separate this from the rest of the B&J line. Upon first bite the Ben & Jerry's chocolate base is nothing to rave over. The Chocolate is a bit dull, but not the worst that is out there on the market. There is just not enough density and quality to make it a top notch chocolate ice cream on the market. This is nothing like a top notch Jeni's, Graeter's, or Handel's base. Ben & Jerry's chocolate base is best described as smooth, decent and just rich enough to come up short of overpowering. Now the mix-ins really did improve this pint a great deal. Right on first bite you are surmounted by a large chunk of marshmallow swirl. The flavoring is similar to taking spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff out of a jar. The caramel swirl is under shadowed by the dense marshmallow swirl, but provides a minor aftertaste as you wind down the pint. This pint sure does not skimp on the fudge fish. Almost every single bite provides a milk chocolate hard candy inclusion. Lots of mix-ins over power the weaker chocolate base, but help increase the overall quality of the pint. The chocolate and marshmallow duo is a great tag team combination. Add in hints of caramel and chocolate candy, and you've got a pint-sized combination. Without a doubt Ben & Jerry's made a good point that surpasses a majority on their line. Ben & Jerry's attempted to increase the creativity with the band-inspired name and fish-shaped fudge, while they were a nice change of pace, it was just a chocolate bar molded into a fish shape. Grade: B Found: Giant Eagle Erie, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Jan 5, 2016 19:44:17 GMT -5
Talenti Sea Salt Caramel GelatoTalenti Sea Salt Caramel Gelato is labeled as "succulent rich golden Argentinean caramel base brought even further to life with Fleur De Sel sea salt "the caviar of salts". Talenti then bestows luxury and refinement to this trendy new flavor by adding chocolate covered sea salt truffles". Sea Salt caramel is praised to be one of the best offerings from the Talenti line. If you are a caramel or truffle fan there has been talks of landmines of mix-ins. Personally I love a great caramel ice cream. Throw in caramel filled truffles, and it sounds like we have a winning combination. Lets soon find out. Upon lifting the lid you are presented with a fine caramel looking gelato base. The first scoop literally melts on your spoon with its thin consistency. The creaminess of the gelato has a great taste and saltiness to the gelato base. Right away you are presented with a dose of sea salt washed down by a delicious caramel gelato. The caramel is rich like the center of a milky way frozen into a gelato base. The flavor is pure, quality, and full of caramel sweetness with the hint of sea salt. The truffles presented in sea salt caramel are spot on. There is no better compliment to this pint than the globs of caramel truffles in almost every spoonful. After you break the initial barrier you soon find the goldmine of truffles. The first bite leaves you thinking of Rolo's candy. A dense milk chocolate outer shell and a creamy, gooey caramel center. The caramel base ice cream can carry this flavor all by it's lonesome, but add this squadron of sweet truffles and it teeters on perfection. Overall Talenti kept this offering very simple, but struck a perfect balance to create a masterpiece. The base may not have been as pure are 2nd Street's Kopper Kettle Caramel, but Talenti did a great job providing a Gelato with incredible flavor. 2nd Street may get the edge with the added Caramel swirl, but this is no pint to skimp on. If you love caramel, and love caramel filled chocolate you want to grab this. Hands down one of the best off the Talenti line and worth a scoop. Grade: A- Found: Giant Eagle Erie, PA
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Post by thesolution on Jan 3, 2016 12:12:50 GMT -5
