Haagen-Dazs Salted Caramel Ice Cream Bar Review

[By Nick, Limited Editon in 2012, Full time in 2013] New this year, along with releasing their usual batch of limited edition pints, Haagen-Dazs also added a limited edition bar into the mix.

Now salted caramel seems to be the latest trend among food companies so it only seems natural for Haagen-Dazs to jump on the bandwagon. Described as “rich caramel ribbons and a hint of sea salt blended into creamy vanilla ice cream dipped in fine milk chocolate”, this sounds like a very epic bar....

Guest Article: The Science of Selling Ice Cream

Dubba's Note: The following article was provided by Wall’s Refrigeration Solutions. I don't usually do this kind of thing, but my geeky/technical side loves the design.

We all love ice cream from chocolate, fruit, nut or caramel we each have our own favorite flavors. I’m sure given the choice we would all find it hard to turn down buying ice cream when we pass it in the store, but a large amount of effort and thought goes in to making you feel this “impulse” to buy ice cream. This is not a cruel trick to try and control you it’s just our human behavior to be subtly swayed in our buying decisions. The 2012 shopper engagement study found that 55% of us are prone to making unplanned purchase decisions. It is not only ice cream manufacturers trying to be the 55% of every shopper’s unplanned purchase; most of the products in a store are trying to achieve this. The same study found that 76% of shoppers base their buying choices on attractive packaging and appearance.

The location of the product also plays an important factor, often the “impulse” or snack ice cream that we see in stores in not located in the freezer section next to frozen peas and fries. Instead it is located at the end of an isle in close proximity to the checkouts, this so that our attention is drawn towards it and in the case of snack ice cream can be purchased and eaten straight away.

The design of the freezers that display ice cream has developed since the continuous-process freezer was perfected in 1926. Ice cream freezers were originally designed to keep the products frozen and allow easy access for customers. To the right is an example of a modern but more basic freezer which serves this purpose very well but does little to really sell the product to the customer. Ice cream packaging has been designed to be bright, colorful and to stand out, so the freezer display unit plays a large part in helping to show off the product and entice customers to buy the ice cream.

Above is a much more optimized freezer display unit (Maxivision III LED)

First of all it is a bright red color that is designed to stand out at the end of an aisle. The graphics include strawberries and chocolate splashing in to cream; this is meant to give the customer the immediate association with ice cream after noticing the bright red freezer. At the top of the freezer you may notice the phrase that I used in the opening sentence of this article “love ice cream” this is meant to stir a positive emotional response towards ice cream. This ice cream freezer holds around 3 times the volume of the freezer above yet its 3 tier design means that it doesn't have to take up 3 times the amount of floor space. This allows for there to be a larger variety of ice cream on display. In addition to this the freezer is also around 45 cm taller than the freezer above which brings the ice cream further in to the eye level of the customer, it is well documented that products that are in the eye line of the customer sell better. The multi height 3 tier design also allows children’s ice cream to be placed on the lower tier where it is much more viable and accessible to children. Lastly you may notice the ice cream packaging in the freezer above appears particularly bright and colorful  this is because it has been well lit with strips of LEDs. Without lighting the ice cream packaging would not stand out at all in the dim freezer, but the lighting level is actually brighter than it needs to be which helps it stand out in the store; however this is not a waste of electricity as the LEDs are very efficient.

I’m sure after reading this you will look at an ice cream freezer a little differently and appreciate the years of research that have gone in to its design and placement to persuade you to make a purchase, however on the other hand you could just enjoy your favorite ice cream.

This article was written by Stuart Grimshaw, Marketing Manager at Wall’s Refrigeration Solutions. One of the UKs largest suppliers of refrigeration products and a Unilever owned company.

http://www.wallsrefrigerationsolutions.com/

Stone Ridge Creamery Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Review

[New for 2012] I was pretty excited when I came across the news that Stone Ridge Creamery was releasing two new seasonal flavors. Sure, I convinced myself to try the Peppermint Cookies & Cream first because, well, I was afraid this next one wouldn't live up to it's potential.

Two Words People:

SNICKERDOODLE SWIRL

Stone Ridge Creamery Peppermint Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream Review

[New for 2012] A few weeks ago I saw the press release for two new flavors from Stone Ridge Creamery, the in-house brand of SuperValu grocery stores. One is the awesome sounding Cinnamon Snickerdoodle, the other is the fun sounding....

