Local vs. national ice cream brands: Which do you choose? Any favorites?

[MichaelB]

Aparently the secret to the chunkiness is that they pour the chocolate into the ice cream as it is churning so it freezes and breaks up but in uneven, huge pieces.

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It actually freezes as a solid layer to the sides of the vessel. It gets broken up into chunks when the ice cream is finished and then mixed into the frozen ice cream.

[bleachboy]

I almost always make my own ice cream -- it's infinitely superior to anything store bought.

However, I do periodically buy "Nutty Buddy" ice-cream cone things which are made by Purity Dairies (although it's probably just a knockoff, since I'm pretty sure Nestle or someone manufactures something identical).

[abadoozy]

My local ice cream is made by Jilbert's - a local dairy that also provides decent milk & butter. They've got a funky retail store with giant fiberglass cows outside (and 30+ flavors inside, open until 10pm every night in the summer!)

As far as I'm concerned, most of those premium brands (Haagen Dazs, Ben & Jerry's, Cold Stone, etc.) are far too rich for me. I honestly can't eat more than a spoonful or two. I much prefer old-fashioned lighter ice cream. I find myself lonely in that attitude, though - most people tend to go for the big thick rich ice creams. Yuk!

[Brad Ballinger]

I'm sorry, but I don't think Graeter's is in the same league as the ice creams mentioned in the linked article.  Graeter's is in a different league altogether.  This isn't a knock on the product (it's hands down the best I've ever had, and I, too, love the black raspberry chip), but Graeter's primary distribution is not through supermarkets, smaller grocers or co-ops.  There may be some product placement there, but it's not the main sales method.

The ice creams mentioned in the article rely much more on grocery store sales.  They are priced competitively with nationally-distributed brands.

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I was not aware that UDF sold their ice cream anywhere other then UDF stores... do they sell them at grocery stores? I know that I have found Graeters at grocery stores in Columbus... I can't say the same for UDF ice cream which is mention in the article. Maybe they do though, I haven't fully explored all stores in the tri-state area!

(edit: I see here that UDF is sold in grocery stores... see I learn something new every day!)

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From the CNN gallery part of the article:

UDF's "Homemade" ice cream isn't quite homemade, but it tastes awfully close. The Ohio brand got its start just before World War II, and it's still going strong. With third-generation family owners, the brand is distributed in 14 states in the South and Midwest.

My other point about being sold more broadly also included price. A pint of Graeter's will cost incredibly more than a pint of anything else in the store. Yes, it will be worth every penny. But, the brands in the article that I've seen in the stores are priced much more competitively.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On ‎8‎/‎10‎/‎2005 at 4:43 PM, Brad Ballinger said:

From the CNN gallery part of the article:

My other point about being sold more broadly also included price. A pint of Graeter's will cost incredibly more than a pint of anything else in the store. Yes, it will be worth every penny. But, the brands in the article that I've seen in the stores are priced much more competitively.

 

I did an experiment tonight.  A pint of Graeter's vs. a pint of McConnell's.  Both vanilla.  Both arrived from Whole Foods frozen hard.  Being from New Jersey I have no regional bias toward either brand.

 

There was no competition.  The Graeter's melted poorly and was over sweetened.  It was slightly icy -- to me a fatal flaw.  McConnell's possessed better texture, much better texture, and was better balanced.  Not as sickeningly sweet.  Both were a little waxy on my palate but both had good vanilla.  (There is no excuse for waxy ice cream.  All you have to do is homogenize it properly.)

 

Granted the Graeter's was cheap compared to McConnell's but even with the price premium McConnell's was a better buy.  I have to say I was disappointed.  I was hoping I would like Graeter's.  I would not buy again.

 

Is there any other brand I should test against McConnell's?  If it were not for the waxiness McConnell's would be close to perfect.  Here in New Jersey there is a brand called Kwality but to my knowledge it is not found in any supermarkets.

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I expected to raise a firestorm.  Guess no one cares about commercial ice cream these days.  Actually with further research  Graeter's is not half bad when not next to McConnell's.