Ample Hills Butter Pecan BrittleAmple Hills Butter Pecan Brittle is labeled as "This handmade-from-scratch brown sugar ice cream is loaded with homemade pecan brittle." Before I bought my 6 pack from Ample Hills this flavor caught my eye. I have never had a brown sugar based ice cream before. I always skipped on Blondie Ambition or Rocking Blondies from Ben & Jerry. Point being the reviews were horrendous. After having a some stellar flavors from ample hills I had very high hopes for this one. Upon opening this pint I was left dazzled with lots of mix-ins present on the surface of the ice cream. Not only that pecan brittle is rare in ice cream. After first bite you are engulfed by a very sweet, rich brown sugar ice cream base. After a few bites you tend to get an aftertaste of molasses with how strong the homemade brown sugar ice cream truly is. Ample hills still combines the incredibly smooth, creamy, and rich consistency as I have experienced in every pint so far on their line with a top notch ice cream. The quality of the homemade ice cream is what makes you consider just eating the base alone without even considering the mix-ins. With a homemade brown sugar base comes an infused pint of homemade pecan brittle. As I have said before Ample Hills is very consistent with their mix-ins. From top to bottom you do not get skimped as you find chunks in almost every single bite. Pecan brittle is a small twist of peanut brittle which is loaded with hard toffee and pecan pieces. Usually Peanut Brittle is rock hard when made, but each and every single chunk of mix-ins does not break your jaw and offers a nutty, buttery, and sugary compliment. The Homemade Brown Sugar ice cream and Pecan brittle really are a great one two combo. Not only is the flavor of the ice cream so rich you could eat it solo, the inclusion of the homemade pecan brittle is brilliant. Combine Sugar and butter and pecans with an already sweet and delicious base and you get a high quality offering from Ample Hills. The Thick and dense mix-ins on top of a bold ice cream base really separate this as a good flavor from Ample Hills. Grade: B Found: GoldBelly.com (LemonBar159 = 15%)
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Post by thesolution on Jan 3, 2016 11:40:51 GMT -5
Ample Hills Snap Mallow Pop
Ample Hills Snap Mallow Pop is labeled as "A deconstructed rice krispy treat, made with a marshmallow base, and buttery rice krispy clusters". Ample hills is taking a favorite snack as a kid and putting it into ice cream form. How many companies are brands can you say that have done this? Not many. Ample Hills goes above and beyond the basic flavors you find in most brands and tries to construct killer flavors with unique ideas. Will this hold merit to the famous on the go snack as a child? Soon to find out if Ample Hills strikes gold again. I have only had one outstanding marshmallow base that shines above the rest in Wegmans S'mores. After first bite Ample Hills does not have an over the top sweet marshmallow flavoring. Ample Hllls marshmallow base may be in conjunction with the buttery aspect of a rice Krispy treat. This can help enhance the base for some, and take away from others. If you are not a huge buttery fan where this compliments in the base (think Sunday Morning from Steve's) it could be a turnoff. When most people think marshmallow its a dense, gooey, and sweet. Ample hills while it is a bit different still finds a happy medium to give you a variation that provides incredible quality and dense flavor. Mix-in wise this is cut and dry with clusters of rice krispy treats. If you never had a rice krispy treat I would happen to think you may have been sheltered growing up. Rice Krispy treats are basically butter, marshmallows and rice krispies. Melt butter and marshmallows then throw in rice krispys and let them cool. Thats it. Ample Hills takes this childhood classic and puts thick, soft, and chewy chunks into their marshmallow base. The pint is very consistent from top to bottom with a great inclusion of mix-ins that leaves the pint half ice cream, half mix-ins. Ample hills takes a very simple flavor, a great concept, and puts it together to form a childhood favorite baked good. The marshmallow base feeds off the butter aspect of baking a rice krispy treat. While most people consider marshmallows sweet and dense, Ample Hills still provides a creamy and unique base of marshmallow ice cream. The massive amount of rice krispy mix-ins just further enhance this offering and live up to the Ample Hills name of thick mix-ins and high quality ice cream. Grade: B Found: Goldbelly.com (LemonBar159 = 15% off)
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Post by thesolution on Jan 2, 2016 19:25:26 GMT -5