Peppermint Cookies 'n Cream

Stone Ridge Creamy Limited Edition Real Ice Cream

The Dairy Queen Choco Mint Brownie Blizzard DQ Blizzard of the Month - November 2012

A funny thing happened on the way to Dairy Queen the other day..... it was still open! You may remember me mentioning last year that they stayed open a couple extra weeks because it was so warm -- but they didn't participate in the November blizzard of the month, in fact, I don't think they ever have, until now!

Here's the official shot of the Choco Mint Brownie Blizzard Treat and it's new for 2012.

It's "Cool mint, chewy brownie pieces and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve". 

And here's mine. 

The Burger King Gingerbread Shake A Short Story by Nick

Nick's Disclaimer: This is the overly dramatic version of my experience with Burger King’s Gingerbread Cookie Shake. Please enjoy because I surely didn't.

…and as I awoke from my sugar induced coma, I found myself on the cold pavement of Burger King’s parking lot. The air reeked of regret and the taste of artificial gingerbread lingered on my tongue. I knew I would not be proud of what had just occurred.

Luigi's Sherbet Review

[New for 2012, at dollar stores in 2013, pints gone for 2014 (4oz cups still available)] Wow, over 10 months without a sherbet review. Well, it's not like it's ever been a hot market, but Luigi's, yes Luigi's the Italian ice guys, have got a special new treat for us. And when I say special, I mean only a buck a pint on sale at Shaw's a couple of months ago.

As a fan of Luigi's - and as an even bigger fan of sherbet -- and as a hungry, cheap, penny pinchin', frozen treat lovin' fella -- there's was no way I was leaving the store without these dollar treats.

Weight Watchers Snack Size Double Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Cones Review

So, are you sick of 4 minty reviews in a row?
Well, guess what? I'm already sick of the following treat.

Weight Watchers [New for 2012]
Snack Size Double Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Cones

2.25 Fluid ounces of 

low fat caramel flavored ice cream with a caramel swirl topped with chocolate curls

McDonald's Holiday Mint McFlurry Review

[New for 2012] Well, I told you I was on a mint flavored bender, but don't worry, this should be the last mint review for awhile. (I sure hope no more mint treats come out for awhile)

McDonald's Holiday Mint McFlurry

Swirls of reduced fat soft serve vanilla ice cream blended with peppermint candy pieces
and our signature mint syrup make this the perfect holiday treat.

Arby's Peppermint Stick Swirl Shake Review

[New for 2012] Man was Monday a long long long day. After battling a mean sinus headache for most of the day, my appetite suddenly returned and for whatever reason, I needed Arby's bad, real bad. If I could have left work early to go get some, I would have. 5 o'clock came and off I raced to get my roast beef fix.

Now I know I implied that I will never have another fast food shake.... but once I saw the menu, I couldn't resist! It's so darn cute! I want Christmas and I want it now! It's funny because I almost bought some candy canes the other day and now I'm glad I didn't.

Talenti Gelato Mediterranean Mint #13

[By Nick] After having a revelation from trying Talenti Vanilla Bean gelato, I knew I had to try another flavor as soon as possible. Like I said last time, I have a very limited selection so I decided this time to go with their Mediterranean Mint flavor. You all know how I’m a skeptic when it comes to mint products but if any brand can convert me, I’m pretty sure Talenti would be up to the task.

Talenti Mediterranean Mint Gelato #13

mint gelato with chocolate chips

Breyer's Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream a.k.a. I'm getting sick of Cookies 'n Cream...

You know how I keep saying that my daughter has been making stock up on basic flavors recently, well.... I think it's starting to drive me a little bonkers.

Breyer's Cookies 'n Cream Frozen Dairy Dessert

Yeah, those ice cream traitors over at Breyer's flipped this to a frozen dairy dessert

Now I do love the giant Oreo chunks....

