Gold Gown, Mini Film, and Ice Cream. Perfect match?

Hmmm...doesn't look like ice cream

This has to be the most intriguing package I've ever received for ice cream. It doesn't look like ice cream. And doesn't include ice cream either. But it has alcohol...almost as good! And it is associated with the first ever 24-karat gold gown designed by Zac Posen and a mini film to debut at the Tribeca film festival. Hmmmm....

Interesting...go on. What does a premium ice cream brand do for a new product launch of a decadent new product. It aligns themselves with others who are as luxurious, daring, in the spotlight, and crafted from the finest ingredients. Smart, fun and intriguing! So along with the launch of the Magnum Gold Bars, awesome vanilla bean ice cream with sea salt caramel and dipped in Belgian milk chocolate, comes a $1.5 million 24-karat dress designed by, Zac Posen, and a short film “As Good As Gold,” by Emmy-award winning director Jon Cassar. starring Joe Manganiello along with model Caroline Correa . Wow, that's actually pretty cool and it launches on my birthday at the even hipper Tribeca Film Festival on April 18. Tried getting them to give me tix to that....oh well maybe next time! I'll eat my ice cream and like it. 

Oh actually I will say, I'll love it I am sure because truthfully, and regardless of what they send me, this stuff is gold. It really is super premium and the chocolate is to die for. It's one of those things that is a true treat and I don't think I could have daily without feeling a bit guilty but this stuff is good and worth the indulgence every once in awhile. Truth be told, they are the kind of things I hide in the back of the freezer so when my kids go to look for their dessert they choose the ice cream sandwich never knowing mom's little hidden jewel in the back!

A key to unlock my pleasure. (that's their line not mine by the way!) 

Stay tuned. We'll be sure to follow the happenings of the dress and the film. I am curious to see how this all plays out. In the meantime check Magnum out on Facebook to see the launch of this all yourself.

Is this not the cutest USB drive you have ever seen?!

Stay tuned for more.

Ben and Jerry's FREE Cone Day ~ TODAY!

The sun is shining here in Boston and almost 70 degrees. Couldn't have asked for better weather for Ben and Jerry's FREE cone day and celebration of 35 years of awesome ice cream making! 

Check out the GMA crew this morning taste testing Ben and Jerry's in honor of their 35th celebration and talking about what a great town Burlington, Vermont is. We agree!

We hope you make it to a scoop shop today for a free cone. Click here to find a location near you.

Ben & Jerry's R&D

Last year, I went to Ben & Jerry's and tried to describe my experiences in R&D.

Just the other day, when I was looking up the clip about iCream Cafe, I found this clip that shows it way better than I did. (And it has John in it, who worked with my blogger friends and me when we were there!)

A [moving] picture speaks a thousand words.

Enjoy!



P.S. I am loving the show Kid in a Candy Store! It's up there with Unwrapped!

Ice Cream in...55 seconds?!

My father-in-law sent me this video.

I don't have too much to say except for "Please bring this to Massachusetts!"

iCream Cafe sounds amazing. And even though liquid nitrogen ice cream isn't new, Cora Shaw is my hero for turning this super cool product into something so accessible to the general public! (I love that this was her business school project!)

And the pudding sounds amazing too. Wow.

Tried the "first ever" Greek Frozen Yogurt Bar yet?

WE HAVE!  How could today possibly be the first day of Spring?! Seriously, more snow. Someone make it stop. The only good thing is that we have to look forward to warm days to come and that means more excuses to have some of our favorite summer treats. So awhile back I posted a sneak peek of a super fun package we received from Yasso. In case you don't yet who Yasso is, well they created the first "ever" Greek frozen yogurt bar out there created only with natural ingredients. Pretty cool. Yes, we know many have jumped on that bad wagon since but we give big props to the two founders of Yasso, who truly believe in and live by a healthy lifestyle and set out to make something that tastes great and won't pack on the pounds. And to be the first to do it with greek yogurt!

