Wendy's "NEW" Caramel Apple Frosty Parfait

[New for 2011] Back in June, Wendy's debuted 3 new Frosty Parfaits... some people tried it and the summer went on... and then at the end of August, Wendy's "debuted" the new Caramel Apple Frosty Parfait AGAIN. Are you trying to mess with our minds Wendy's? yeah. Did something change? nope. Did not enough people try it? maybe. Well, I needed a snack before I head back to the office, so I spun the car around and decided to try the "NEW" snack (you know, the one my wife approved of way back in June).

Here's what $1.92 bought me : a fairly thin looking treat that still manages to pack 400 calories. We've got "creamy, classic Frosty swirled with all-natural brown sugar granola, fresh red and green apple slices, and real caramel. It’s a tasty, feel-good treat". It certainly looks fancier than the McDonald's version, but will it taste better?

7-Eleven Cherry Orange Blitz Slurpee

I wasn't really sure what to do with myself today, so I decided to stroll on over to the 7-11 and try the Slurpee flavor of the month.

This awful picture is of the September 2011 slurpee - Cherry Orange Blitz... I'm surprised they don't capitalize BLITZ so it's more in your face. "Grrrrrr, I'm a mean slurpee!!"

but seriously...

Now I totally expected the cherry to bury the orange flavor, but to my great surprise, a new flavor was created. Not quite cherry, not quite orange, and not quite... well, I don't even know what to call it except weird. However, I mean that in a interesting way. It was like cherry soda mixed with an orange creamsicle. It's definitely got bite, but I just can't describe it. This slurpee just floats around your tastebuds and you don't know what to make of it, so you keep going back for more.

I only purchased a medium and then proceeded to drink about two thirds of it. That was sufficient refreshment. I wish I could describe it better, but I'll just say it wasn't a total waste of $1.81. However, I just don't foresee wanting it again.

Verdict?  kinda weird, fairly potent
Buy Again?  nah

Cold Stone Creamary MMMMMMMint Chip Ice Cream Cake Review

Ok, I broke my posting streak, but I do have yet another Cold Stone Creamery ice cream cake for you. Remember how I said it's been awhile since I posted a cake? Well, that was inadvertently in reference to the fact that one of our summer cakes got lost in the basement freezer.

Our little MMMMMMMint Chip friend is lost no more, plus he looks pretty good for his age. He's made of layers of moist devil's food cake & mint ice cream with chocolate shavings, wrapped in creamy white frosting It looks small because this is the petite size, so it only serves about 3 (2 if you are hungry, 4 if you are full).

Milk Chocolate M&M's Ice Cream Cake A Celebration Foods Dessert Review

Wow, this makes 7 posts in 7 days, it's fun making time for the blog everyday, but what's missing? Oh, I know, it's been almost three months since we've covered an ice cream cake...  Hmmmm, I think I have something for us then.

Behold, Celebration Foods New (for 2011) Milk Chocolate M&M's Ice Cream Cake serving up to 10 people with 40 fl oz of frozen cakeness.  You can't really read it, but in the corner Yellow says "I scream, you scream" and Red follows with "Orange screams, he's ice cream"

Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls A limited edition ice cream review

New for Fall 2011 : Oh, this one is gonna be tough... must resist urge to make juvenile jokes over and over again...   like pretty much every other website.... Hey, speaking of that, how come all those high profile websites got free ice cream and t-shirts while I had to travel to -8- grocery stores to finally track down a pint of this stuff? In fact, I almost missed it. My pint was all by itself, all the way at the back of the freezer, spun around so that all I could see was the S in Schweddy.

Ok, time to post a real review up on the net,

one that actually has pictures of the ice cream!

Ok, I think everyone has seen this view by now, but just incase you haven't, here's the description: Vanilla Ice Cream with a Hint of Rum & Loaded with Fudge Covered Rum & Malt Balls. When alcohol is mentioned, I worry that we could have another bonaroo buzz on our hands, but let's hope for the best!

