** ~ Ice Cream Eating Now Thread -- Round 4 ~ **

[SOH11]

Nope. Maybe I'm having a bad experience with them, but they're awful. I've emailed them multiple times and no replies. They said I could sell on their website, sent me terms / information to fill out, and then went silent. At this point I am not pursuing selling on their site as I'm focusing on getting the scoop shop up and running so I can establish myself locally before going nationwide.

There are a few people that I'm willing to ship to, but it's not something I'm going out of my way to do. It's still a little too pricey for me to ship to most parts of the US right now. If you're interested in ordering, I'd imagine Ohio is cheap to ship to, so you could let me know what flavors you'd want and I could see what I could do for you.

Da fuq Goldbely.

Yeah man I’m definitely interested. PM sent

[ADD61]

Ample Hills Resistance

Let me begin by apologizing to Ample Hills. Every "conspiracy" theory about this flavor was rooted in ignorance. Want to know why Resistance pints - in particular - are light? Because they are packed with marshmallows. Go pick up a bag of these at a supermarket and report back.

Now, these aren't homemade 10/10 marshmallows so that's not to say that it was a great idea...but it was a fairly good one. They are very fluffy and make for a really fun textural change of pace from the dense chewy butter cake, crispy toffee, and smooth base.

About the ice cream, maybe it's brown sugar w/ vanilla but it is dominated by the mini pools of caramel that the toffee pieces "bleed". And don't worry, it's not the burnt caramel which turns some of you off.


Now, the red velvet cake pieces are just brownie chunks, but I hope that most of you are adult enough to no longer believe in the "red velvet" fairy. Nevertheless, they are really good brownies: chewy and densely chocolatey. And they pair very well with the toffee pieces which have a delectable audible crunch without going into teeth breaking territory.

Overall, I might prefer this flavor to the Ample Circus. If they let you order multiple Resistance pints, pull the trigger.

I scooped this last night and the pint quality was very poor. Several sections were icy and the pint was overall light. There were not enough marshmallows for that to be the cause.

[Tyler2106]

I scooped this last night and the pint quality was very poor. Several sections were icy and the pint was overall light. There were not enough marshmallows for that to be the cause.

Wow, icy and poor quality. Not good. Usually just hear them making light pints, but not poor quality pints.

[ugasar]

I scooped this last night and the pint quality was very poor. Several sections were icy and the pint was overall light. There were not enough marshmallows for that to be the cause.

Dang... This is very disappointing! Like Tyler said, I can handle lighter pints from time to time, but not poor quality!









Ben & Jerry's Keep Caramel and Cookie On


This is the newest Target exclusive flavor that replaced Peanut Butter Jam Session, which was actually a great flavor from Ben & Jerry’s. So I was interested to see if this replacement was the right move.



The base is described as caramel malt, and I would say that the flavor actually matches what it says for the most part. Basically, the balance of caramel and malt flavors is split pretty evenly. However, you really only get a sweet caramel flavor without the buttery notes. The malt flavor isn't as strong as say a Whopper candy, but the flavor is certainly noticeable.



The shortbread cookies are easily overpowered by everything else in the pint. So unfortunately, their flavor was lacking tremendously. On the other hand, their texture was a very nice addition. Each cookie was of decent size and soft in texture. With each bite, you were left with a soft and dough-like chewy texture.



I don't need to talk about the fudge flakes much because we all know it's Ben & Jerry's favorite mixin. The are everywhere in the pint and are the same fairly thin sliced chocolate flakes that are crunchy upon first bite, but begin to melt as soon as the spoonful hits your mouth.



The flavor, of course, didn't change at all either. They aren't your typical milk chocolate flavor, but rather have more of a dry cocoa taste. Therefore, they are slightly darker in flavor with their bittersweet taste, rather than your much sweeter semisweet chocolate.



The caramel swirl is nothing new for Ben & Jerry's either. It is fairly dense, but not overly thick. It does "run" a little bit as the pint tempers. As far as flavor is concerned, it is sweeter than the caramel in the base, and also just a bit more buttery. With that said, it still could be much more buttery, which would greatly enhance this flavor.



I don't think this pint was bad, but it wasn't great either. I would actually say it’s just below average for Ben & Jerry’s with their recent releases. The caramel malt base is unique, well balanced and probably my favorite part of the pint. There's nothing new with the caramel swirl and fudge flakes. I was excited for the shortbread cookies, but unfortunately, they were overpowered by everything else in the pint. They did, however, have a pleasant chewy texture. Bottom line: this flavor is just alright, and it should have never replaced Peanut Butter Jam Session. B

[ADD61]

Heads up:

Coolhaus has new ice cream sandwich flavors for 30% of and free shipping with code INTRODUCTION

[lazymuchacho]

I scooped this last night and the pint quality was very poor. Several sections were icy and the pint was overall light. There were not enough marshmallows for that to be the cause.