So as you may have seen, I was super excited when I opened this box from Yasso. Now typically we get samples in a big brown box and inside we find a styrofoam container with a pint of ice cream in it. No not this time...love how Yasso is branding themselves and standing out from the crowd. They are healthy and fun! Included was a Yasso beach bag (that I will proudly use on my beach trips..actually its my winter Y pool bag already!), a beach towel, shades, sun lotion, and an awesome drink cup. Oh and most importantly a box containing a bunch of new and existing flavors of their greek frozen yogurt bars. I love this page from one of the marketing pieces..."Get Bathing Suit Ready"...this package and the product fit it to a tee.

Well my coworkers were lucky that I decided to have this package shipped to my office because as that three o'clock hour hit when all were in a lull it was time for a taste test. This is fun because I get real reactions and its not just my take. Good crowdsourcing for this post. They sent the existing flavors of Strawberry, Blueberry and Raspberry and the new flavors that just launched of Vanilla Bean, Mango, and Coconut. I always find it interesting to see what flavors people pick. One who I would have pegged for a vanilla guy wanted coconut. So what was the reaction from everyone...."great texture"..."perfect and not too sweet"...."loved the vanilla but mango had an aftertaste"...."I need another now"..."like the creamy texture better than those healthy fruit bars...has some substance." There is one super health conscious person in my office and he was all concerned about the calories and protein in them. When I told him 80 calories and 6 grams of protein he was pleasantly surprised and then gave in to try one.

So after taste testing a few flavors myself I would have to say the strawberry was my favorite, I was excited about the mango but I think because they aren't very sweet (I have a major sweet tooth) I was expecting more of a burst of flavor and it wasn't there. I did really like the coconut and can see this being awesome on a hot summer day. These would be great on the go snacks. You know those days when you are going in a million directions and just need to eat something in the car quick. I already have a greek yogurt every morning so this would be a great option when I need to grab and go. I also like having this as an afternoon snack at work. Yasso was kind enough to send a good assortment so I was eating frozen yogurt bars as my late afternoon snack. Believe me every once in awhile I need some true sugar contents at 3pm at work but these did the trick. The Today show actually ran these on a "Cravings Curbed" segment which I do think they did but i have to agree with one coworker...that I needed more than one. Hey with only 80 calories I could have two and not feel guilty.

Yasso Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars in production

All in all I am happy I was introduced to frozen yogurt bars. Why...well although I will take pure goodness of ice cream I too need to consider healthy alternatives and I have to be honest that fruit bars don't tend to cut it for me unless it is a super hot day. What I did really like about the Yasso Greek Frozen Yogurt bars is the consistency and creaminess. I felt like their was some substance to it. And I actually could see my grabbing this for the car ride to bring the kids to school, camp, the doctors as an alternative to my morning greek yogurt. What else...I love the brand and the people behind it and I haven't even met them! There is a personality behind these that you sometimes lose in big brands. They have a small office on Broad Street in Boston..right next to where I used to work. They are real people living their dream. Love that in itself. Thanks Yasso for sharing!!

Check em out on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Or run to one of these retailers and try them for yourself.

Holy Cannoli, I think I have a problem...

I am obsessed with Ben & Jerry's Cannoli Ice Cream and it will be leaving the shelves within the next couple of months.

This is getting desperate.

Last time I found it at the store and they were having a 2/$6 sale, I bought five pints of Cannoli (the sixth was Liz Lemon because I had yet to try it). I already had a pint and a half of Cannoli in the freezer.

I'm tempted to stock up even more. I am already down to my last five...

I don't even know why Ben & Jerry's has limited editions, and if they have to have a limited edition flavor, can't they choose a bad flavor to limit?! (I think I will ask my contact there why they have limited editions anyway...)

And another question...if they are going to limit, can they at least publish a new book of recipes so I can make my own? While their original book has some classics, I need to make some of these new ones on my own...!

Recipe Review: Kiwifruit Ice Cream

This summer I tried making kiwifruit ice cream. I altered the Kiwifruit Sherbet recipe in Ice Cream: The Perfect Weekend Treat. I didn't like it. It was so sour, maybe even bitter is a better word for it. I thought it was me, that maybe I didn't do a good job adjusting the recipe to my own needs. (I had added milk to the recipe because I like my sherbet to have some dairy in it, and the recipe only had sugar, kiwifruit and egg whites...but in the end, I had even added extra corn syrup before I froze it, because it seemed too sour...)