 

[MelissaH]

I've tried a few flavors of Graeters, and was not impressed, especially at $8/pint. I was especially unimpressed by the flavors with chocolate chips, as the chocolate seemed to be gathered into a few very large chunks rather than well dispersed throughout.

 

Around here, I'd just as soon save my pennies and get ice cream from Perry's or Byrne Dairy. Maybe Graeter's tastes better in Cincinnati?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, MelissaH said:

I've tried a few flavors of Graeters, and was not impressed, especially at $8/pint. I was especially unimpressed by the flavors with chocolate chips, as the chocolate seemed to be gathered into a few very large chunks rather than well dispersed throughout.

 

Around here, I'd just as soon save my pennies and get ice cream from Perry's or Byrne Dairy. Maybe Graeter's tastes better in Cincinnati?

 

I would not go out of my way to buy Graeter's again but it was on sale, and I wanted to see what the hype was about.  The ingredients include carob gum and guar gum, and with that help I would have expected the texture to be better.

 

Anyone else have opinions of McConnell's?

 

[Toliver]

On 10/21/2018 at 1:00 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Is there any other brand I should test against McConnell's? 

Can you find Tillamook brand ice cream (click) there? 

I'm impressed with their take on different flavors. Their "Oregon Strawberry" was refreshing and tasty. I've also tried their "Udderly Chocolate" and, while it didn't knock my socks off, it was still very good.

Thanks for giving us your taste-test results!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

41 minutes ago, Toliver said:

Can you find Tillamook brand ice cream (click) there? 

I'm impressed with their take on different flavors. Their "Oregon Strawberry" was refreshing and tasty. I've also tried their "Udderly Chocolate" and, while it didn't knock my socks off, it was still very good.

Thanks for giving us your taste-test results!

 

Tillamook's store finder says no.

 

[Chimayo Joe]

2 hours ago, Toliver said:

Can you find Tillamook brand ice cream (click) there? 

I'm impressed with their take on different flavors. Their "Oregon Strawberry" was refreshing and tasty. I've also tried their "Udderly Chocolate" and, while it didn't knock my socks off, it was still very good.

Thanks for giving us your taste-test results!

 

I've only(fairly recently) had Oregon Strawberry in Tillamook's ice cream sandwiches, and I've also had Tillamook's vanilla ice cream sandwiches.  I thought the ice cream was pretty good, but I wasn't as fond of their sandwich as a whole.  They use a waffle cone type wafer that tastes okay but is too hard and causes the sandwich to fragment and pushes the ice cream out from between the wafers when you eat it.

 

Strawberry is one of my two favorite ice cream flavors(the other being chocolate.) I don't eat ice cream as often as I used to, but I'm sure I'll eventually get around to trying more Tillamook ice cream.  

 

Haagen Dazs Strawberry and Haagen Dazs Chocolate are my usual purchases, and occasionally Haagen Dazs Dulce le Leche, but I've been on an ice cream sandwich kick for a while when buying ice cream.

 

Sandwich favorites are Fat Boy Vanilla(don't know if they make anything but vanilla) and Klondike Oreo.  I like the wafer of Skinny Cow, but the low fat ice cream lets it down.

 

Just googled Fat Boy, and it looks like they make many flavors of ice cream sandwiches.  I'll have to check them out if my supermarket carries them.

Edited October 22, 2018 by Chimayo Joe
Googled Fat Boy (log)

[kayb]

I regret, for all y'all's sakes, that Yarnell's ice cream is available only regionally. It's the best.

 

 

 

[demiglace]

I like Chapman's for commercially made ice cream. It's Canadian like me. Otherwise, I make my own. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Tonight it's a bowl of McConnell's.  My impression continues that it's really good stuff.  The ingredients include no gums.  Nonetheless the texture and melting characteristics surpass Graeter's which relies on gums.  McConnell's (lack of) sweetness and it's subtle flavor is much more to my taste.

 

I couldn't even find the waxiness that I complained of the other night when I was testing both ice creams together.  Graeter's is a few dollar's less expensive per pint but it's still no contest.

 

[Chimayo Joe]

On October 22, 2018 at 1:17 PM, Toliver said:

Can you find Tillamook brand ice cream (click) there? 

