The Big Muddy Ice Cream Blog

So my roommate, Rachel, has the best parents. They got me the coolest Christmas gift. Wooops. I mean they got her  the coolest Christmas gift. I just get to benefit from it. They got her the ice cream maker attachment for her Kitchenaid Mixer and the Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home cookbook. As she flipped through the cookbook looking for what she was going to make first, she pointed out to me that every ice cream recipe in the book included cream cheese. This was kind of surprising to me, but the more I think about it and the more Jeni's and Jeni's homemade ice cream I eat, the more it makes sense to me. Jeni's has a really unique texture, which I think might be explained by the inclusion of cream cheese. The ice cream in the mixer!! Yum Swirlyswirlyswirlyswirl Another cool thing about this recipe book is that includes little tidbits about how Jeni's actually makes their ice cream, tips to make ice cream at home, and just info about ice cream

So, Dove makes ice cream! Last night I went to the gas station to pick up a pint of 2nd Street Creamery (aside - why is it only sold at a gas station!?), and decided I couldn't leave with only one pint of ice cream.  For my second pint I wanted a really chocolatel-y flavor that I was sure Kyle would like, so I went with Dove Unconditional Chocolate.  Let me tell you, the gas station cashier had some seriously judgy eyes when he figured out that I came to the gas station to ONLY buy TWO pints of ice cream and not even gas or anything.  Don't judge me, gas station cashier, YOU'RE NOT JUDGE JUDY! When I saw the Dove in the gas station case, I was initially surprised that Dove made ice cream.  I knew they had ice cream bars, but didn't know they made pints.  Then, as I thought about it more, I think I have seen pints of Dove at the grocery store.  They only make 3 pint flavors, so I probably just scanned by it at the grocery store as 'brand with not enough choices.&#

Like the last weekend I spent in St. Louis, on my birthday weekend Brett and I were obviously splitting another pint on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  We went to a different Schunck's in my seemingly never ending hunt for some of the new Ben & Jerry's flavors. We didn't find any so I kinda felt stumped on what flavor to buy. At first I was thinking a Haagen Dazs Tiramisu Gelato, but Brett wasn't feeling it. Since he was going to eat half the pint I guess it would be courteous for me to listen to his opinion. So we bought a pint of Talenti Belgian Milk Chocolate. Although it wasn't totally what I was craving, it's okay because I'm trying to keep my room clean and organized. No I'm not trying to confuse you, Dearest Reader. If you've had Talenti you know that it comes in awesome clear plastic containers with screw on tops. The kind of containers that are perfect for storing things and knick knacks and stuff! I currently have all my things and knic

The frozen yogurt bar, Tutti Frutti opened a University City location back in the summer of 2012. After not being super impressed my first visit that summer, I was convinced to go back when I was told they had amazing vegan flavors made with soy. Their soy peanut butter, taro root, and banana milk have been favorites of mine ever since. Look at the adorable designs on the Tutti Frutti cups!! But the University City location, on North & South and Delmar, isn't actually close to where I used to live in University City, so I didn't go a ton, and I hadn't had a chance to go since moving out of St. Louis. Even though frozen yogurt bars aren't the most exciting, I had really been craving some vegan peanut butter froyo, so after my birthday dinner (at the all vegan brick and mortar location of Lulu's Local Eatery) last weekend we all headed to Tutti Frutti for some froyo. A list of things to help you convince yourself that froyo is good for you. A while

After trying the Limited Edition Peanut Butter Half Baked (reviewed  here ), and talking about how Ben and Jerry's was the first brand to ever put cookie dough into ice cream I decided it would be in my best interest to review some cookie dough ice cream.  What better place to start than with the originators themselves? I picked up a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream at the grocery store this weekend.  This flavor is described as Vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. The first thing that I noticed was the vanilla flavor.  There are some grumps out there who are not that fond of Ben and Jerry's vanilla base, especially in comparison to their Vanilla Bean base used in the now-discontinued (aside, I'm very sad this flavor no longer exists) Late Night Snack.  I guess I shouldn't really call them grumps because I have the same quibbles about their chocolate vs. milk chocolate bases.  Anyway, the point is that I

When I went to Casey's General Store not too long ago, the other 2nd Street Creamery flavor I picked up was Copper Kettle Caramel. I bought the Cannoli di Nonni because I was really excited about it, and I bought this flavor because I had read a really amazing review of it on the blog The Ice Cream Informant. Not that I wasn't excited about this flavor or anything, but so many people are doing salted caramel flavors these days that I am just skeptical about all of them. I have had some bad salted caramel ice creams. But cannoli isn't done much so I have instant respect for a brand that decides to tackle it. But I generally trust The Ice Cream Informant reviews so I was excited for this pint. As you know from Madeline and I, what makes this brand special is that amazing stories inspire their flavors. The description of this flavor is Caramel Flavored Ice Cream with Caramel Ribbon and Sea Salt Fudge Truffles The short version, found on the pint, of this flavor's s

When I was visiting STL last weekend, I needed to pick up some groceries on Sunday, which obviously meant getting some ice cream. Since I can't take ice cream back to Eldon with me, seeing as it would melt in the car, this meant I needed to get Brett to agree to help me finish whatever pint of ice cream I got in one sitting. He reluctantly  agreed. I wanted to get something that I haven't really been able to find in Eldon/the Lake area to make it a worthwhile pint in one sitting experience. There might  be Oberweis at the Dierberg's at the Lake, but I'm not sure; however, I know there isn't any in Eldon or at the HyVee at the Lake, which I go to more often than Dierberg's. The Schnucks' Brett and I were at only had Chocolate, Vanilla, Butter Pecan and Chocolate Peanut Butter Oberweis. The Chocolate Peanut Butter really seemed like it would hit the spot. For those of you that are not from/do not live in the Midwest, Oberweis is a a dairy company t