Dunkin Donuts Tropicana Orange Coolatta Review

Funny, according to this article, the Tropicana Orange Coolatta came out in 2005, but it seems like it's been so much longer than that -- WHOA, just had a flash back to when Coolattas first came out in the mid 90s and Dunkin Donuts was driving around Boston giving out free samples.

So here it is, and I don't think I've had one since... Iunno, 2005? hehehe. This was always my wife's favorite, but I've always been addicted to the strawberry. Hey, couples aren't suppose to agree on everything.

The going theory was that it pretty much tasted like an orange creamscicle, but now that my tastes have matured I'd say it's more orange than cream. Well, either I changed or maybe they've tweaked the formula over the years. It's definitely got more of an orange bite to it so I wound up taking things pretty slow. It's respectable, but it just doesn't satisfy my sweet tooth like the strawberry.

For the record, I begin everyday with a glass of Tropicana Orange Juice (no pulp, extra calcium). In fact, I get kinda cranky if I don't get my morning OJ. That said, I don't know if I could actually start my day with an orange coollatta (says the man who eats ice cream on the way to work).

2013 Update #1: Not sure when it happened, but this is now just the Orange Coolatta

2013 Update #2 (end of April): This is now just the Minute Maid Orange Coolatta

Dairy Queen Heath Bar Blizzard Review

I wasn't sure what I was going to snack on today, but I knew I needed something.

Ahhh, Heath Bar blizzard, my old friend, how have you been? Geez, it's been like two years since we've seen each other. How the kids? how about that old track injury? ....ok, i'll stop.

As one of the oldest blizzards, I don't really need to actually review it, but I did have two funny realizations while I scarfed this thing down.

1) During all my early years of eating DQ, it never even dawned on me that there was a "blizzard of the month". Does anyone know when this tradition started? ...oh wait, I found it, 2003 (according to the new DQ of Barrie) Ok, so that proves I wasn't paying attention.

 2) I realized what makes the Heath Bar Blizzard special, it's the crunch! Think about it. The flavor is distinct, but what other blizzard has that solid yet easy crunch to it?

Alright Heath, see you in another few years. Stay frosty my friend.

Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Review

I headed back to Roche Bros last week in the hopes of finding that elusive B&J flavor that just came out, but instead I found Arctic Zero! There was a mere half dozen pints of cookies and cream buried in a pile of Gifford's ice cream. I know I won't like it, but I can't help myself. I grab a pint, head to the checkout... and then wait several minutes for them to figure out what the price is.

Arctic Zero Cookies and Cream

Friendly's Grasshopper Sundae Cup Review

Well, it's been a very minty weekend, but since it's already ten p.m., I'm just going to share yesterday's treat with you for starters. This poor bugger has been suffering in the basement freezer for several months. See, on top of their previous "Sundaes To-Go", Friendly's came out with at least three more flavors this year. For some strange reason they just refer to the new ones as sundaes now.

This is the Friendly's Keebler Grasshopper Fudge Mint Cookies Sundae. That's a mouthful and I haven't even cracked the container yet. It's Mint Chocolate ice cream topped with Fudge and GRASSHOPPER Cookie Pieces.

Einstein Bros (Newish) Frozen Blueberry Lemonade

Another day without leftovers means another day to figure out what to buy for lunch. My lazy side says go back to Wendy's (again), but then I remember I still want to try the wildberry blender. Ok, off to Einstein Bros!

I head on in and order my sandwich first. A keep it simple by ordering a ham & swiss bagel melt. It's just ham, swiss, & tomato on my choice of bagel (I went with sourdough).

Not sure it photographed well, but it was very tasty.

Now let me order my blender to wash it down... uh oh, the cashier is new and doesn't have a clue what I am talking about. She calls someone over... and I'm not real sure he knows what I'm talking about either. He says they are all out, but offers to makes me a frozen berry lemonade instead. He says it's tasty... I hope he's right.

