Market Pantry S'mores Ice Cream from Target

[Limited Edition] To be honest, I had gone to Target hoping to find the new mini donut flavor with the backup plan of picking up their cotton candy flavor for a crazy sundae idea I have. I struck out on both counts, so I decided to grab this limited time only flavor instead.

Target - Market Pantry S'mores Ice Cream

Artificially flavored marshmallow & chocolate ice cream swirl with
marshmallow, chocolate flavored chunks & a graham swirl

Graeters Caramel Truffle Gelato

[New for 2014, now discontinued] Graeters, one of the oldest ice cream companies we have on the blog, has surprisingly jumped in to gelato game. They still make ice cream 2.5 gallons at a time, so despite upgrading to a new facility, I'm still shocked they have time for this, but at the same time, it's not like they're about to put out a terrible product (I'm looking at you Breyers).

Graeters Caramel Truffle Gelato

Caramel Gelato with Caramel Truffles

Friendly's Cracker Jack Sundae & Sour Patch Sundae

[By Nick, New for 2014] When I heard Friendly's was releasing a Cracker Jack Sundae featuring their new Coffee Salted Caramel Crunch ice cream, I knew I had to review it. I have friends who work their rave about the ice cream alone, so throw in some caramel corn and there was no way I was going to miss out. Along with the Cracker Jack Sundae, Friendly's has partnered up with Sour Patch Kids to create a sundae in their honor. Seeing as I'm not a fan of sour things and I can't stand gummy candy let alone want it anywhere near ice cream, I had to recruit a friend to try it out for me.

Friendly's Cracker Jack Sundae (& Sour Patch Sundae)

Coffee Salted Caramel Crunch ice cream, caramel,

Cracker Jack popcorn, whipped cream, and a cherry

enJOY-a-bowl Sundae Sunday

Alright, I spied a new waffle bowl a few days a go so I just want to quick share it with you in case you're in the need of some mini waffle bowls. It was kind of funny because I walked by them and thought "oh, hey, Joy has themselves a new marketing campaign" but then upon looking closer I realized it was a new product. Well, I can't guarantee these are brand new, but they seem new enough. The only reference I could find for them was the fact that the Joy Cone Company pushed out a bunch of snack ideas on pinterest at the very end of 2013.

12 count box of enJOY-a-bowl mini waffle bowls

Dannon OIKOS Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt

[2014-2016] "Dubba, haven't you already tried some OIKOS greek frozen yogurt before?". You are correct, but that was from Dannon's parent company, Stonyfield, so the other OIKOS I tried was actually organic. Basically Dannon yogurt is their outlet for budget friendly, non-organic yogurt, so it's not really a stretch for them to also put this out. They've already got the tech, now they can just use more cost-effective ingredients.

Dannon Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt

Ben & Jerry's Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch vs. the old Coffee Heath Bar Crunch

[By Nick] This has been a Friday Night Fight in the making for a long time. You see, when we first got word that Ben & Jerry's was going to be replacing my beloved heath bars with a GMO-free toffee, I decided to store a pint of the original in my freezer until the new version was released. When it was finally time to pit the two against each other, I had discovered that someone decided to eat my pint of the Heath version. Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch was well distributed by this time and finding a pint of the original was beyond impossible. I was about to give up and just review the new version when I found a pint among a sea of newer pints. So, finally, it's time to see which toffee bar will come out on top.

Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Toffee Bar Crunch Ice Cream

Coffee Ice Cream with Chunks of Heath Bars Fudge-covered Toffee Pieces

Dean's Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream

[New for 2014] Ok, are you ready for a new brand on the blog? No, it's not another high end company that's going to drain your wallet, it's actually a main stream company that I stumbled upon while searching for the new Cool Haus pints. Haven't heard of Dean Foods? Well, they own different dairy companies in different regions, for me it's Garelick, but rather then run down every company, just know that they are the folks behind Tru Moo. Unfortunately, since they are a huge dairy company and not just an ice cream company, they seem to have forgotten to create a website where we can find their new flavors...