And it looks even better once you dig in.... well, cookie wise that is. I'm trying to ignore the GIGANTIC ripples left by the fact there is so much air (and so little fat) in here but it's still just a slimy frozen dairy dessert.... what ever happened to my gritty all natural breyers? This one is soft, squishy, and offers little resistance. This isn't the Breyers I grew up with. Oh the rich Oreo wafer flavor is still here, you know, the one you can only get with huge chunks of wafer, but the stuff holding it together is melting in seconds.

so squishy... almost slimy... very sad. You know, I hate that I don't even have the choice of going with their old recipe. Curse you Breyers, I can't wait until you learn of the foolish thing you've done here. We're you frustrated that I had moved on to Ben & Jerry's and all the other premium ice creams? Is that why your mad? Or is it the new competition from outside sources like Blue Bunny and Turkey Hill? What is it Breyers because you need to knock it off and get back to your old recipes.

after that disappointment, we went back to Edy's

Edy's / Dreyer's Slow Churned Cookies 'n Cream Light Ice Cream

I think Edy's is a little behind in the category of true wafer flavor, but the texture is less annoying here. Frozen Dairy Dessert vs Light ice cream really can make a difference. If I had to pick between these first two, I'll go with Edy's.

then just when you thought it was over, I picked up some 

Turkey Hill Cookies 'n Cream Premium Ice Cream

I've been so spoiled by diversity that I just can't seem to settle into this Turkey Hill ice cream despite it being more enjoyable than the other two. It's a classic main stream CnC and I don't have any complaints really. I'm just not in the mood for it.

If only I could appease my daughter yet bring something new into the freezer....

Breyers "New" Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream

I quote "new" because while this is a new permanent flavor in the Breyers all natural ice cream 2012 rotation, we did in fact see this last year as the limited edition American Summer grasshopper pie. Now it's mint ice cream with cookie crunch but I think we all know that's probably a fancy way of saying mint cookies and cream. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but how much cooler would it read if it said there were mint chocolate bits or chocolate flakes too? Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself, I need to taste it first and then see if it needs improvement. 2013 Update: And it's dead already.

Well, it's certainly a decent looking ice cream (notice there are no giant air ripples). We've got wads of cookie crunch instead of wafer bits (or a swirl for that matter), plus we've got bits of crunch everywhere, so it looks good enough. The cookie crunch hunks are definitely a different start, and right now, I need different!

I know I can seem like a negative fellow, so let's start with my favorite part: It's cold! Yes, I know it's ice cream, but it's got that kind of mint flavor that freezes up your insides real good. It's just neat. I know it's the same temp as every other ice cream, but it feels 10-15 degrees cooler. Very cool.

I also appreciate the clean taste and lack of gumminess. It's not thick or solid like a super premium, but a straight ice cream is so much better than a rubbery frozen dairy dessert. It's nice to know that somewhere in the bowels of the Breyers factory, they do still know how to make an all natural ice cream. Sure, the overall base could be creamier, it's actually kind of got that frozen milk / mild watery vibe but maybe that's why they call it grasshopper pie and not mint cookies and cream (ahhh, probably not).

My point is that it's nice. It's an easy eating bowl that will have you going "yeah, I think I need a bit more". It's got that clean classic Breyer's taste that I've been missing. It's not perfect and it's no creamy super premium, but it's the kind of crisp flavor that I don't know why we don't have more of. Time to go scoop another bowl!

Grasshopper Pie Verdict?  not perfect, but I still like it
Buy Again?  It could happen Retired

State of the Freezers Address

Greetings! This is the current State of (my) Freezers.

Let me start by saying that the blog has always been about demanding the best from ice cream companies and giving them a nice pat on the back when they come through for us. Sure I could just say I love everything, but, well, I've never been like that. I don't just love ice cream, I care about the experience too. There are just so many treats and flavors that could be better with a little tweaking (and there are some that should just never be made).

Anyway, today marks the four and a half year anniversary of the blog. You may say "1/2 year anniversary?" Well, I use to do a quarterly update of how the freezer is looking. I do forget from time to time, but I remembered this time, so let's see how my freezers are holding up.

Upstairs is usually were all the reviewed stuff sits. There's nothing you haven't seen here except the Breyers Grasshopper pie which I just bought and we'll cover it soon (maybe this weekend). All the other pints you see are mostly empty. (Oh, those are those cinnamon pretzels you make in the oven, I just haven't made them yet)

Ok, downstairs is where all the up and coming stuff hides.... sometimes a little too long, like those strawberry TCBY bars. They're actually decent and I have no idea why I can't seem to get around to posting a review of them. There's also cool dogs, an uncle harry ice cream roll, and an ice cream cake, all of which have pretty much been in here all summer long. There's some Perry's sherbet, a new weight watchers treat that will be up soon, two more New Orleans ice cream flavors, and another pint of yoplait (ooo, which reminds me, there's a half eaten pint hiding upstairs too).