That sucks. I definitely can't "vouch" for AH because it is clear that the operation is becoming overwhelmingly commercial and mass produced, but customer service should still be responsive enough at this stage for them to make it up to you in some way.

Let us know how it goes.

[crpav]

So had to HARD pass on ordering the new flavors from AH. They are the Super Bowl flavors and sounded worth a try. Patriot Cream Pie: Vanilla ice cream with housemade Boston Cream Pie. (2 Pints)
Fly Eagles Fly: Pretzel-infused ice cream chock-full of Philadelphia’s own Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets. (2 Pints) 4 pack, 2 each, $36 not bad right?

Got to find out 2 day shipping is $62...WTF! Way back when I ordered it was never that crazy. Add that and the sound of their quality being less than stellar from in the past. Sorry AH never again.

[Tyler2106]

So had to HARD pass on ordering the new flavors from AH. They are the Super Bowl flavors and sounded worth a try. Patriot Cream Pie: Vanilla ice cream with housemade Boston Cream Pie. (2 Pints)
Fly Eagles Fly: Pretzel-infused ice cream chock-full of Philadelphia’s own Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets. (2 Pints) 4 pack, 2 each, $36 not bad right?

Got to find out 2 day shipping is $62...WTF! Way back when I ordered it was never that crazy. Add that and the sound of their quality being less than stellar from in the past. Sorry AH never again.

For a larger company like AH, I'm surprised it's $62 unless you're across the country. And yeah, the "new" Superbowl flavors don't sound very good. Even worse news is that ugasar said Feb isn't that great for Salt & Straw. I'll have no place to order from for a while.

[ADD61]

That sucks. I definitely can't "vouch" for AH because it is clear that the operation is becoming overwhelmingly commercial and mass produced, but customer service should still be responsive enough at this stage for them to make it up to you in some way.

Let us know how it goes.

I got a super quick response and discount on my next order. Not much more you can ask for IMO. Restores my confidence enough to give them another shot when the Oscar Night pint becomes available.

[ugasar]

Heads up:

Coolhaus has new ice cream sandwich flavors for 30% of and free shipping with code INTRODUCTION

I saw this.. Already ordered up! I'm excited, as their ice cream sandwiches are easily the best in the game!

So had to HARD pass on ordering the new flavors from AH. They are the Super Bowl flavors and sounded worth a try. Patriot Cream Pie: Vanilla ice cream with housemade Boston Cream Pie. (2 Pints)
Fly Eagles Fly: Pretzel-infused ice cream chock-full of Philadelphia’s own Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets. (2 Pints) 4 pack, 2 each, $36 not bad right?

Got to find out 2 day shipping is $62...WTF! Way back when I ordered it was never that crazy. Add that and the sound of their quality being less than stellar from in the past. Sorry AH never again.

I ordered them yesterday. Will keep you posted and obviously post my thoughts whenever I scoop them!

Even worse news is that ugasar said Feb isn't that great for Salt & Straw. I'll have no place to order from for a while.

This has been true for the past 3 years.. So if they do the Chocolatier series again, which I know they are, then I wouldn't expect much. However, you never know what Salt & Straw is going to pull off. Maybe they will change some things up this year!

Restores my confidence enough to give them another shot when the Oscar Night pint becomes available.

This is coming in a week or two. It is well worth a multiple pint order too! Easily the best Red Velvet pint I have ever scooped!

[ADD61]

I saw this.. Already ordered up! I'm excited, as their ice cream sandwiches are easily the best in the game!



I ordered them yesterday. Will keep you posted and obviously post my thoughts whenever I scoop them!



This has been true for the past 3 years.. So if they do the Chocolatier series again, which I know they are, then I wouldn't expect much. However, you never know what Salt & Straw is going to pull off. Maybe they will change some things up this year!



This is coming in a week or two. It is well worth a multiple pint order too! Easily the best Red Velvet pint I have ever scooped!

I filed your review away! I’ve had it in the plans since last year.

[Tyler2106]

This is coming in a week or two. It is well worth a multiple pint order too! Easily the best Red Velvet pint I have ever scooped!

I'm trying to make a Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's day. Cream cheese base, chunks of red velvet cake, and a cream cheese frosting swirl. Hopefully get it made up soon and sent out to you to try

[ugasar]

I filed your review away! I’ve had it in the plans since last year.