Dean's Country Fresh Red Velvet Cake Premium Ice Cream

Red velvet cake flavored ice cream and cake pieces swirled with a cream cheese ribbon

Graeters "Low Glycemic" Ice Cream Vanilla, Mint Chocolate Chip, & Chocolate Chip

2015 Update: The following products are now branded as "low glycemic" ice cream instead of "a little less indulgent". I have checked with Graeters and only the packaging/naming has changed.

[New for 2014] Graeters isn't just offering up four new gelatos this year, they also came out with a line of "A little less indulgent" ice creams as they call it. Nick and I both received two free samples out of the three new flavors available, so here's our all encompassing review, enjoy!

Graeter's Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Gelato Fiasco Torched Marshmallow S'mores Gelato

[By Nick -- Note: this flavor has been tweaked for 2017]  There's not going to be an introduction or any back story today. No, there's just no time for that. What I want you to do is go find your keys. Seriously, go find them and I'll be waiting for your return. Got them? Good.

Gelato Fiasco Torched Marshmallow S'mores Gelato

Now please sit down because what I'm about to say is something you rarely hear on the site. This gelato is one of the greatest frozen desserts I have ever encountered in my life. I'm having a hard time deciding where to start talking about this amazing flavor.

Hood Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Hello All! Did you all remember to enjoy some ice cream today? you know today right? National ice cream day! YAY! Ok, yeah, I spaced on it too. Well, I mean, it was hard to miss if you were online, but I was offline. See, weekends are when I try to get caught up on all my parental / homeowner type responsibilities, important stuff like playing wiffle frisbee [my son didn't feel like catching the frisbees, so he was swatting them out of the air with his wiffle ball bat].  During these times I tend to be offline a lot. In fact, I tried to be offline more than usual this week to do a little experiment. My attention span is short enough as it is without it being torn asunder by social media and other internet distractions. Ok, yeah, see what happens when I go offline? Sentences like that happen.

Have no fear though, the day was not ice cream free, but instead of our usual bowls of ice cream, we made short work of these Hood Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches. It's a standard vanilla flavored ice cream with chocolate flavored wafers... it's just half a sandwich.

Dunkin Donuts Soft Serve Menu Coolatta Float, Extra Thick Shakes, Mix-ins & Cones

It's not often that I get the scoop on anything, and really it's just dumb luck that a friend of a friend of a friend spied these, but guess what Dunkin Donuts is testing in good old central Mass? Oh yeah, years after Baskin-Robbins has disappeared from our area, softserve has returned to at least a few select Dunkin Donuts locations!

Dunkin Donuts Extra Thick Shakes, Mix-ins, and Coolatta Floats!

Mix-ins are either Oreo or M&Ms

Shakes are Coffee, Chocolate or Vanilla

Coolatta floats are Coffee, Strawberry and Orange

(and we've got traditional soft serve cones)

Enlightened Peanut Butter Low Fat Ice Cream Bar

[New for 2014] I got an email a few weeks ago asking if I would like to try ENLIGHTENED, "the good-for-you ice cream". I had contemplated buying these as they started popping up at Shaws and Whole Foods, but I just wasn't sure which flavor I should try first. Their current line up is made up for 5 bars and two sandwiches. All the treats are low cal, low fat, low sugar, high fiber, and with no artificial sweetener. Yes, all that and it's still technically ice cream. ENLIGHTENED did ask if I could try their new Peanut Butter flavor first if I was able to, and well, I was able to. Here we go!

Enlightened Peanut Butter Low Fat Ice Cream Bar

Front Porch Caroline's Coffee & Caramel Ice Cream

[New for 2014] Front Porch was nice enough to send over samples of both of their new 2014 flavors. I already covered the tasty Charleston Sea Salt Caramel, so let's take a quick look at their other offering.

Front Porch Caroline's Coffee & Caramel Ice Cream

Coffee Ice Cream with Brownies and a Caramel Ribbon

FoMu Premium Alternative Ice Cream

I'll admit it, it's inevitable that it gets harder and harder for me to get excited about just any old ice cream, but when someone knows what I'm like and still takes the risk of me trying a product that by all accounts I shouldn't like, well, that gets the old reviewing juices flowing.

I saw FoMu at Wholes Foods at $6 a pint and I just couldn't bring myself to spend that on a coconut ice cream, even if it is local and high end.... who knew that a few months later FoMu would contact me and offer to send me samples. We talked about my history and they did their best to pick four pints that had the best chance of winning me over.