He disappears for a bit and then comes back with a cup full of lemonade, ice, and WHOLE BLUEBERRIES! HA! I know they do fresh, but that's just too cool!

The finished product and it does not photograph very well. To my surprise, it's actually quite good. It's thick, so it's hard to chug, but that's a good thing because it is very potent. Just like sippin' lemonade in the shade on a hot summer day, you're going to want to take your time with this one. Not too sweet, not too tart, not too berry, just a surprisingly crisp combo for someone who never drinks this stuff.

Now, time for the disclaimer. You know how I said they used fresh, whole blueberries? Well, after about gettings two thirds of the way through the drink, you really start to get into all the blueberry bits. The taste and texture take a turn for the worse, and your smile is going to be all nice and speckled afterwards. It's still decent, but it's going to turn alot of people off.

This was fun to try, and I'm glad I did, if only to actually see them use fresh blueberries. The problem is that I just can't give it a recommendation when it ends in such a mess (literally and figuratively)

Verdict?  different, but ends poorly
Buy Again?  Probably Not

Notes: This product was new this summer but is no longer on the website, though I guess it might be a seasonal treat. Also, I didn't have enough money to try the pumpkin bagel poppers!

McDonald's New Caramel Apple Sundae Review

[New for 2011, seasonal?] So, there I am, peacefully eating my Wendy's Bacon Cheeseburger. The wind is blowing through the open car windows, the radio is playing... well, music, and I'm "happily" spilling on myself... twice. I'm enjoying my little spot and decide to do a little quick twitter check....

McDonald's is doing the caramel apple thing??? Well, that's what Marvo said, and he liked it too! 9 years ago I gave up having dessert and lunch at the same time, and now here I am wanting to chase my burger with some tasty McD's caramel sauce...  ugg, it will have to wait...

I never said HOW LONG I would wait though! I decided to take it easy on the afternoon snacks and instead saved up for this cute little treat on the way home. I apologize that my cell phone has trouble with the sun. Let me take the cover off and....

Blue Bunny I Do, I Do Wedding Cake Ice Cream Review

[New for 2011, discontinued before 2014] For those of you who have been here since the very beginning, you may remember that I use to talk about "my trusted adviser". Before he got his work IM turned off, we were having quite the interesting daily conversations, often covering ice cream. He and his future bride popped up again later as "my roving reporters". Well, I'm happy to say they got married over the summer, woohoo!

This was their (tasty) cake. As many couples do, each layer was a different flavor. So we got a layer of cookies & cream, a Dubba pleasing carrot cake, and then if there was any doubt left in your mind about the coolness of the cake, it was rocking a layer of key lime pie! I love when people spice things up, I really do, but I wonder if any guests were missing the old wedding classic of a white cake with a raspberry swirl?

Blue Bunny to the rescue! (Literally, they sent this as a sample) This is "I Do, I Do Wedding Cake" and it's sweet butter cream frosting flavored ice cream with white cake pieces and ribbons of raspberry sauce.

Well, now I know not to trust Zagat's

Remember how last year how Dairy Queen was all psyched to be voted #1 milkshake by Zagat's.... and then you started wondering who this Zagat person was? Well, let's take a quick look at 2011 winners.

Best Milkshake

1. Dairy Queen
2. Cold Stone Creamery
3. Sonic Drive-In
4. Chick-fil-A
5. Ben & Jerry's
   McDonald's (tied)

Ben & Jerry's tied with McD's? DQ better than Cold Stone? Yeah, NO!  Seriously? I don't why they deem these products similar, but these are two completely different kinds of shakes we are talking about. I mean, the only thing you could say is that you could have 2 DQ shakes for the price of one Cold Stone Shake. Thing is, I'd still rather have one CS shake.

Ok people, chime in, am I crazy or is Zagat's crazy?