YESSSSS!!!! Smart man.. I know your tastes and I promise you will be impressed!

I'm trying to make a Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's day. Cream cheese base, chunks of red velvet cake, and a cream cheese frosting swirl. Hopefully get it made up soon and sent out to you to try

Oh boy, I can hardly wait! I am very excited...

[ugasar]

JC's Scoops Brown Butter Pretzel Crunch


The taste of this base was very different and unique. I haven't had brown butter much in my life so I didn't know what to expect. It doesn't have an overly sweet flavor at all, but rather has somewhat of a toasted aftertaste. It has the taste of regular butter, but with an added richness and toasted flavor to it. It's really hard to describe, but it grew on me the more I scooped.



I love pretzels as mixins, as long as they are prepared properly. These were hit and miss. Most of them were crunchy and crispy, but a few had that stale texture to them. They were about a half-inch in length and all were coated in a chocolate shell.



The flavor of the pretzels couldn't have been much better. The shell had a darker chocolate flavor that gave way to a pretzel taste that was surprisingly salty. And for me, there aren't too many things better than chocolate covered pretzels that are actually really salty.



The texture of the butter cream wasn't like a swirl or ribbon at all. It was thick, globby and came apart in chunks, almost like the consistency of pumpkin pie. This certainly wasn't a problem; it was just different in terms of a typical ribbon or swirl.



The butter cream flavor was unusual as well. It had a similar taste to the base, but was much sweeter. However, it still had that toasted aftertaste like the base, just not quite as noticeable.



Despite the unique flavor, I still wasn't all that impressed. I enjoyed the toasted brown butter base that I had never scooped before now, but it wasn't amazing. I was completely satisfied with the pretzels, despite the few stale ones, and especially their sweet and salty combination of flavors.



The brown butter ribbon had a funny texture and was overly sweet. Although this pint was unique in flavor and pretty well executed, I would still rank it towards the bottom when compared to all of the other flavors in the JC's Scoops lineup. B-

[AdamWW]

Just sayin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Cr..._Breakfast_Day

[lazymuchacho]

I got a super quick response and discount on my next order. Not much more you can ask for IMO. Restores my confidence enough to give them another shot when the Oscar Night pint becomes available.

Solid. Not had Oscar Night so would be interested in your thoughts if acquired.

[ugasar]

Just sayin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Cr..._Breakfast_Day

My Jeni's opens up at 9:00 AM. I will be present!

Solid. Not had Oscar Night so would be interested in your thoughts if acquired.

Easily worth an order man! The best RV I have scooped..

[Tyler2106]

My Jeni's opens up at 9:00 AM. I will be present!

Do they always open that early or just because it's ice cream for breakfast day?

[AdamWW]

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss - Ginger Cookie Caramel

I have a severe soft spot for flavors such as this, so keep in mind I hold some biases. For example, Oatmeal Cookie Chunk and Cinnamon Bunz are among my all-time favorite Ben and Jerry's flavors, and I am simply a sucker for Snickerdoodles, Cinnamon Rolls, anything with a bit of sugar and spice. Caramel is also great.

I thoroughly enjoy this flavor. From what I recall, it reminds me of a more gingery/spiced version of ben & jerry's oatmeal cookie chunk but with a coconut base flavor and an occasion bite of caramel.

The addition of the caramel was a nice touch, though I don't see much in there so far. Likely will be a less dominant swirl and more cookies, which I'm OK with -- the cookies were quite tasty.

One thing to note is that the coconut flavor does come through quite a bit in the base, so although it's stated to have a vanilla flavored base, I got more coconut than anything.

texture was nice, but a tad icy on first scoop... tempering helped a lot.

Definitely a flavor I would buy again... really really liked it.

My Score: 9/10

[ugasar]

Do they always open that early or just because it's ice cream for breakfast day?

Nope... Just ice cream for breakfast day!










Clementine's Cinnamon Apple Pie


Alright, it's time to see if the hype is real regarding Clementine's Creamery. At $155 for a six-pack, there better be some densely loaded pints. First up is Cinnamon Apple Pie. Just like many have stated, the base is nothing to mess with at all. It is one of the densest I have ever scooped, not to mention its creaminess and milkiness.



It is actually Vietnamese cinnamon that is blended into Madagascar vanilla ice cream. However, you don’t get much vanilla flavor at all, but this isn't a bad thing. Vietnamese cinnamon differs from regular cinnamon in that it is the sweetest cinnamon available.



And that is quite obvious with this pint. There isn't a much better way to put it, but the base takes strikingly similar to a stick of Big Red gum. The main difference is that this base is a little sweeter and not quite as spicy. However, the cinnamon is very forth putting and easily the main player in the entire pint.