Ciao Bella Alba Hazelnut Caffe Gelato

[By Nick, New for 2014] With Carvel's recent partnership with Nutella, I'm ready to call 2014 the year of the hazelnut. So it's only fitting that Ciao Bella‎ got in on the action as well. However, they decided to go in a different direction than the other companies.

Ciao Bella Alba Hazelnut Caffe Gelato

Market Pantry Cinema Snack Ice Cream from Target

[New for 2014] In the never ending battle to keep my family full of ice cream on a moderated budget, may I present the latest and greatest from Target's Market Pantry brand of food stuffs.

Market Pantry Cinema Snack Ice Cream

Popcorn flavored ice cream swirled with a sea salt caramel,

Fudge-covered potato chips & pretzels

Breyer's Salted Caramel Swirl NSA FDD

[By Nick, New for 2014] Well Breyers has finally done it. They have brought to life what might be one of the scariest hybrids in the ice cream aisle. The age of the No Sugar Added - Frozen Dairy Dessert is upon us folks! To say I was terrified when I first saw their Salted Caramel Swirl would be an understatement. I have a job to do though and there is toffee to be had, even if it is sugar free. These are the risks I take for you guys‎.

Breyer's Salted Caramel Swirl Frozen Dairy Dessert

Vanilla and Salted Caramel Flavor with other natural flavors and toffee pieces

National Strawberry Sundae Day

Yes my friends, it's another fake food holiday that I will shamelessly promote because I love making sundaes. I will also shameless plug episode 33 of the Nosh Show. In it, I rant about the terrible new Sunny D X and we dig in to one thirstifying happy happy fun time package.

So, you all know I love pancakes right? And I love ice cream on pancakes even more. So, I had been waiting for the right Saturday to make some lovely, egg-free, dairy-free, fruit filled pancakes.... and when the batter didn't taste sweet enough, I dumped in a bunch of Hershey's Strawberry syrup that turned everything pink (note: convincing a little boy to try bright pink pancakes is harder then it sounds).

Maple's Organics Raspberries & Cream Gelato

[wholesale distribution discontinued : only available at their scoop shops]

[By Nick] Let's take a look at the safest flavor of the bunch Maple's Organics sent me for free: Raspberries & Cream Gelato. It's no secret that I’m a lover of raspberries. Being described as having a sweet cream base with organic raspberry ribbons, how could this one not be enjoyable to me?

While I do like the clear containers, they really ruin the whole element of surprise. That said, I love all of the raspberry action I can see throughout the pint.

Blue Bell Red, White and Blue Bell Ice Cream

[By CT, New for 2014] Blue Bell has gotten in to the patriotic spirit with the release of a new flavor.

The "Red, White & Blue Bell" (clever name) is a side-by-side-by-side carton with strawberry (that's your "Red"), vanilla (and this would be the "White") and blueberry (and this would the "Blue") flavors.

Three Twins Lemon Cookie Ice Cream

[By Nick] I'm pretty sure I've mentioned in every review of a lemon flavor I've done (which hasn't been many) that I really want to try Three Twins Lemon Cookie ice cream. Well I no longer have to want that because on my first ever trip to The Fresh Market (you remember the disappointing gelato) they had a few flavors of Three Twins. It was the first time I've seen them in my area and I nearly fell to my knees when I saw they had a pint of Lemon Cookie.

Three Twins Lemon Cookie Ice Cream

lemon ice cream with vanilla sandwich creme cookies

Ben & Jerry's SNL Batches Lazy Sunday and Gilly's Catastrophic Crunch

[New for 2014, only in Scoop Shops] Greetings all. You've all heard about the Saturday Night Live inspired flavors that are coming to Ben & Jerry's scoop shops right? There will be four flavors in all, and the first two were released just days apart. The problem is, what do you do when you can't decide which new SNL batch flavor to try?

You can ask for both of them ofcourse!

Weight Watchers Salted Caramel Ice Cream Candy Bars

[By Nick, New for 2014] The Sweet Freedom ice cream sandwiches weren't the only "healthy" novelty that Wells sent me.

They also included a box of the new Weight Watchers Salted Caramel ice cream candy bars. I'm basically over salted caramel so let's get right into these.