I've tried a few Market Pantry (Target in-house brand) ice creams in the past and not been that impressed.  They had an adventurous-sounding popcorn-flavored ice cream that fell a bit flat.  In general, I've felt the Market Pantry ice cream's were ok, but pretty decent for their price point ($3-4 for 1.5 quarts).  I do NOT feel this way about Market Pantry Monster Cookie.  This was a simply fantastic ice cream, despite the fact it was reduced fat! Apparently monster cookies are a thing.  They are a thing I have never had before, and I am ANGRY that I have not heard of them until now.  For all of you out there who have had a monster cookie, and have not taken it upon yourselves to inform me of their existence, SHAME ON YOU. Monster cookies are peanut butter/oatmeal cookies with M&M's.  Sounds good right?  There was not a description of this ice cream on the pint, but from what I could tell it was vanilla (or maybe peanut butter ice cream) with small chunks o

This past weekend I headed to Ices Plain and Fancy with a few friends. They hadn't been and weren't really convinced it was as good as Brett and I were saying it was. Also they hadn't seen my video of the Campfire S'mores, so they didn't really know what they were talking about. I was hoping to get the apple crumble or apple pie or whatever it was Fancy Ice that I had seen on the menu when I got the Campfire S'mores because I was excited at the possibility that it could be as spectacular as the S'mores. Alas, it was not on the menu. At first I was bummed, but then I saw Candy Cane and Wasabi White Chocolate on the menu and my disappointment lifted. They added lights to their mixers. Super fun!! Brett, being a mint lover and not as adventurous as I am went for the Candy Cane and promised me a bite. I went confidently and ordered the Wasabi White Chocolate. I don't totally love wasabi, but after my skepticism was proven to be misplaced with IPF'

Chocolate Peppermint Crunch is a classic, chunktacular Ben & Jerry's flavor.  This is described as Chocolate ice cream with peppermint and fudge swirls and mint chocolate cookie balls. Sorry for the absolutely crappy lighting! Even before I tasted this ice cream, I knew it would be great.  I couldn't even run my ice cream scooper through the ice cream without hitting one of the cookie balls.  There are so many of them! The peppermint swirl was visible.  It was gooey, white, shimmery veins running through the pint, but I couldn't really see or taste the fudge swirl.  Even though this was the case, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. Peppermint swirl! Rather than tasting like chocolate ice cream with a peppermint swirl, the peppermint swirl infused the entire pint with a pepperminty flavor.  I actually liked this way way more than I would have liked it had there been distinct chocolate and peppermint flavors.  As it was, the

Even thought I haven't had much Graeter's, there is i special place in my heart reserved for the brand, so I was excited when they recently launched a gelato line, which right now consists of 4 flavors.  I, of course, decided to try out the chocolatey flavor, Dark Chocolate, for my first taste of this new gelato.  It was awesome.  I mean was there any doubt. The description of this flavor on Graeter's website cracks me up: Chocolate fanatics, your gelato has arrived.  Graeter's Dark Chocolate Truffle Gelato!  Dark chocolate gelato is paired with dark chocolate truffles that have dark chocolate cream centers, resulting in a decadent, "extra noir" gelato crafted in true Italian fashion. I mean, how many times can you say the words 'dark chocolate'? Graeter's Ice Cream is known for using the French Pot process to make small, 2 gallon batches of ice cream.  It seems they've stuck to this trend and make their gelato by hand, the It

I think this is my first non-dairy blog post!  Huzzah! One of my mom's friends can't have dairy, and thought she would have to live without chocolate ice cream forever, but boy did she have another think coming!  I initially wanted to review a pint of SoDelicious because that is offered in a lot of 'normal' stores like Wal-Mart and such, but when I stopped by Whole Foods, there were no non-plain SoDelicious flavors.  I really wanted to show that there were fancy, chocolatey flavors of non-dairy ice cream out there, so I decided on a pint of Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Chocolate Walnut Brownie flavor.  The website and pint both don't have a flavor description, but this is chocolate (coconut milk) ice cream with chunks of walnut and chunks of brownie. Not only is this dessert non-dairy, it is also gluten and soy free! Initially I was a bit apprehensive as I have not liked coconut based ice cream in the past as it often tastes too much like coconu

What would the world be without Cookie Dough Ice Cream?  A much sadder place, that's what.  THhis ice cream flavor is so ubiquitous that it is surprising that Ben and Jerry's didn't introduce this ice cream to the world until 1984.  it seems like its been around since the beginning of time.  Even the dinosaurs were eating it! In addition to a classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (CCCD) flavor, Ben and Jerry's offers the flavor Half Baked which consists of Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Creams with Fudge Brownies and gobs of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.  Gobs!  B&J's most recent limited edition flavor, PEANUT BUTTER Half Baked (PBHB) is a twist on this twist of classic CCCD.  Can you tell I'm excited about PEANUT BUTTER?  YEAH!  This flavor is described as Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Creams mixed with gobs of Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Fudge Brownies. The first time I tried this, I was a bit underwhelmed because the ice cream was so difficult to