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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Ice Cream Deathmatch

View Poll Results: Which is better?
Poll Options:
Ben & Jerry's 5 votes (17.86%)
Häagen-Dazs 12 votes (42.86%)
Lame-Ass Brand Nobody Cares About 5 votes (17.86%)
Local Brand Nobody Cares About 6 votes (21.43%)
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll
Ice Cream Deathmatch
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subego
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:14 AM
 
Fight!
     
Laminar
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:20 AM
 
Wife likes Ben & Jerry's Half Baked. My favorite is Coldstone cake batter with cookie dough mixed in.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:36 AM
 
Refresh me. Half Baked is cookie dough and what?
     
Laminar
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:44 AM
 
Brownie batter. I think the ice cream is chocolate.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:59 AM
 
Definitely a similarity there between both of your favorites.

Do you settle for Half Baked?
     
andi*pandi
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Mar 31, 2011, 09:50 AM
 
While I do love the Ben and Jerry's, we usually buy Edy's. Mint Oreo is the compromise choice that both me and the mr like.

The only Häagen-Dazs flavors that are worth the extra price is crème brulée and dulce de leche.
     
Thorzdad
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:11 AM
 
We buy Edy's too. No specific flavor. Whatever sounds good.
We also like a regional brand called Blue Bunny. A lot of the mom-n-pop ice cream stands carry it. Pretty good stuff.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:15 AM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
While I do love the Ben and Jerry's, we usually buy Edy's. Mint Oreo is the compromise choice that both me and the mr like.

The only Häagen-Dazs flavors that are worth the extra price is crème brulée and dulce de leche.
I would counter with Pralines & Cream or Cookies & Cream.

The Häagen Dazs Cookies & Cream especially. The extra cost gets you proper density.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by Thorzdad View Post
We buy Edy's too. No specific flavor. Whatever sounds good.
We also like a regional brand called Blue Bunny. A lot of the mom-n-pop ice cream stands carry it. Pretty good stuff.
There's a place here that has Blue Bunny, but their claim to fame is homemade waffle cones.
     
ort888
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:18 AM
 
Is Breyer's a national brand or a local thing?

Of the two I like Ben and Jerry's. My favorite is Chubby Hubby.

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Lateralus
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:20 AM
 
If I had an infinite cash supply, I'd hire a Ben & Jerry's vendor to work in every social room of my house, and have a first of its kind maker/dispenser machine built for the bathroom.
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subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:27 AM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
Is Breyer's a national brand or a local thing?

Of the two I like Ben and Jerry's. My favorite is Chubby Hubby.
I'm in a lower shit:cream ratio phase right now, but I do like it.

Same with Americone Dream or Caramel Cone (née Explosion). I like them, but just a little too high.
     
ort888
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Mar 31, 2011, 10:35 AM
 
Blue Bunny is all over the place over here, but it's really nothing special.

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Laminar
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Mar 31, 2011, 11:33 AM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
Blue Bunny is all over the place over here, but it's really nothing special.
Ditto, standard grocery store fare.
     
Laminar
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Mar 31, 2011, 11:34 AM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
Definitely a similarity there between both of your favorites.

Do you settle for Half Baked?
If we go out for ice cream, we'll split my favorite at Coldstone. If we get some at the store to eat at home, we split her favorite, Half Baked.
     
andi*pandi
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Mar 31, 2011, 11:35 AM
 
Blue Bunny does have some diet items that don't taste like ice water. Fudge pops etc. I've never tried their regular ice cream.
     
sek929
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Mar 31, 2011, 11:52 AM
 
Lactose intolerant, so I eat sherbet while scowling at everyone else.
     
scottiB
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Mar 31, 2011, 12:00 PM
 
I prefer sherbet and ices. Old school rainbow sherbet for me.
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Chongo
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Mar 31, 2011, 04:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
Is Breyer's a national brand or a local thing?

Of the two I like Ben and Jerry's. My favorite is Chubby Hubby.
Picked H.D.
Breyer's is national. Edy's is Dreyer's out west. (ala Best Foods(W) and Heilman's(E)) President's Choice (Kroger family)and Select (Safeway family) are two good store brands. Blue Bell is really good.
45/47
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 05:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by sek929 View Post
Lactose intolerant, so I eat sherbet while scowling at everyone else.
No luck with LactAid?
     
ghporter
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Mar 31, 2011, 05:31 PM
 
Blue Bell ice cream is wonderful. Their "Old Fashioned Vanilla" is an excellent vanilla, and their Dutch Chocolate is rich without being heavy. They're regional-based in Brenham, TX, they cover Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, and just added Colorado.

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olePigeon
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Mar 31, 2011, 05:36 PM
 
I like Thrifty Ice Cream, specifically Chocolate Malted Crunch. No other company makes it.