So when I had a bunch of kiwifruits from Costco ripening on my counter, and a new book (The Ice Cream Bible) with a kiwifruit ice cream recipe, I thought, "Hey, let's give it a shot."

Same sour result.

I have a friend that loves sour. I am interested to know what she thinks. I was not a fan.

I'll try other recipes from this book though -- it looks very promising. More reviews to follow. Thanks for the gift, Rach!

The Sonic Sweetheart Shake and Giftcard Giveaway

Neither Tina or I have a SONIC near us, so we "hired" my the fab duo of my sister and her boyfriend to do the dirty work for us...Payment was a date to SONIC on the $20 gift card the folks at SONIC had sent and all they had to do was write a short review. Sister Arianna went above and beyond...Thanks, A and Troy! Thanks SONIC for the gift card. 

Read to the end for a chance to win a SONIC gift card yourself!

Who needs flowers and candy on Valentine's Day?! My boyfriend and I had a very romantic Sonic date to celebrate the holiday.

We drove down to the Sonic in Wallingford, CT for our special night. Ever since discussing the idea earlier in the day, we’d both been really looking forward to our meal. We arrived and took our time perusing the menu, before making our final selections. We wanted to get a meal (me: veggie burger (I love Sonic’s veggie burgers!) and cheesy tots; Troy: a Philly cheesesteak and Ched ‘R’ Peppers), but our real purpose was to scope out the Chocolate Cherry Sweetheart Shake for Scoopalicious! We ordered that last...and the girl taking our order told us she was so sorry, they were out. She eagerly volunteered to make us a cherry shake with chocolate syrup or another sort of chocolate chips, and I just figured we’d have our meal and (what a shame) have to come back to Sonic another time. But Troy decided to explain that it was imperative that we get that shake like the one in the poster, because we were writing a blog post about it. -- Well, that changed things! Our amazing order-taker, Sydney (already having proved her merit by offering to make us her best equivalent shake) then said she’d place the rest of our order, and see what she could do about getting her hands on some of those chocolate chips! Apparently they searched high and low, and finally located some in the back of the top shelf of the fridge. Hurray! The Sweetheart Shake adventure was back on.

The view from our car window!

Our server Lindy came to the car with our food, and we had a great conversation with her about the veggie burgers and the work our boyfriends did (I believe hers was a glazier; Troy is a union ironworker). After the delightful conversation, we hungrily tore into our food, saving the shake for last. When we’d eaten, it was time for dessert. (The cherry on top, just like the one on our shake!) We both stuck a straw into the cup and tried it at the same time. It was divine! Which is especially amazing, since I’m normally not a big chocolate or cherry fan. But, so delicious. The flavors balanced so well; neither was too overpowering. The chocolate chips were a brilliant idea, because they added just the right amount of chocolate to an otherwise cherry shake. The whipped cream was maybe the best part. All together, it was the best dessert I’d had in a long time!

We ordered a large shake. Looks yummy, huh?

We sat there for quite a while, sharing the shake and discussing its merits. Since we were sipping from one cup, I felt like we must have been channeling Archie and his ladies at the Chok’lit Shoppe:

(Or this one, which I found when I was searching, and I had to add it because it just amused me so much!)

We did have one problem with the shake, if you could call it a problem: we ended up finding that spoons did a better job than straws! The shake itself was very thick, making drinking it through a straw already very difficult (especially because we were enjoying it, and wanted MORE, QUICKER!). But also, the chocolate chips - as awesome as they were! - just kept getting stuck in the straws! It was drinkable, and I wouldn’t be upset if someone gave me one while I was driving and couldn’t use a spoon, but it was just something we noticed. I would suggest asking for a spoon when you order.

All in all, we were fans. I’d definitely order the Sonic Sweetheart Shake again.

A and T, thanks for spending your Valentine's day at SONIC and enjoying a real Archie moment! BEST dessert you'd had in a long time?! I guess it wasn't too much of a pain for you to have to go for us then...Thanks T for explaining the situation and thanks to Sydney for searching high and low and allowing this post to come to be!

I visited SONIC's site and it looks like they are done selling their Sweetheart Shake (maybe next year?!) -- in the meantime, check out their menu (ice cream or other) and enter to win a $20 gift card.

