Jilly's Ice Cream Bar: Kaboom and French Silk

Dearest Reader, I feel like is has been a while since we've caught up. Well, I guess you don't ever really tell me what is going on in your life, but whatever. Recently, I've been doing a lot of work on my applications to graduate programs, and I've been working and running a lot, not leaving much time for blog writing. And let me tell you, I have missed it. Not that I've decreased my ice cream consumption, don't you worry about that. I've just been eating flavors I've already reviewed. I've also missed blogging because it is my creative outlet; it is where I wrestle with the really important life questions: like which am I in the mood for, crazy, chocolatey mix-ins or unique flavors??

Well to get to it. Back in October when it wasn't really effing cold outside, my friend Bronwyn and I walked to Jilly's Ice Cream Bar. Bronwyn's favorite flavor there is Kaboom, which is Oreo Ice Cream, Mini M&M's, and Brownie Morsels. She really, really wanted me to try it, but I was pretty intrigued by the Spiced Pear Sorbet that was a monthly flavor. Basically the decision came to the question I posed above: crazy, chocolatey mix-ins or unique flavors?? Basically, my whole life I leaned toward the former. I had adopted my mother's dessert motto, "If it's not chocolate, why bother?" to other aspects of my life, like breakfast and snacks. It would not be out of place to find Reese's Puffs Cereal, some sort of chocolate Pot-Tart and Chocolate Brownie Cliff Bars in my pantry all at the same time. I had the tastes and purchasing habits of a five year-old and I was proud of it. However, this summer some things changed. After visiting my aunt, uncle, and cousin in Belligham and making several trips to Mallard Ice Cream, I began to appreciate unique and interesting flavors more than I had in that past. Mallard Ice Cream is known for flavors like olive oil, basil, rootbeer, and ghost pepper lime, and not so much known for crazy, chocolatey flavors. This new appreciation I had for unique flavors made me feel like I had grown as a person; like I had matured in my tastes. However, in this moment in Jilly's Ice Cream Bar, deciding between Spiced Pear Sorbet and Kaboom, I realized I wasn't really sure who I was anymore. Was I a sophisticated adult spooning Spiced Pear Sorbet, or was I kid at heart shoveling Kaboom into my face?

I'm not really sure if I have come to the answer to this grand question or if Bronwyn just talked me into getting Kaboom. Either way, Kaboom is really good. The Oreo ice cream was really a nice addition. It was sort of like a sweeter vanilla ice cream, with an Oreo swirl. The Oreo swirl reminded me of when you dip Oreos in milk and are that perfect softness, but they aren't so soaked with milk that they are falling apart. I also really liked that they used mini M&M's instead of regular size. It added more crunchy texture from the candy coating. It also seemed like the M&M's were sort of "soaked" in the ice cream, like the Oreo swirl. The colors of the M&M's swirled through the ice cream, which looked really nice. Lastly, there wasn't that much brownie, but it wasn't really necessary. The brownie was similar texture to the Oreo's which created a dualism between Oreo swirl/brownies and M&M's. Overall, this flavor was exactly what it needed to be, really sweet, really chocolatey. It totally pleased the immature ice cream eater in me.

Look at all the pretty colors.

The other flavor I got that day was French Silk. I'm not really the biggest pie fan, but I'll always be down for French Silk pie, because chocolate, duh. This ice cream is described as Chocolate Ice Cream with Ribbons of Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings, and Slivers of Cripsy Pie Crust. The base really tasted a lot like chocolate pudding more than chocolate which was really impressive. The pie crusts pieces were definitely more like chunks than slivers, which was definitely awesome. They were super buttery and flakey and just awesome. The whipped cream ribbon and chocolate shavings were not super prominent, which was fine. They added just the perfect touch to make this ice cream really resemble French Silk Pie.

You can't see the pie crust chunks, but I promise they are there and they are prominent.

After eating these ice creams I'm not sure I've solved this crisis of identity I've been having, but I did really enjoy myself. I don't know who I am as an ice cream eater, but if that keeps me open to trying all kinds of flavors, whether chocolatey and chunky or super sophisticated flavors, then I'm okay with that.