Ample Hills Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Ample Hills Ooey Gooey Butter Cake is labeled as "The smoothest, creamiest vanilla base with gobs of St. Louis Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Pieces" A Butter cake is a cake based off sugar, butter, and fat and a signature recipe of Paula Dean. ButterCake is made with butter, sugar, eggs, cream cheese, and yellow cake mix. Simple to the point, but full of flavor. How well will the inclusion of butter cake go into a basic vanilla ice cream? Right away the vanilla base is similar in texture to the other two flavors I already scooped in Raw deal and Chocolate milk and cookies. Creamy, Smooth and absolutely delicious. This vanilla base is very rich and luscious in flavor. I would have to say Ample Hills may rival Graeters for a great vanilla ice cream base. The Ooey Gooey Butter Cake is exactly as you would expect. Full of flavor, packed with a very sweet aftertaste, and very bold in richness. The texture of the mix-ins are very soft, moist, and provide an incredible chewy aspect. While this may be a very simple addition to a basic vanilla base Ample Hills finds a way to make this a hit. Ample Hills took a basic vanilla ice cream, added a simple compliment and struck gold. Full of flavor, full of richness, and full of sugar and fat. What else does America thrive on? This is why we are such an obese country. Basically this pint is the famous Paula Dean butter cake recipe, chop it up, and throw it into an ice cream. Take the very smooth and creamy consistency that Ample Hills brings to the table and you get a great 1-2 combination. As I dig deeper into my AH order I am finally seeing the quality they bring to the table in the ice cream industry. Grade: A- Found: GoldBelly.com (Lemonbar159 = 15% off)
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Post by thesolution on Dec 27, 2015 20:02:41 GMT -5
Ample Hills The Raw Deal:Ample Hills The Raw Deal is labeled as "Vanilla ice cream with chocolate flakes and homemade brown butter chocolate cookie dough". This description was a bit enticing to say the least. As most cookie dough ice creams provide a basic vanilla ice cream and cookie dough, Ample Hills decided to use a brown butter cookie dough. Adding in chocolate flakes is like a coldstone creation to fix everything you want in your own cookie dough creation. The question is will brown butter take away from the cookie dough flavoring? Will the chocolate flakes be a worthwhile inclusion? lets find out. First off a vanilla base is either hit or miss on the ice cream market. Since Vanilla is one of the most used flavors for ice creams, you wonder how many ways you can replicate it. It is really hard to find a vanilla that can really top Graeter's when it comes to a pure, luscious, and sweet tasting vanilla based ice cream. Ample Hills Vanilla has the thin consistency similar to a gelato that provides a creamy, delicious, and soft vanilla based ice cream. The vanilla is not overpowering, but packs a powerful aftertaste that is enjoyable. Now onto the chocolate flakes and homemade brown butter chocolate cookie dough. If you ever had had Jeni's Brown Butter Almond Brittle you may have had a Brown Butter experience before. Right away in my first bite I got a massive cookie dough ball that has a surmounting brown butter flavor. You get that butteriness you’d associate with Butter Pecan but it has more depth and sweetness to it. Combine that with the flavoring of a pure cookie dough you would buy in a grocery store makes it a killer 1-2 combination. The chocolate flakes are similar to shattered chocolate bars scattered throughout the pint. Being a cookie dough fan, I have to rank this one towards the top of my all-time favorites. It is hard to crown something above Handel's CCCD & 2nd Street Cookie Dough as a basic cookie dough offering, but this brought the heat. Ample Hills again brings a ton of mix-ins, and a delicious creamy base of ice cream. As the vanilla ice cream melts on your spoon you are left with thick globs of cookie dough in every single bite. The size of the cookie dough mix-ins begins to overpower the amount of ice cream in every single bite. The ratio of mix-ins to ice cream tends to slide in favor of mix-ins after breaking the initial layer of ice cream. Cookie Dough fans that love brown butter will want to scoop this in seconds. Grade: A- Found: GoldBelly.com (LemonBar159 = 15% off)
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Post by thesolution on Dec 27, 2015 13:04:40 GMT -5