You may also have noticed the un-reviewed simply caramel frozen milky ways that have been waiting about 3 months for a friday night fight. There's even some Klondike low fat ice cream sandwiches which I think have been in there since.... I don't even know anymore. Maybe I need to start keeping a calendar of when I buy things.

Ok, so as you can see, there's still a decent backlog of stuff to do. Big thanks to New Orleans Ice Cream Company, Graeter's, Perry's and Haagen-Dazs for all the free samples over the last several months. In a perfect world, I'd love to set up a little facebook app where you guys could vote on what we eat next. That would very cool.

Blue Bunny Cadbury Chocolate Almond Bar Review

[By Nick - New for 2012] Is it me or does it feel like Blue Bunny’s product line is multiplying like, well, bunnies? Last year they cranked out 21 new products. Some companies don’t even offer 21 different products total. Not content with that flood of products into the market, this year Blue Bunny is at it again releasing 27 more products. From a guy who loves variety, this is beyond awesome. 

The new product line that really caught my eye was the partnership with Cadbury. I know I’m not alone when I say one of my favorite things about Easter is those little Cadbury creme eggs. So you’re saying now I can enjoy them year round and in ice cream form? Sign me up right away. 

Dubba already touched on the Double Chocolate variety so I’m going to delve into the Chocolate Almond Bars. Despite the name, these bars are actually comprised of vanilla ice cream. The chocolate almond part of this bar comes from the shell it is enrobed in. Blue Bunny describes them as “Creamy Blue Bunny vanilla ice cream dipped in thick, rich Cadbury milk chocolate coating with almond pieces.” That’s pretty straight forward if you ask me.

New Gingerbread failures from Burger King Investigating the Gingerbread cookie sundae and shake

So the King is treating us to two new gingerbread flavored treats this year. I love the idea behind fast food chains mixing things up, but all too often we wind up with an epic fail.

This is the new BK Gingerbread Cookie Sundae, and despite my so-so relationship with ginger cookies, I felt obligated to try this one for you guys. I exchanged three bucks for this well covered treat.

Ben & Jerry's Cannoli Ice Cream Review

[2023 Note] This flavor has dropped the fan favorite tag and appears to be a full time flavor.

[Returned as a fan favorite in 2020] 2020 had so many downsides, but one of the rare upsides was the return of Ben & Jerry's Cannoli ice cream. I picked this up over the summer and enjoyed it's tastiness as the filling in an ice cream sandwich... and now I am realizing that I should have bought more than one pint! Original review is after the break.

Ben & Jerry's Cannoli Ice Cream

Mascarpone Ice Cream with 

Fudge-Covered Pastry Shell Pieces & Mascarpone Swirls

The Talenti Glow Jar Project

Now I've said on numerous occasions that I am a huge fan of the clear pint containers that Talenti uses for their Gelato. I've saved all but one container and re-tasked them all, often as outside toys for the kids (nothing like a afternoon playing restaurant in the dirt). I was happy reusing this when but then I saw the glowing mason jar project and had an idea. Why can't I make the Talenti jars glow?

Alright, supplies are found and we are ready to rock. We've got folkArt acrylic glow paint from Walmart (also at say Michael's or AC Moore). I've got a four paint brushes, two clean Talenti containers, and a daughter ready to paint. We opened the jars and set about our task.

This is my jar and I thought it was fun but harder than it looks. I should probably admit that it doesn't glow like this naturally (you may have noticed the purple glow of a black light). Actually, you may have also noticed that you can't really tell the difference between the yellow and the green.

Ok, so there were two problems with this project.

1) It's really hard to paint on a cylindrical surface. I mean, I managed by keeping most of my work small and by frequently rotating the jar, but my daughter got so frustrated with her paint running that she wiped her container clean and started over.

2) The folkArt paint doesn't actually glow that well with the charge from a normal light bulb. Oh its fairly bright for a little while but it quickly fades off. In retrospect, I'd probably go with a stronger (and more colorful) paint from coolglow or glow inc.

---

Now, this was actually a project we did over the summer, but I couldn't get a good picture of it, so unfortunately this post sat as a draft for a very long time....   until Talenti decided to have a pint recycling photo contest so I picked up a new blacklight this week and finally snapped a picture. What a great idea to encourage people to reuse their containers. If you want, you still have time to enter!