Living Harvest Tempt Chocolate Fudge Hempmilk Non-dairy Frozen Desert Review

A WHOPPING 10 months ago I decided that I would surprise all of you with a review of hempmilk ice cream. It's one of those wacky things you always see but are afraid to try because you don't realize that hemp comes in about 30 gazillion varieties with each strain serving a different purpose (oh it's amazing what you can learn on a two hour plane ride where you can't choose who you sit next too).

So, with a funky checkered top and a half and half look, I present LIVING HARVEST tempt non-dairy frozen dessert made with hempmilk, the Chocolate Fudge kind. Yeah, way too many words there.

And here it is up close and personal. You could say "eww, ice crystals" but keep in mind this hasn't been opened in 8 or 9 months. It's actually funny considering that filtered water is the number one ingredient here (as part of the hemp milk). Goes to show you just how well the hemp and the water have bonded (and this is in my upstairs freezer, not the deep freezer). The good news here is that it smells like a respectable chocolate ice cream.

Hopefully with this close up you can see just how immensely dense this dessert is. This is no fluffly B&Js.... it's no smooth H-D... heck, it's even denser than gelato. This stuff is super dense and while it doesn't taste bad, it does absolutely nothing for me. I had it one night and then just couldn't go back.

Ohhh, I just thought of a good description. Imagine taking a glass of chocolate milk and shoving it in the freezer. Zero churned in air right? Now try eating that frozen chocolate milk next day... yuck! So this isn't so much a taste issue as a textural issue. Maybe there is a secret here to eating this stuff (a milk shake perhaps?), and maybe our non-dairy friends can chime in here, but I'm all set with this stuff. At least now that I've shared, I can finally rinse this pint down the drain.

Verdict?  Texture is just too weird for me

Buy Again?  NO

Shakin' it up at Sonic!

Oh, do I need to tell you about our worthwhile stop at Sonic last night. About a month ago, Sonic sent over a $20 gift card for us to go try the new Sundae Shakes (you may remember the giveaway we had). Well, we were headed back from our annual pilgrimage to visit my bud's family up at York beach and the day wouldn't have been complete without some ice cream.

Wow, it's 8 o'clock and Sonic is still very busy with only a few bays open. Quite the difference from our scant company during our December review. We start the perusing and the sundae shakes are no where to be found! Oh no! I know they said limited time but at least give me 'til Labor Day! I pushed the big red button for service. The button stopped flashing, I waited a few minutes, and then pushed it again. "Hi, welcome to sonic, may I take your order?" (or something to that effect).

"Do you still have Sundae Shakes?"

Yes we do! Success! Strawberry Dream on the left, Hot Fudge on the Right!

Meet Tot The Sonic Icon I didn't know about

Did you know Sonic has a mascot? (well, Icon)

This is Tot, the "trusty sidekick" of the Wacky Pack gang.

Ben & Jerry's Blueberry Cheesecake Walmart exclusive - Ice Cream Review

[New for 2011, Returned in 2012] It seems like it came out forever ago, but I finally got my hands on the Walmart exclusive Ben & Jerry's Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream. I was hitting 3 or 4 walmarts trying to find this stuff when it first came out, and now I finally have it here. Sure, I don't expect to like it, but I got two assuming my wife would.

Oh the exclusivity! I can almost taste it...

think about it : If I say cheesecake, can't you taste cheesecake?

It's just one of those unmistakable flavors (which isn't necessarily a bad thing)

Who wants some free donuts?

Ok, I just got a care package that includes a coupon for a free dozen original glazed krispy kreme donuts, who wants it? best donut joke wins! ok, that might be too hard. Ok, I'll settle for any (family friendly) joke

The dairy queen blizzard of the month is the caramel brownie blizzard, which was also the april 2010 blizzard of the month (here's the review). It was pretty poorly made last time, so I will try another soon enough.

The slurpee of the month is cherry orange something or other. That makes 3 slurpees in a row with orange in them... how odd.

baskin robbins has french toast flavored ice cream? now that sounds unique and tasty! (as opposed to one or the other). As always, there's no B-R around here, bummer!

that's it for now, it's late!!