Ample Hills Chocolate Milk & CookiesAmple Hills Chocolate Milk & Cookies Is labeled as "Chocolate milk ice cream with pieces of all-natural Back to Nature sandwich creme cookies". This will be the first time I ever tried an Ample hills flavor, but with how many positive reviews there are I have high hopes. Ample hills is known for thick, tasty, and delicious mix-ins on top of a powerful base. Most of the reviews I have seen on Ample hills have full chunks of cookies, oatmeal cookies, or cake from Ooey Gooey Cake Batter. Lets see what this is all about! Cracking into my first bite ever of Ample Hills the base is very light, creamy, and full of chocolate flavor. The Chocolate base is outstanding, but will not surpass the Jeni's Dark Chocolate that reigns supreme on the market. This seemed to remind me of a mix between Handel's and Graeters. The consistency on the other hand almost resembled that of a gelato. I was expecting a firmer/dense base, but this literally melted instantly on my spoon. Ample Hills is a pure milk chocolate base that reminded me of the outer layer of a Mr. Goodbar. Onto the mix-ins offered in Chocolate Milk and Cookies which are the All-Natural Nature Sandwich Creme Cookies. After looking at previous reviews I thought I was going to experience Graeter's CnC like mix-ins. Pictures showed full chunks of oreo cookies that had me reminiscing of Ultimate Oreo from Chocolate Shoppe Ice cream. After a few bites I struck a few cookies. The cookies are thick and pack a decent flavor. The outer layer resembles a chocolate Oreo shell with a mediocre cream filling. The Cookie just does not taste as good as some others out there (Graeters/Chocolate Shoppe). Ample Hills is off to a good start. While the ice cream took me by surprise on how light the consistency is, that was made up for in chunks of cookies from top to bottom. Half way through the pint it started to resemble 70% cookies and 30% milk chocolate ice cream. If you are a chocolate and cookie lover you will want this in your freezer instantly. Since AH is out of Brooklyn, those in the mid-west or west coast may have to purchase online. I would give it a crack after my first AH experience. Grade: B Found: Goldbelly.com (LemonBar159 = 15% off)
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Post by thesolution on Dec 23, 2015 13:48:52 GMT -5
McConnell's Double Peanut Butter ChipMcConnell's Double Peanut Butter Chip Cracks in at 320 calories per serving. This pint is described as "rich, creamy, salty peanut butter folded into smooth and indulgent peanut butter ice cream. Then comes the capper. Copious amounts of bittersweet chocolate." Being a big Peanut butter and chocolate fan I have heard nothing but huge rave over the quality of this pint. McConnell's takes pride in giving customers high quality ingredients and a reason why their flavoring is so pure. Upon first bite it was a peanut butter and chocolate lovers dream come true. McConnell's added melted Guittard bittersweet chocolate and house made peanut butter to semi-frozen peanut butter ice cream base. This results in splinters of chocolate which are entwined with the peanut butter you'll find snaking throughout the pint. The peanut butter base seems to take forever to melt down and bloom, as you'd expect with a flavor as rich as this. This pint reminded me of spin-off's from some of my favorites: Jeni's Buckeye State, Haagen Dazs Peanut Butter Pie, and Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup. I would also put Wegmans Peanut Butter Cup in the mix. Since this pint does not use peanut butter cups (Wegmans // B&J), or have globs of peanut butter (HD). Overall I am a huge fan of Hybrid French Pot process and recommend that other ice cream companies step it up to this level of ice cream processing. Quality is always something I would suggest over quantity when it comes to premium ice cream. Ridiculous peanut butter mix-ins chunks that are reminiscent of Haagen Dazs Peanut Butter Pie and its swirls. The PB // Chocolate chips are great, and pack a ton of flavor into the pint. For being a chocolate and peanut butter lover this is a must try. This is a dense ice cream that holds a creamy consistency from first bite to last. Grade: A- Found: Fresh Market Pittsburgh, PA
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Post by thesolution on Dec 20, 2015 17:45:00 GMT -5
