Blue Bell Ice Cream

[joiei]

Making Texas Cows Proud

Perhaps less obviously, you could — you should — take ice cream. Blue Bell ice cream, to be specific, which is made in out-of-the-way Brenham and which many people consider the best in the country. So many people think so that Blue Bell, though sold in only 16 states, mostly in the South, and sold for a premium price, ranks No. 3 in sales nationally, trailing only Dreyer's (known as Edy's in some areas) and Breyers, ahead of the more widely available Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's.

The 100th anniversary of Blue Bell Creameries — "the little creamery in Brenham," as it folksily and misleadingly describes itself — will be celebrated in 2007. For most of those years, members of a German-American family named Kruse (pronounced CREW-zee) have been at the helm, exhibiting an obsession with quality and a way with words. Ask why distribution is so restricted, and the Kruses answer, "It's a cinch by the inch but it's hard by the yard." Ask about raw materials, and they reply, "The milk we use is so fresh it was grass only yesterday."

Which flavor is your favorite? I prefer the Banana Split and the two ladies I work with always hanker for Wedding Cake.

And if you don't have Blue Bell, well life isn't complete. There are those who will deride Blue Bell and opt for the Hagen 'Daz or Ben and Jerrys, but my preference is for this ice cream if it isn't home made. Now I am looking forward to trying that Cantalope and Cream when it comes out.

[MissAmy]

Blue Bell ice cream is one of the great loves of my life.

Favorite flavors are:

Homemade Vanila

Fresh Strawberries and Homemade Vanila

Banana Split

Strawberry

God I love Blue Bell. I don't know what I'd do if I moved to a place where they didn't have it.

[Kent Wang]

I like Moo-lenium Crunch.

Has anyone been to the creamery in Blenham? I have several friends that have and they all speak highly of it.

[joiei]

Hey Kent, the Moo runs a close second for me. One of these days, I will have to go to the plant in Broken Arrow, it is just down the freeway right before the Muskogee Turnpike starts. I know they ususally have a summer ice cream party sometime.

Maybe that is what i should do, have an old fashioned ice cream social next sunday afternoon.

[pamjsa]

Dos Amigos for me, without question. My kids are bigs fans of the Birthday Cake ice cream, and my husband goes for Bunuelos and Cream or just plain Cinnamon. Mmmmmm. Must . . . have . . . ice cream . . .

[Blanche Davidian]

Birthday Cake is awesome when you want something trashy and comforting that reminds you of your childhood. I can only buy it in pints, though, a half-gallon is too much!

My favorite: Pistachio Almond. Pralines n' Cream is good, too.

I wish they did honey ice cream.

[joiei]

according to their website, the June Flavor of the month is Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

[Bill Miller]

Kent, I've been there--great fun. I understsand they charge a fee now. I like cookies and cream and cherry vanilla.

[Nina C.]

Bluebell was the magical ice cream that, as a child, I only got to enjoy once a year when visiting my grandparents. I was so happy to read this article, as I'm going to Houston/Galveston in a week and I'll be sure to tell my dad to stack the freezer.

I was a pralines n' cream girl as a child, but the chocolate-covered-strawberries ice cream sounds pretty amazing.

[Grovite]

Tin Roof, Birthday Cake, Peanut Butter Cup and good ol Cooikes 'n Cream are my favorites.

Kent, drive over to Brenham and take the tour, you'll love it.

[ZenKimchi]

My rule with any brand of ice cream is to judge it by its vanilla. Blue Bell's vanilla tastes EXACTLY how we made it on my grandmother's porch on the Fourth of July -- minus the gooey chunks.

My favorite flavor is still Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. But it is the only brand of ice cream where I would eagerly buy the vanilla over most other brands -- even if the other option was B&J's Cherry Garcia.

[Gigi4808]

I just tried the cookies and cream... not impressed. The cookies tasted oily and the ice cream it's self seemed more full of air then anything else and reminded me of "store brand" ice cream.

Is it possible that I got a bad batch or is this just not one of the good flavors?. Willing to give it another go if anyone has any suggestions.

Edited June 3, 2006 by Gigi4808 (log)

[zoe b]

My mom lives in Houston now and I just discovered the Blue Bell teeny little ice cream sandwiches.

Thank gawd I can't get them in NJ or I'd be too big to get through the door--these are the Ur ice cream sandwich--creamy, silky ice cream and crisp little chocolatey wafers.

Zoe

[DeVeaux]

Yes, Blue Bell is wonderful ice cream.

Unless you're a diabetic, like I am.

We used to live in Houston, and I loved all the great Blue Bell flavors. Now that we can get Blue Bell in Kansas, and I'm diabetic, I have a choice of Vanilla, Vanilla, Vanilla, Butter Pecan (boring) or really nasty Banana Split. I went to the store yesterday, and all they had was 6 containers of the sugar free Banana Split, so I passed.

I have heard that Blue Bell has a sugar free Cookies n Cream, but have yet to see it in the store.

But, at least they have some sugar free - Ben & Jerry and Haagen Dasz can't be bothered to even make sugar free Vanilla.

I wish Blue Bell would realize that we diabetics like ice cream, too, and we don't all eat only vanilla and butter pecan. Would Mint Chocolate Chip, Pistacio, or sugar free versions of other new flavors be that difficult?

[joiei]

I agree that the sugar free banana split is not the best thing they do. You can drop them a line here and ask for more interesting flavors. As for what is in your local store, ask the store manager to keep a better variety stocked. Some stores here carry a miminal stock and others devote a big space to Blue Bell.

[Kevin72]

I just tried the cookies and cream... not impressed. The cookies tasted oily and the ice cream it's self seemed more full of air then anything else and reminded me of "store brand" ice cream.

Is it possible that I got a bad batch or is this just not one of the good flavors?. Willing to give it another go if anyone has any suggestions.

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Actually, I may have to agree with you. The cookies are too finely ground and it's just the cookie! I like the brands that use Oreos or Oreo-like cookies in the mix and you get some of the icing in there. Texas Gold does a really good version of this.

I like Blue Bell's plain ol' Vanilla and love their ice cream sandwiches. Except for the creepy girl on the cover carton.

[MissAmy]

I just tried the cookies and cream... not impressed. The cookies tasted oily and the ice cream it's self seemed more full of air then anything else and reminded me of "store brand" ice cream.

Is it possible that I got a bad batch or is this just not one of the good flavors?. Willing to give it another go if anyone has any suggestions.

←

I don't like cookies and cream at all, no matter what the brand, so I couldn't help you there. (I loathe the way the gooey middle stuff fuses with the regular icecream into a weird sugary blob.) However, I would highly recommend that you go out, and buy the plain old Homemade Vanila flavor. If you must dress it up, fresh strawberries or chocolate sauce are excellent. The only way to work your way into Blue Bell obsession land is to start with the best, and simplest flavor.

[DeVeaux]

Joiei-

I already asked the store manager...twice.

Blue Bell has a large amount of freezer space, but apparently the driver would rather stick six containers of Banana Split in the freezer and be on his way.

As far as emailing them, I also have done that and gottena polite "yeah - like we care" response.

[nessa]

My Daddy was born and raised in Brenham TX. We used to make a pilgrimage every year to see his family's old store, the old family house,and to go to the creamery. There is, and never will be any other brand in our household. Natural Vanilla Bean, or Peaches and cream.