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Liz Lemon. I want to go there.

I have a small crush on Tina Fey. I think she is a smart, funny, intelligent woman. She's gorgeous but humble. She's an excellent role model for young women.

I love her on 30 Rock -- so sad it ended. One of my favorite movies is Mean Girls -- it's so defining of girl culture. (And I am totally thrilled that Fey and her husband are working on a musical of Mean Girls). I couldn't stop listening to Bossypants. In fact, it was one of those books that actually made me want to go to the gym so I could listen and once I was there, I'd do a few more minutes on the stair machine just to be able to listen to a little bit more of the book.

Exhibit A

And you know Tina-of-this-blog (as opposed to Tina Fey) and my love affair with Ben & Jerry's (note exhibit A. I even dress my children to play the part of major fan!)...so when Ben & Jerry's announced Liz Lemon...I wasn't surprised, because while driving to downtown Burlington with some other bloggers and some Ben & Jerry's peeps when I was at Ben & Jerry's last year, I suggested Liz Lemon ice cream. My idea got pooh poohed, but I have a feeling they only did that because it was already in the works -- that, or they had already gotten that idea from tons of other fans. I mean, 30 Rock and Ben & Jerry's is a match made in heaven and Liz Lemon lemon flavored anything is a gimme.

I wasn't upset I didn't get credit for my (and undoubtedly thousands of other peoples') idea for Liz Lemon Ben & Jerry's. In fact, I was incredibly bummed neither of us on the Scoopalicious team could go to NYC for the launch of Liz Lemon Greek Frozen Yogurt. This would have been awesome. [Sometimes it's hard to be a blogger from Boston, and not NYC. We couldn't make it down for Jimmy Fallon's flavor launch either, and I ♥ Jimmy Fallon as much as Tina Fey (I always kind of thought they should get married...)] But I digress.

So naturally, I had to buy it when I saw it on the shelf. I'm kind of an ice cream girl above all else (frozen yogurt isn't my frozen treat of choice) but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It's simply lovely. It's not too tart. In fact, it's incredibly refreshing. The blueberry lavender that runs through it is a sweet treat to offset the lemon. It's creamy and it was a nice change of pace to have Ben & Jerry's without the chunky mix-ins.

Added bonus, it the flavor gives a nod to Jumpstart, an awesome program that Fey is involved with. (Ben & Jerry's site officially says: "We dedicate this lemony-blueberry-y flavor to all the good that both Tina and Jumpstart have accomplished!" but I am not sure exactly what this means besides a "shout out" -- which while seemingly not financial in it's "dedication," at least Jumpstart is getting it's name out there to even more people....

Who needs Buffalo Wings

Not us...we'll take a chocolate fudge shake for our halftime snack!

Pinterest Crazed

Have you checked us out on Pinterest yet? We love pinning! It's our very own recipe box, gift idea exchange, and collection of beautiful ice cream images that we are addicted to adding to and hope you enjoy following. Happy Pinning!

Sweet Yasso Surprise

Love surprises like this at my office and can't wait to see what's inside. Thanks Yasso. Stay tuned for what fun and yummy stuff delivered!

Holiday Shopping Fuel

Cuz I deserve it...Chocolate hazelnut and Gingerbread swirl...yum!

Best office holiday gift yet

Tis the season for cookies, popcorn, fruit and more to be sent to the office. This time we hit the jackpot! A case of Graeters ice cream which I have to admit I haven't tried yet so I am pretty psyched. Happy holidays to me! Oh and the rest of the office if they manage to get the spoon out of my hand :)

To Mix-in or Not To Mix-in? Part II: To Mix-in

I wrote last time about mix-ins that I didn't think added to the ice cream. I also talked about how there was another ice cream I thought that I wouldn't like because of the mix-ins and how I was wrong.

I really didn't think that the Cannoli Ice Cream (from their site: "Mascarpone Ice Cream with Fudge Covered Cannoli Pastry Shell Chunks & a Mascarpone Swirl.") from Ben & Jerry's needed fudge when I read about it for the first time. Chocolate? I am a cannoli purist -- I lived in Boston's North End for seven years (I loved it there) and can have debates with friends over whether Maria's or Modern is better. (Ok, ok, maybe a real purist wouldn't even want to try Cannoli Ice Cream.) But I did. I wanted to try it anyway.