Wegmans Peanut Butter Cup ReviewWegmans Peanut Butter Cup is labeled as "Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirls and Mini-Peanut Butter Cups". Pretty straight forward to the description as what you would find in PB Cup from Ben & Jerry's. After having a few of Wegman's offerings in the past I have experience some high quality ice cream. They also do include some good mix-ins that compliment the bases and swirls very well. Going into this pint and seeing it has over 350 kcals per serving I have high hopes for a lot premium flavor. Right away digging into the Peanut Butter base its very smooth, creamy, and subtle. The peanut butter flavor is distinct, similar to fresh made peanut butter out of a food processor. The amount of salt is negligible in this ice cream as some fresh peanut butter can have a strong salty compliment. When it comes to this base you get exactly what you want in pure peanut butter. Compared to Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup base this has less of a salty compliment and more peanut butter. The end result in a smooth, yet full-bodied flavor. Wegmans included Peanut Butter Swirls and mini-peanut butter cups as mix-ins to a premium peanut butter base. Upon first bite I scooped a mini-peanut butter cup instantly and saw hints of a peanut butter swirl. The peanut butter cups are near replica's of Reese's mini's you can buy in the grocery store. These are not massive chunks like you may find in PB Cup from Ben & Jerry's. The swirl is not massive in size like you would find in Haagen Dazs Peanut Butter Pie or Turkey Hill's Banana with Peanut Butter Quart. Wegmans packs a thin, flavorful, and semi-salty compliment to the flavorful base. All in All if you love peanut butter, or Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup this is a safe bet. A top notch peanut butter base similar to grounded peanut butter you could make in a whole foods. A semi-salty swirl with dense peanut butter flavor, and reese's mini's added to the base to make a trio for peanut butter lovers. The 350+ kcals a serving may turn some people away, but if you are a peanut butter lover have no regrets and pick this up! Grade: B+ Found: Wegmans Erie, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Dec 12, 2015 12:24:25 GMT -5
Handel's Cotton Candy Handel's Cotton Candy is an in house made ice cream. Since 1945 Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt is made fresh every day on the premises. We use products, equipment, methods and recipes exclusive only to Handel's. Each batch is made in freezers specifically designed to create Handel's distinctively smooth and creamy texture. Their philosophy is to use the best ingredients available, and always in abundance. Handel's kept Cotton Candy a very simple concept with "This combination of cotton candy ice cream loaded with candy sprinkles." Upon lifting the lid you see nothing but a barrage of sprinkles and a very fine looking purple base. While cotton candy is little more than colorful spun sugar wrapped around a stick, the fluffy, melt in your mouth texture is perhaps its best attribute to this pint. The base alone is like you are attending a fair and having fresh cotton Candy. I am not a huge cotton candy fan, but this was absolutely delicious. I got to sample this to a prior visit at a Handel's and I had to go back and get a pint. As far as the candy sprinkles go added to the luscious base. Handel's built upon their usual sweet ice cream by adding hints of what can best be described as flavored sugar and vanilla icing in each and every bite. The assortment of different colored candy sprinkles are highly concentrated throughout the entire pint, add a nice element of texture and enhance the taste of the cotton candy base. The flavors found in these tiny balls of sugar are stronger than those found in the actual ice cream and round out this exclusive offering nicely. Cotton Candy by Handel's was like I took a trip to a local fair and got fresh cotton Candy. Combine that delicious dessert into ice cream form and that is exactly what you got. Handel's has continually provided top notch high quality ice cream, and bombarded their ice cream with delicious mix-ins. I ended up enjoying this far more than I thought possible, and if you’re a fan of sweet, creamy, and delicious ice creams, you just might just fall in love with this one too. Grade: A Found: Handel's Ice Cream West Mifflin, PA
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Post by thesolution on Dec 12, 2015 11:40:04 GMT -5