I'm impressed with their take on different flavors. Their "Oregon Strawberry" was refreshing and tasty. I've also tried their "Udderly Chocolate" and, while it didn't knock my socks off, it was still very good.

Thanks for giving us your taste-test results!

 

My local supermarket has had Tillamook ice cream on sale, and I've been bingeing since I posted on the thread previously.  They don't carry all the flavors I want to try,  but what I have tried have been nice.  Caramel Butter Pecan has been my favorite so far.  I've also had Oregon Strawberry,  Chocolate Peanut Butter,  Tillamook Mudslide, and Cookies & Cream(picked up that last one at Walmart which I've discovered carries many more flavors than my supermarket.)  I'm getting burned out on ice cream, but I see Caramel Toffee Crunch,  Salted Butterscotch(not sure if that one is available locally), and Chocolate(odd that my supermarket doesn't carry plain old Chocolate) in my future but probably not my near future.

Edited November 3, 2018 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The Bent Spoon, a local creamery, has had cicada ice cream on offer.  Thankfully the flavor is limited, but I am told it is currently sold out.

 

[weinoo]

5 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

The Bent Spoon, a local creamery, has had cicada ice cream on offer.  Thankfully the flavor is limited, but I am told it is currently sold out.

 

 

I'm sorry, but I would think keeping the cicadas for the savory dishes would be just fine.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

On 10/22/2018 at 11:13 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Anyone else have opinions of McConnell's?

 

 

 

On 10/24/2018 at 12:11 AM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Tonight it's a bowl of McConnell's.  My impression continues that it's really good stuff.  The ingredients include no gums.  Nonetheless the texture and melting characteristics surpass Graeter's which relies on gums.  McConnell's (lack of) sweetness and it's subtle flavor is much more to my taste.

 

I couldn't even find the waxiness that I complained of the other night when I was testing both ice creams together.  Graeter's is a few dollar's less expensive per pint but it's still no contest.

 

McConnell's is my choice when I buy store-bought.    Their "Sweet Cream" is my go-to for fresh berry accompaniment.    Clean, marginally sweet, just goodness.   About $12 a pint locally but worth it.

Otherwise, Strauss Organicis a quality product also.   Again, clean flavors and very short ingredient list.    A lot cheaper than McConnell's, sometimes available at Grocery Outlet for around $3 s pint.   Am now working on their vanilla chocolate chip and Dutch chocolate, both excellent pure flavors.   Strauss has a slightly icy texture which we rather like, i.e., it is not back-of-throat-coating cloying.  

[weinoo]

When I lived in Santa Barbara, it was all McConnell's, all the time.

 

I have even better (or just different) local options now.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

58 minutes ago, weinoo said:

When I lived in Santa Barbara, it was all McConnell's, all the time.

 

I have even better (or just different) local options now.

Describe?

[weinoo]

https://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com/

 

https://www.morgensternsnyc.com/

 

https://www.adirondackcreamery.com/

[Margaret Pilgrim]

7 hours ago, weinoo said:

https://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com/

 

https://www.morgensternsnyc.com/

 

https://www.adirondackcreamery.com/

Quite amazing flavor assortments!     More choice than I need, but would love to do some taste testings.    Thanks.

[weinoo]

Give the people what they want, I guess.

 

I'm a classicist. Vanilla, chocolate, coffee are the flavors I tend to buy if we go out for ice cream. I'll do the occasional mint chocolate chip, pistachio, or its ilk. At Il Lab, sometimes they'll have an interesting gelato flavor and I'll get a taste, but then order my standard coffee or espresso. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I have found that coffee is the most reliable, i.e., most likely to be satisfying, of all flavors.  

[heidih]

Yes coffee is reliable and I'll go mint-chip for nostalgia's sake once in a while. My childhood best friend's favorite. I am loyal to Thrifty's and will try a different flavor if it sparks my interest. The line on a hot day is something else, and the customer age range is toddler to geriatric with the walker. How the adjacent Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors stays in business I do not know.

https://www.lamag.com/digestblog/thrifty-ice-cream-history/  If I stumble upon a gelato shop that taste tests well I'll do coffee or hazelnut with an espresso pour over if available. 

Edited June 30, 2021 by heidih (log)