I do not know much about pomology, and in fact did not know the word existed until about two minutes before I started typing this sentence.
For the non-pomologists out there, which I’m guessing is just about everyone reading this, it means the study of fruits and nuts, and in particular, their cultivation. Why is this relevant? Because I had to pretend to be a pomologist, poorly, I might add, to figure out Blue Bell’s new Black Raspberry Fudge Ice Cream.
The packaging, to my untrained eye, appears to show a blackberry, but I guess that’s actually a black raspberry. According to my tens of seconds of pomology research, a black raspberry has a hollow core and is sweeter than the solid-cored blackberry, which is also a great phone that I weirdly still miss. Adding to the confusion, the list of ingredients for this includes both black raspberries and blackberries. And don’t get me started on blue raspberries, which apparently only exist in Slurpees and snow cones and not in nature.
Anyway, now that the pomology lesson is complete, let’s talk about how this ice cream tastes. As a veteran eater of many blackberry cobblers, I can tell you this has a distinct, wonderful blackberry flavor. Could it also be black raspberry? I guess…I’m not sure I’ve ever had a black raspberry, so I can’t say for sure. But I am certain that the dark chocolate-flavored chunks are plentiful and delicious with a truly fudgy flavor, and they are quite thick, adding a nice crunch.
My only complaint is that the chocolate fudge swirl is sparse, and it would have been great to have thicker ribbons of it throughout. That’s just a minor issue, though, because the pairing of whatever berry flavor this is with chocolatey fudge chunks and swirl is perfectly rich and decadent.
It’s always a tough call on whether to pick up a pint or a half gallon for an ice cream review, but I made the right choice with the big tub, and there is no danger of the dreaded ice crystals forming because the contents are unlikely to make it until next week.
Purchased Price: $8.99
Size: Half Gallon
Purchased at: Brookshire Brothers
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 240 calories, 13 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.