Handel's Birthday CakeHandel's Birthday Cake is a spin-off of Birthday Cake which can be found in multiple brands on the ice cream market. The pint offers a ton of sprinkles for mix-ins and has a delicious cake batter base (similar to their regular cake batter flavor). They use blue color drops to help enhance the pint and give it a different color base. There are quite a few cake batter or birthday cake flavors on the market, but I have never had one that truly blew me away. Hopefully Handel's homemade ice cream will be the one to seperate itself from the market. Handel's Birthday Cake based off what the girl behind the counter told me is "cake batter flavored ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and swirls of blue icing " The base is smooth, creamy, and tastes exactly like cake batter. Somehow, without being TOO sweet. It gives you a similar taste to that of Coldstone Creamery Birthday Cake Remix, but with an enhanced luscious ice cream. After a few bites the base alone would surpass a Friendly's, Blue Bell, or Breyers by a landslide. The Mix-ins are pretty simple which are the rainbow sprinkles. Basically taking sprinkles you can buy in the store and mix-them into their home made ice cream. They add a nice little crunch to each and every bite throughout the pint. Handel's on the other hand does not skimp you with chunks of colored frosting. Every single bite is loaded with multiple sprinkles and layers of colored frosting that gives this pint an upper hand to other Birthday Cakes on the market. The bright blue icing smelled of buttercream and paired perfectly with the base ice cream. The sugary, multicolored sprinkles were able to add texture, even more color, and when combined in a bite with the other two ingredients, achieved an A with ease. If you want a great tasting birthday cake flavored ice cream this is one to consider. I usually do not opt for Birthday cake being a huge PB, cookie dough, and chocolate lover. This may be a flavor to sleep on with Handel's massive menu, but it is done very well. Grade: A Found: Handel's Ice Cream West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
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Post by thesolution on Dec 6, 2015 12:52:15 GMT -5
McConnell's Sea Salt Cream & CookiesMcConnell's Sea Salt Cream & Cookies is labeled as "Dense, velvety smooth and creamy, Sweet Cream ice cream, a hint of local sea salt and bountiful bits of our chewy, house-made, Guittard chocolate chunk cookies." I have read a few reviews about McConnell's and the high quality they offer in their ice cream. Unfortunately I do not even live close to California where it is manufactured. On a trip to Pittsburgh I located this held in a fresh market possibly one of the biggest fresh markets I have ever encountered. Instead of paying 25$ online for shipping + the ice cream, I got this for 6$ on sale. Hard to pass up for a lot of rave this ice cream and brand did get. Lets see how good this really is. Upon popping the lid you are presented with a very fine oreo cream looking base. The beauty of McConnells is they use a very high % butterfat in their ice cream. Nearly 20% butterfat to provide a rich and quality tasting ice cream. The first bite was a luscious replica of the sweet cream inside an oreo cookie. What set it apart was the hint of sea salt that lingered down your throat on the aftertaste of each bite. Interesting enough, you would think the high butterfat sweet cream ice cream would be dense in nature. Due to the salt this helps provide a creamy texture to each and every bite throughout McConnell's Sea Salt Cream & Cookie's offering. The bountiful bits of chewy house-made Guittard chocolate chunk cookies are unique. Guittard chocolate is expensive, high quality chocolate not seen on the mass market. Similar to how Chocolate Shoppe used Mackinac Island Fudge which is exclusive to Michigan. The cookies used in this pint are bakery cookies nothing mainstream you would find in generic ice cream pints. The quality of the components matter when it comes to McConnell's Ice cream, and that is why you may pay a bit more per pint. The Cookies were shattered pieces from top to bottom in the pint. This is not like eating Graeter's CnC or Chocolate Shoppe Ultimate Oreo where you get halved or full oreo pieces. The quality of the cookie was similar to that of a chocolate chip cookie that provided a soft & Chewy texture. For my first McConnell's experience it was a good one. The base was creamy, full of flavor, and is exactly what you would expect out of a sea salt cream and cookie flavor. Combine the Guittard chocolate chunk cookie pieces with a killer sweet cream base and you have a winning combination. Some feedback I saw from other reviews were they wish the cookie pieces were thicker in size. While it would enhance the pint, it was already a great combination from first bite. I would highly suggest this flavor being a big time cookie lover. Grade: A- Found: Fresh Market Pittsburgh , PA
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