I looked a lot to find this ice cream. At first I was too early and it hadn't hit the shelves yet. Then, apparently, it was harder to find than other flavors and they must have gotten a lot of questions about it, because they produced a total social media driven "Cannoli Finder." My local locations weren't showing up yet, so I would just hope I'd see it at the grocery store and I would be the one to be able to add it. Finally, one day, when I thought I was out of luck at my local Shaw's, BAM!, there it was at an end cap. I bought a pint. Bad idea...*

Ok, so, um, I loved it. First of all, I realized it would only be "Marscapone Ice Cream" with out the shells mixed in, but without being enrobed in fudge, the shells would be soggy, so I think that it was almost necessary  Second, the fudge didn't take away anything for me. In fact, I hardly noticed it. It wasn't an overwhelming flavor or anything. Just enough. Finally, Ben & Jerry's is kind of defined by its mix-ins. (Their site does say, "The road to Euphoria is paved with chunks and swirls!") I don't think it would be the same if there weren't chunks to search for! The flavor itself is rich but light at the same time. Does this make sense? I think my husband says it best when we had this conversation after first breaking open the pint:

Husband: What flavor is Cannoli?

Me: Marscapone but doesn't it taste like pistachio? (I have since changed my mind on the pistachio opinion...)

Husband: No. It tastes like "good." (I agree, but I might say great!)

*So then I ran into a problem. At the time of this writing, I was very pregnant and I started to crave it. I made my husband and daughter and I go back to the Shaw's (not our closest grocery store, I might add) to go shopping...and guess what?! They were out. So, I have polished off a pint of Cherry Garcia (still an excellent standby) but I was still craving Cannoli. I'll just have to keep looking.

It's a good thing I found this. Just the other day I realized my other Cannoli supplier would never be my supplier even if they did arrive out in these parts. They no longer make it.

Ben & Jerry's...please don't do this to me and take it off the shelves in the end. Make this a permanent flavor. I would be so grateful.

So here it is. To mix-in.

To Mix-in or Not To Mix-in? Part I: Not to Mix-in

I'm having a bit of a mix-in mix-up. Usually I like mix-ins. In this way, I do not take after my mother. She's not a fan.

Here's what happened. I bought two ice cream flavors recently -- one that I expected I wouldn't like as much because of the mix-ins and another I thought I would like because of the mix-ins. In both cases, I was wrong.

My sister suggested I try Talenti's Sea Salt Caramel Gelato. Amazing ice cream. Really amazing. Creamy, smooth, and a perfect salty/sweet flavor. But, while I usually find myself searching out the mix-ins, I found myself digging around the mix-ins. First of all, I couldn't tell what they were. The container doesn't tell me a thing. I read chocolate on one site. Didn't taste that way to me. Second of all, the gelato was smooth, wonderful perfection -- smooth and creamy -- it just did not need anything else. I found my frozen euphoria broken up by chunks of...

Well, I'll be..."small sea salt caramel truffles that have been bathed in chocolate." You got it, Ice Cream Informant! I don't know why I doubted you except for the fact that  it just didn't taste that way to me.

Anyway, would I buy this again? Yes. But would I be happier without the mix-ins? Yes.

Stay tuned for my next post where I am happily surprised with the mix-in.

Recipe Repost: Apple Cider Cider Donut

I posted this recipe out of season, and now since it is smack dab in the middle of apple season, I thought it was time for a relink.

Apple Cider Cider Donut Ice Cream. Enjoy!

Banana-Rama Eight O’Clock Coffee Milkshake

So I received this recipe from Eight O'Clock coffee and was perplexed at when to try this recipe out. Do I go for it at breakfast, it does have bananas and coffee in it,  or why not kick it up with some Kahlua for a fun party cocktail. Well....I opted for neither since shakes aren't my thing at 8am and a school night wasn't the best timing for a cocktail so I made this exactly as you see  below and made it an early evening treat...just a little before Eight O'clock (get it!). Just looking at the amount of coffee made me realize probably not a good idea too soon before bed. But you be the judge it is 12am and I am writing this post! 