For mixins, she keeps it real simple and just adds apple pie chunks, hand-made from scratch mind you. As soon as you crack the pint, there are chunks scattered all across the top. I was impressed with the amount of mixins overall, but the top half of the pint was significantly more mixin friendly than the bottom.



The chunks of apple pie vary. Some are heavier on the crust pieces, while other chunks are densely packed with diced apples. I really enjoyed the varying chunks of pie pieces. The pie crust chunks had a crunchier bite, while the diced apple bites were gooey and chewy. I had maybe one to two apple chunks that were a tad icy, but most of them had a perfectly chewy texture.



The apples, of course, were coated with glaze and cinnamon. The flavor replicated an apple pie pretty well. The apples were more sweet than tart, especially after the sugary glaze coating. The pie crusts also added a slight graham and flour-like flavor, but the cinnamon in the base is so strong that many of the apple pie chunks don't get to shine like they should.



I don't think there is anything wrong with this pint at all. In fact, I am a huge fan of the extremely dense base. The bottom line, for me, is that I'm just not the biggest fan of apple pie. The base is packed with so much cinnamon that it overpowers most of the pint. The apple pie chunks provided a nice textural change, but much of the flavor was lost within the base.



I think others, especially apple pie fans, would love this pint. However, be aware that the Vietnamese cinnamon is very overpowering and a key player in the flavor profile. B

[Tyler2106]

Yup ^^^ The cinnamon was very powerful in my pint as well. I did not get any pie pieces, so it was just a cinnamon pint essentially. I love apple pie, but this one didn't do it for me.

[AdamWW]

Clementine's Cinnamon Apple Pie

Now THAT looks like something I'd like.

[ADD61]

S&S this month..............

Xocolatl de Davíd’s Miso Bar:
Chocolatier David Briggs is an old friend, and his limited run Miso Bar is arguably the most coveted bar of chocolate in the city. To re-create the taste, we made ice cream following his recipe for chocolate with half sweet white miso and half savory red miso, which combine to create a wonderfully malty texture. Then we stir in a miso fudge, which brings out the chocolate and covers your taste buds in umami flavor.

Alma’s Rose Petals & Chocolate Molé Fudge:
Sarah Hart of Alma makes chocolates that are so considered and exquisitely beautiful you almost can’t bring yourself to eat them. Inspired by a dish from “Like Water for Chocolate” we worked together to create a beautiful rose petal ice cream, and then mix in a chocolate molé fudge based on the recipe on the book. It’s delicate and light with a fruity prickly pear flavor that the chocolate dances through.

Woodblock’s Mexican Chocolate Fernet:
Our good friends at Woodblock are firm believers in what grows together, goes together. We paired a Mexican-origin chocolate with spiced Fernet liquor from the same region in ice cream. Then we fold in pieces of rich chocolate bark speckled with pepitas, raisins, and almonds, which mirror the flavors of the Fernet and add great texture.

Cocanú’s Baked Milk & Bee Pollen:
Sebastian Cisneros began as a chocolatier, but started sourcing and roasting beans from his native Ecuador to make his own flavors of chocolate. To honor his new Abeja bar, we make a bee pollen and baked milk custard ice cream ribboned with dark chocolate fudge.

Lillie Belle Farms’ Marzipan Fig Bon Bon:
The good folks at Portland’s Cacao, who helped us curate the chocolate for this menu, tell us Lillie Belle Farms’ marzipan fig dipped in dark chocolate may be their favorite candy in the world. To re-create it, we make ice cream with rum and their chocolate. Then we make homemade marzipan, toast almonds, and poach figs in sugar and cloves, and stud all three of these ingredients throughout.

[Tyler2106]

S&S this month..............

Xocolatl de Davíd’s Miso Bar:
Chocolatier David Briggs is an old friend, and his limited run Miso Bar is arguably the most coveted bar of chocolate in the city. To re-create the taste, we made ice cream following his recipe for chocolate with half sweet white miso and half savory red miso, which combine to create a wonderfully malty texture. Then we stir in a miso fudge, which brings out the chocolate and covers your taste buds in umami flavor.

Alma’s Rose Petals & Chocolate Molé Fudge:
Sarah Hart of Alma makes chocolates that are so considered and exquisitely beautiful you almost can’t bring yourself to eat them. Inspired by a dish from “Like Water for Chocolate” we worked together to create a beautiful rose petal ice cream, and then mix in a chocolate molé fudge based on the recipe on the book. It’s delicate and light with a fruity prickly pear flavor that the chocolate dances through.

