There's also, as far as commercial mass-produced ice cream, the issue of how well the product is handled post-production.
To whit: the other day I bought two pints of ice cream at the grocery store downstairs. (Well, one of the pints was 14 oz., but why quibble?)
One was Haagen-Daaz, the other was a local, "artisinal" brand - they make some unique flavors and are well-liked.
We had some that night. The Haagen-Daaz was as expected - pretty good, no complaints, etc. etc. The "artisinal" brand had obviously been handled poorly, as it was loaded with ice crystals - even Sig Eater said what the heck is going on with this ice cream? Maybe when it was loaded onto the truck coming out of the factory? Maybe when it was unloaded at the grocery and spent a little too much time on the loading dock, or in an aisle before hitting the freezer?
So, while science may tell us the best way to produce the "best tasting" and "best textured" ice cream, many other factors might be involved. Something science often overlooks.
