I received samples of last year’s Lucky Charms Magical Marshmallows. They sat in the fancy box they came in for months. I eventually opened it and learned I had two months to consume seven bags of them. I gave away one to someone who asked on Instagram for one after posting a photo of them and another bag was completely stale because one of its seams ripped. But I ate the rest before the Best By date, putting it on regular Cheerios and whatever cereals I received or purchased at the beginning of the year. Still not sick of Lucky Charms, though. (Spotted by Robbie at Target.)
Recently, most new flavors from Vermont’s most famous company have been Topped, Core’d, or brought back from the dead. But Ben & Jerry’s latest was inspired by one of the company’s all-time successes: cherries. While this pint has some major differences from Cherry Garcia, B&J’s second highest selling pint for eight years running, it will no doubt garner interest from folks who enjoy the Grateful Dead-inspired classic. Cherry Crumble switches up the formula from the brand’s more recent decadent offerings and pairs buttery ice cream with cherries and swirls of oat crumble.
I was intrigued by this pint because the container wasn’t screaming at me with mix-ins and because the base was something I don’t recall ever seeing. Described simply as “buttery,” a word often used to denote that something will be delicious, I needed to know how it tastes. Good news: it’s freakin’ awesome. Bad news: it’s kind of hard to describe. Middle news: I’m going to try!
The base is rich and decadent in a way I don’t recall ever experiencing from B&J’s sweet cream, which is probably its closest equivalent, but far superior. It has a heavy and luscious mouthfeel with buttery notes, but not nutty like browned butter, more of a clean and deep flavorful sensation, like unsalted butter and sugar on white bread. Like I said, it’s hard to describe, but it’s wonderful and has a density that screams super premium. It’s a really great, nuanced ice cream.
The cherries are also well executed. There are plenty, and they pop with a lovely bright sweetness and touch of acidity. More importantly, they do so with zero iciness. They provide the perfect balance of sugary and tartness against the rich buttery base. A jam or pie filling swirl might be more faithful to the concept of a crumble, but I enjoy the squishy flavorful chunks of fruit. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older, but I’ve been having a serious cherry renaissance in the last two years, and I love this simple old-timey mix-in.
The oat crumble is where this pint could use some improvement. I still really enjoy it, but it reminds me much more of a cinnamon-y graham cracker swirl than a chunky oat crumble. When I read “crumble,” I instantly think of a crunchy, buttery, and salty topping that erupts with flavor, and while this swirl is good, it doesn’t deliver on the punchiness or texture I’m looking for. It has some pleasant grittiness with a touch of spice but no butteriness that can compete with the fantastic base.
While this pint falls a bit short in flawlessly executing a cherry crumble a la mode, it’s a very scoopable flavor that should be in anyone’s cart who enjoys a fruit-driven profile with a rich, buttery foundation.
Purchased Price: $4.99 Size: One Pint Purchased at: Safeway Rating: 7 out of 10 Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup/140 grams) 350 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein.
You might be wondering why I’ve posted SEVEN photos of the same product. Well, a few weeks ago, our writer Sean came upon this new Ben & Jerry’s flavor at his local Safeway and sent me a photo. Actually, I should back up a little and mention that Ben & Jerry’s has had some distribution issues or something this year. Because almost all of their new flavors this year have ended up on store shelves weeks before the company announces them, and that’s also the case with Cherry Crumble. I messaged my contact at Ben & Jerry’s about the flavor and was asked to postpone posting anything about it until its announcement. Because I like Ben & Jerry’s PR folks and have had a great relationship with them for around a decade, I agreed to it. While I waited for its official announcement, I received six other photos of the ice cream but couldn’t post them. But now I can. So here you go. (Spotted by Brandon, Rachel C at Walmart, Sean at Safeway, Geoffrey at Save Mart, Bob K at Giant Eagle, Michael K at Wegmans, and Jennifer at Market 32.)
Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.
Popcorn Indiana Cheese Pizza Popcorn
(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)
Michelina’s Grande Kung Pao ChickenMichelina’s Grande Cheesy Chipotle Beef Nacho Style PastaMichelina’s Grande Feta Pasta BakeMichelina’s Grande Bacon Parmesan LinguineMichelina’s Grande Rigatoni Alfredo with Chicken & Broccoli
Somos Cuatro Chiles Taqueria Salsa, Jalapeno Pepper Salsa Verde, and Pasilla Pepper Salsa RancheraSomos Cilantro Lime White Rice and Mexican Brown Rice