Woodblock’s Mexican Chocolate Fernet:
Our good friends at Woodblock are firm believers in what grows together, goes together. We paired a Mexican-origin chocolate with spiced Fernet liquor from the same region in ice cream. Then we fold in pieces of rich chocolate bark speckled with pepitas, raisins, and almonds, which mirror the flavors of the Fernet and add great texture.

Cocanú’s Baked Milk & Bee Pollen:
Sebastian Cisneros began as a chocolatier, but started sourcing and roasting beans from his native Ecuador to make his own flavors of chocolate. To honor his new Abeja bar, we make a bee pollen and baked milk custard ice cream ribboned with dark chocolate fudge.

Lillie Belle Farms’ Marzipan Fig Bon Bon:
The good folks at Portland’s Cacao, who helped us curate the chocolate for this menu, tell us Lillie Belle Farms’ marzipan fig dipped in dark chocolate may be their favorite candy in the world. To re-create it, we make ice cream with rum and their chocolate. Then we make homemade marzipan, toast almonds, and poach figs in sugar and cloves, and stud all three of these ingredients throughout.

ugasar was right. Pretty easy pass.

[d2mini]

May not be your fancy pants mail order ice cream, but the flavor of the month at Baskin Robbins is Cannoli.
"Everything you love about a cannoli—mascarpone ice cream, chocolate chips, cannoli shell pieces and roasted pistachios—in one flavor that’s perfect for sharing with someone you love."
It's going in my belly this weekend.

[ADD61]

Correct! This pint was really all over the place. I have seen absolutely loaded pints, some average and others severely lacking. I've been hunting this one for a while so I picked it up, but it is certainly nowhere near their best!

Yeah their quality control is rough. I scooped s’mores last night. This is the second time that I’ve gotten a major mix-in at the bottom. The first was the strawberry cheesecake. It had just enough swirl to make it good but there was globs at the bottom.

Here I got a hunk of swirl at the bottom. That hurt here because there wasn’t enough to make the rest of the pint hold up.

[ADD61]

May not be your fancy pants mail order ice cream, but the flavor of the month at Baskin Robbins is Cannoli.
"Everything you love about a cannoli—mascarpone ice cream, chocolate chips, cannoli shell pieces and roasted pistachios—in one flavor that’s perfect for sharing with someone you love."
It's going in my belly this weekend.

We tend to like all types and decent quality. I loved BR’s Moms Making Cookies when pints were in stores here.

Let us know what you think of Cannoli.

[Tyler2106]

Ample Hills getting huge. I saw videos they posted that they were at the Super Bowl festivities selling ice cream. They don't even have a location in MN, but still out there.

[d2mini]

We tend to like all types and decent quality. I loved BR’s Moms Making Cookies when pints were in stores here.

Let us know what you think of Cannoli.

Glad I asked for a taste before jumping in. Definitely was not my favorite... too light of a taste overall for me.
Ended up getting a couple scoops of the Bobsled Brownie.

So yeah... thumbs down on the Cannoli.

[ugasar]

Gelato Fiasco Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup


I couldn't pass up Gelato Fiasco's new first batch shipment when it released in December. I decided to scoop a classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter first, and man did it deliver!



Don't get me wrong, you can tell it is gelato, but this base is still pretty dense. It is thick and surprisingly creamy when you let it temper perfectly. It doesn't even melt as fast as some of the ice creams I've scooped recently.



The gelato flavor is a creamy chocolate that is very rich in flavor. I'd say it is somewhere between a milk and dark chocolate taste. Regardless, it's a perfectly rich chocolate flavor that is made with premium cocoa.



If you have scooped Gelato Fiasco before then you know that their pints can be hit or miss in regards to mixins. Let's just say this was a huge hit and arguably the most mixin heavy pint that I've scooped from them.



There are so many chocolate peanut butter cups that they are in almost every spoonful. They are miniature (the size between classic and mini), so they are decent size, even when chopped up. I didn't run into any full cups, but there were plenty of halved cups. They are firm and give a hard chew due to being frozen in the gelato, but do melt in your mouth immediately upon scooping them.



The flavor is just would you would expect in a Reese's Cup. The chocolate shell is made of milk chocolate, which actually contrasts the base quite a bit. You then reach the soft peanut butter center that has an authentic flavor with a slightly salty aftertaste.



You may be wondering what's so special about this pint. Well, the honest answer is nothing besides perfect execution. The dense and creamy chocolate gelato is extremely rich in flavor. Add in miniature salty Reese's Cups and you have a classic combination of flavors. They absolutely crushed this flavor and it actually comes in at #2 (arguably even #1) for my all-time Gelato Fiasco rankings. This is a must scoop now! A