Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip Gelato #7 from Niskayuna Co-op

[By Nick] I recently was invited on a tour of the Niskayuna Co-op. Of course there was no way I could say no seeing as I'd drive by it whenever I was in the area but never stopped in.

photo courtesy of the Niskayuna Co-op facebook page

What I found was not only a knowledgeable staff but a place that didn't feel like a co-op in the traditional sense. It felt more like a neighborhood market where you could get specialty good as well as national brands like Kellogg's. While you don't have to be a member to shop there, their lifetime membership is only $5. You'd be making that back in saving on your first trip alone.

Now you all know I was mainly interested in their ice cream section and man was I impressed.

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Sure they had the "healthy" and "all-natural" options like you expect. However, they easily have the largest selection of Perry's ice cream that I've ever seen and it's always $2.99 a container. They're also the first store that I've seen carry Hershey's ice cream that wasn't a gas station as well. Oh and their selection of Talenti isn't all that shabby either. I was actually able to speak with their frozen foods manager and learned a lot about the ordering and stocking process. He doesn't mess around either. If something isn't selling, that stuff is gone asap *cough* Ben & Jerry's Greek Froyo *cough*. He also refuses to carry Breyer's which was more than a delight to my ears.

The Co-Op was gracious enough to send me off with a few free pints, one of those being a pint of Talenti I've had my eye out for: Coffee Chocolate Chip, Talenti Gelato flavor #7.

Unscrewing the lid, there’s nothing out of the ordinary going on. While there’s not much to say about the appearance, there is a nice coffee aroma coming from this pint.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had Talenti but there’s no forgetting that velvety smooth texture. Well until you run into the copious amounts of chocolate shards mixed throughout. That’s one of the many things I love about Talenti’s chocolate chips. While not big in stature, they’re literally everywhere in the pint. Not only does this lead to a well distributed flavor profile, it gives a nice little crunch in every bite. Texture is my thing and these shards will never let me down.

As for taste, I really have to give it to Talenti. This is one of the bolder coffee flavors I’ve tried. While it’s no black coffee, it’s lightly sweetened letting the robustness to shine through. It’s definitely up there as one of my favorite coffee bases I have tried. Like I said earlier, the chocolate chips are incorporated into every bite. The chocolate is more on the darker side but works to temper the coffee base. Combined, it actually reminds me of a well-executed mocha coffee. Not one component overpowers the other leading to a satisfying experience. Now this flavor won’t blow you away by any means. That said, there are those days when I just want something simple and this flavor would perfectly fit the bill.

Verdict?  Simple yet satisfying
Buy Again?  Once in awhile

Thanks again to the folks at the Niskayuna Co-Op for the tour and the pints. I know I’ll be back to explore the freezer section some more!