I also enjoy cheesecake ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery. I've yet to find anyone else who makes cheesecake ice cream that tastes like cheesecake.
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subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 06:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
If we go out for ice cream, we'll split my favorite at Coldstone. If we get some at the store to eat at home, we split her favorite, Half Baked.
This is diabetic coma sweet.
     
sek929
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Mar 31, 2011, 06:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
No luck with LactAid?
Lactaid allows me to eat dairy, with the exceptions of heavy cream, sour cream, milk, and Ice Cream. NO amount of Lactaid pills will keep me from getting sick to my stomach off of ice cream. Every once and a while I treat myself to two spoonfuls of the good stuff, and it is so goddamn good tasting.
     
subego  (op)
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Mar 31, 2011, 06:31 PM
 
Ouch.

Edit: this goat's milk ice cream is supposed to be good if you're near someplace which sells it.

http://www.laloos.com/locator/

Edit2: dammit! I just saw your location.
( Last edited by subego; Mar 31, 2011 at 06:40 PM. )
     
::maroma::
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Mar 31, 2011, 07:17 PM
 
Häagen-Dazs for me. Whatever flavor tickles my pickle at the moment is what I get. Love all of them. Something about the density and creaminess of their ice cream that gets me all excited. They have some killer special edition flavors as well. Can easily eat a pint in one sitting. I also enjoy my ice cream fairly firm, and Häagen-Dazs tends to keep its form even when you freeze it at lower temps than they recommend. Other brands tend to get freezer burn more easily. I do not worse than having a bunch of ice crystals in my ice cream.

Edit: Not sure if this counts as ice cream, but I also am quite addicted to Frozen Custard. Had it in Arizona where I grew up, couldn't find it anywhere else. But recently discovered a shop near me and I haven't been the same since.
     
andi*pandi
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:19 PM
 
Frozen custard is a class unto itself. I've never seen any in stores. The only place I've had it is from Hodgeman's in Maine, 3 flavors a day (vanilla, chocolate, and the day's special). Only open from Mother's Day til Labor Day. People drive from everywhere to get it.

Hodgman's Frozen Custard - New Gloucester, ME
     
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Mar 31, 2011, 08:32 PM
 
Originally Posted by ::maroma:: View Post
Edit: Not sure if this counts as ice cream, but I also am quite addicted to Frozen Custard. Had it in Arizona where I grew up, couldn't find it anywhere else. But recently discovered a shop near me and I haven't been the same since.
You can get Frozen Custard all over the Midwest: Culver's

-t
     
ghporter
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Mar 31, 2011, 09:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
Frozen custard is a class unto itself.
I second this. Sandy's in Austin (across from Palmer Auditorium) is a tiny, almost shack-like structure that has stayed in business for at least 30 years by selling fantastic frozen custard, along with pretty good burgers and fries. Worth the visit to Austin just to go there. Really.

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Mar 31, 2011, 11:25 PM
 

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CharlesS
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Mar 31, 2011, 11:43 PM
 
I don't really get the appeal of frozen custard. I've tried it at a number of different places, and while it's not bad, it's never seemed that special to me, certainly not enough to justify how everyone I know always raves about the stuff. Maybe my taste buds are just different? I dunno.

Gelato, on the other hand... that stuff's amazing. Of course my vote will be for the local gelato place that you don't care about... but that's only because you've never tried it.

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Big Mac
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Apr 1, 2011, 03:40 AM
 
I haven't had ice cream in a while (well, I did have a choclate shake not too long ago), and I really enjoyed just reading through what everyone likes in this thread.

In the recent past I've really enjoyed the premium concociton flavors like the ones that have fudge cake chunks inside. It's really pleasing to find a deep vein of fudge. I also really like dulce de leche. But I think I'll soon have to treat myself to Häagen Dazs since I frankly can't recall if I've ever had it, and it ranks so highly around here.
( Last edited by Big Mac; Apr 1, 2011 at 03:51 AM. )

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Sealobo
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Apr 1, 2011, 05:17 AM
 
This:

     
subego  (op)
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Apr 1, 2011, 06:25 AM
 
Umlaut-and-a-half?

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mattyb
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Apr 1, 2011, 08:17 AM
 
Caramel with salted butter. I think that its Nestlé who make it via their La Laitière brand. Haven't had ice cream since the last warm spell (October?).
     
Big Mac
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Apr 1, 2011, 09:14 AM
 
The ice cream flavor you like has salted butter in its title? Doesn't sound too appetizing in ice cream to me, interesting. . .

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mattyb
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Apr 1, 2011, 10:54 AM
 
OK, I've probably mis-translated, its "Caramel made with salted butter" flavoured. Not Caramel + salted butter.
     
brassplayersrock²
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Apr 4, 2011, 12:42 AM
 
I once won $100 by eating an entire bucket thing of coldstone ice cream in an hour. 5 different flavors and 3 different fillings. I was so sick afterwards.
     
subego  (op)
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Apr 4, 2011, 01:09 AM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
The ice cream flavor you like has salted butter in its title? Doesn't sound too appetizing in ice cream to me, interesting. . .
It's not as common as it should be, but more people are cluing in to salt in their sweets. Add some bitter chocolate, and you're really giving the taste buds a workout.