Banana-Rama Eight O’Clock Coffee Milkshake

1 1/2 cups cold Eight O’Clock Coffee Original Blend

2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 Banana
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
Crushed ice

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup if desired.  

Variation: If you really want to pump up the coffee flavor, start by crushing frozen coffee ice cubes. Switch to chocolate ice cream for a truly chocolaty treat! Or kick it up and add some Kahlua!

RESULTS: 
Perfect coffee and banana blend. I was worried about a heavy coffee taste but it was just right and that little drizzle of chocolate brought it all together. Next time I am definitely going for the adult version!

Now that summer is over...

...it's time to get my butt back in shape! Too many margaritas, hot dogs, cookouts, and of course ice cream cones for me. Funny I was talking to a friend recently who said summer is her season to get in shape. You can be outdoors all the time, go for a quick run, do a triathalon (well not me!) and so much more than you can do any other time of the year. For me it's the opposite. Our weekends are so overbooked in the summer and we try to get in every ounce of sun with the kids that no time is left for me. So now I am kicking myself into gear and at bootcamp class at 6am three days a week. Problem though is...ice cream. Who knew that would be a problem!

So this week when I went to the grocery store I was strategic about my choices....portion control and sugar free. Seriously there are actually good options out there without having to suck on flavored ice!

I ended up bringing home two different options to see which I preferred and also know if I don't eat them my ice cream loving child will. Girl after my own heart! My strategy.... one option that was premium ice cream but in a small portion controlled size or go for quantity and choose a larger bar but one that is sugar free. My daughter and I had differing opinions of which would be our favorite. More on that later.

Here is is the ongoing question.....quality over quantity VS quantity over quality!? I always pick one way. And here is what I ended up bringing home....

Magnum Mini Classic
(1.85 oz bar - Box says serving size is 2 bars so I cut nutritional facts in half)

150 calories

10 gram fat

25 grams sugar

Klondike Krunch Sugar Free

(4 oz ice cream bar)

170 calories

10 gram fat

7 grams sugar 

Once again....drum roll please...my favorite hands down but doesn't mean I didn't like the other is the Magnum Mini. I take quality over quantity all day long on most things. The chocolate is thick and rich and totally satisfies my sweet tooth and the ice cream is super creamy. All I need is that little bit of something really good. On the other hand my daughter argued with me about Klondike being the better option. She loved the Krunch in the chocolate coating and for her the mini just seemed too small. She agreed the serving size is two. And what did she do...had another!

Tis the season for Limited Edition Flavors

I never ever get to catch a segment of the Today show but I gave myself 10 minutes this morning to down my breakfast in front of the TV rather than my computer and glad I did. They had a quick segment on fall Limited Edition flavors with Roker and friends taste testing them all. I love the fall and the flavors that come with it. Sometimes I wish they were year round but maybe then I wouldn't appreciate them so much. It's all about....pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin martinis, pumpkin cupcakes....everything pumpkin. Love it!

So onto the flavors they highlighted and there's more to this than pumpkin. There were four flavors and all the hosts agreed on which they thought was the winner. Interestingly I didn't agree but to each there own. What's your pick?! Read on to the end of this post to see what the Today show gang chose.

Edy's Slow Churned Pumpkin
Sweet and Light Pumpkin Flavored Ice Cream Blended with the Perfect mix of Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Ginger.

Blue Bunny 24 Karat Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake flavored Ice Cream Swirled with Cream Cheese Frosting Flavored Ice Cream with Carrot Cake Pieces....inspired by Duff Goldman

Turkey Hill Whoopie Pie
Chocolate Ice Cream with Whoopie Pie Pieces and Creamy Filling Swirl

Ben and Jerry's Cannoli
Marscapone Ice Cream with Fudge Covered Cannoli Pastry Shell Chunks and a Marscapone Swirl

And the favorite amongst the Today show hosts was ......drum roll please.....Turkey Hill Whoopie Pie!

My favorite (but to be fair I haven't tasted them all but know I don't even have to because I am biased on the all things Pumpkin....Edy's Pumpkin. 
Get out there and try these while they are around. I have a feeling none of these will disappoint.