It needs finesse to be done right however, which may be keeping it out of the mass market.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Apr 4, 2011, 05:28 AM
 
Originally Posted by Sealobo View Post
This:

Bah. Overpriced, overrated crap.

The only reason Mövenpick is creamy is because it's whipped up with nitrogen - which cuts production costs, too.

Häagen-Dasz achieves much of their creaminess through actual cream - with vastly better results. It's also why all the other crap melts so much faster.

Mövenpick is okay for sherbet, but forget them for actual ice cream.

(yeah I realize that they're German, and H-D is American, but this is beyond patriotism. This is ICE CREAM, dammit!)
     
CharlesS
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Apr 4, 2011, 06:23 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
yeah I realize that they're German
That JPEG seems to say that they're Swiss.

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Paco500
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Apr 4, 2011, 07:42 AM
 
Originally Posted by ::maroma:: View Post
Not sure if this counts as ice cream, but I also am quite addicted to Frozen Custard.

Miss this joint (oddly in Virginia, not Wisconsin). Good, good stuff.
     
subego  (op)
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Apr 4, 2011, 08:06 AM
 
I dont think I've ever had frozen custard.

Can't say I'm a fan of the unfrozen kind. The whole custard-mousse-flan axis can go **** off, actually.
     
turtle777
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Apr 4, 2011, 09:05 AM
 
Originally Posted by CharlesS View Post
That JPEG seems to say that they're Swiss.
The ARE Swiss:

Originally Posted by http://group.moevenpick.com/content/profil_moevenpick_gruppe.php
Group Profile

Mövenpick is a Swiss group of companies with global presence. Its core competency lies in the hospitality business with a focus on gastronomy, hotels, wine and premium branded products.

Mövenpick is structured as a holding company with four independently operating business units: Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Marché International and Mövenpick Restaurants, Mövenpick Wine and Mövenpick Fine Foods. Mövenpick is present in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America.
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Spheric Harlot
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Apr 4, 2011, 09:33 AM
 
All the more, then.
     
hart
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Apr 4, 2011, 10:30 AM
 
I don't like a lot of chunks in my ice cream so Ben and Jerry's is generally out. Our grocery store uses ice cream sales as a loss leader so every time Hagen-Dazs goes on the 2 for $5 sale we get some. Green Tea is at the top of my list for flavors but generally I'm a traditionalist (chocolate still ranks high for me.)

Breyers is pretty good too as it basically has the simplest ingredients. I don't like to waste my ice cream calories on low end garbage because it tastes fake.

In summer I go for fruit-flavored Italian ices though.
     
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Apr 6, 2011, 04:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by olePigeon View Post
I like Thrifty Ice Cream, specifically Chocolate Malted Crunch. No other company makes it.
My favorite. They also make Lemonhead ice cream, which I tried recently. Lemon ice cream with crushed Lemonheads in it. If you can get by the taste of the ice cream which is reminiscent of Lemon Pledge, it's not bad. Could use more Lemonheads though.
     
Sealobo
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Apr 6, 2011, 04:32 PM
 
as a matter of personal preference, i think Häagen-Dazs is a bit too watery and milky. I prefer the "dense" feel of gelato.
     
macforray
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Apr 6, 2011, 06:41 PM
 
Quality ice cream is not difficult to achieve. Here is the equation:

High butterfat dairy mix + Low over run + quality flavorings + good processing equipment = quality ice cream

High butterfat = 14 - 16% butterfat dairy mix of milk, cream and a small amount of stabilizer. Any more than 16% can cause processing / freezing difficulties.
Low over run = over run is the amount of air pumped into the ice cream during the churn / freeze process. 100% is typically the maximum and is typical in very cheap ice cream. In this case, a half gallon of ice cream is really just a quart of liquid. Some over run is good. Home made ice cream has almost no over run, which can cause some ice crystals to form during processing with a typical home churn.
Quality flavorings = real vanilla bean, chocolate, etc... flavorings.
Good processing equipment = no explanation should be required.

My favorite premium ice cream is H-D Vanilla Bean. I like gelato also, but in chocolate. Gelato is lower in butterfat, typically 8 - 10%, and also very low in over run. It is "healthier" than ice cream. For a sub premium, but not low end ice cream, we have a brand here called Perrys. I think what sets them apart is the quality of their flavorings. We do have access to the Blue Bunny brand here in CNY, and though pretty good, it doesn't make my top five.

Typically here in the US, the states regulate what a "legal" ice cream is. This will only affect the very low end of the quality spectrum, so anyone with a taste for the best ice cream won't know this.

AAS in Dairy Food Science, 1976 (yes, I have been away from the hands on for some time)
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Spheric Harlot
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Apr 6, 2011, 07:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by macforray View Post
Quality ice cream is not difficult to achieve. Here is the equation:

High butterfat dairy mix + Low over run + quality flavorings + good processing equipment = quality ice cream

High butterfat = 14 - 16% butterfat dairy mix of milk, cream and a small amount of stabilizer. Any more than 16% can cause processing / freezing difficulties.
Häagen-Dazs has 17% fat (or at least it did, when I did my diploma on ice cream density/fat content analysis).
     
 
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