Tag: Graeter’s

Sweets

Graeter’s Black Cherry Chocolate Chip

by Wendi2 Comments on Graeter’s Black Cherry Chocolate Chip

graeters black cherryThe following is a 100% true story.

Once upon a time, I tried some Black Cherry Ice Cream.

It tasted like dish soap.

The End.

I told this story to my pal Mary while we were out picking sweet cherries earlier this summer.  And I swear, later that very same day I got an email asking if I’d like to try Graeter’s newest flavor….Black Cherry Chocolate Chip.

For a refresher on Graeter’s, clicky here please.

Clearly, I took this as a sign that The Universe was listening to me say how awful I thought Black Cherry anything was and wanted me to reconsider my opinion.  And thanks to the magic of dry ice, insulated packing, and overnight delivery, I had a change of heart.

Here’s what Graeter’s had to say:

“Graeter’s ice cream is making 2013 a little sweeter with the addition of its newest flavor, Black Cherry Chocolate Chip. The new flavor is now available in The Fresh Market, Weis and Mars stores in the Baltimore area. 

The first new Graeter’s flavor in 3 years, Black Cherry Chocolate Chip, is all-natural black cherry ice cream made with heavy cream, pure cane sugar and loaded with fresh black cherries and Graeter’s signature dark chocolate chunks.

While the flavor is new, the process remains the same: churned in a French Pot, two gallons at a time, and hand-packed by the pint.”

And here’s what I have to say:

Done the Graeter’s way, velvet smooth ice cream is studded with tender black cherries and chocolate.  I’m not talking about a fleck of cherry or a chip of chocolate.  Oh no. I mean full on cherries and Graeter’s signature chunks of chocolate that are magically married to the ice cream as it churns in its happy little French Pot (am I the only one that misses Bob Ross talking about happy little trees?).

As a former Black Cherry hater I do not say this lightly, but this might be my new favorite ice cream flavor.  Thank you Graeter’s for the opportunity to make a new start with Black Cherry Chocolate Chip.  Finding out I was wrong has never been more delicious.

Don’t have access to Graeter’s where you live?  They will conveniently deliver it to your door.

Disclaimer:  I received complimentary ice cream from Graeter’s.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Random

Graeter’s Ice Cream

by Wendi12 Comments on Graeter’s Ice Cream

I don’t usually make a habit of talking about things here on BAH unless I have known and loved them.  I respectfully decline many “opportunities” to feature products or talk about brands because I don’t already have a personal relationship with them.  Recently I was approached to try a product.  The folks who contacted me don’t know me.  And they could have no idea that I am inherently weak and lacking in self control when faced ice cream.  But here they were asking if I would like to try a new brand of ice cream that is launching in the B’more Metro area.  It was that weakness that made me hit the Google to find out exactly what it was about this particular ice cream that makes it so special.  A few keystrokes and clicks later, after reading the story behind the product and about their small batch process, I said yes.  Actually, I think I said yes, please.

142 years is a long time for a family to be making ice cream.  But that’s exactly what the Graeter family of Cincinnati, Ohio have been doing. Rich, creamy ice cream.  With or without chunks of chocolate.  I don’t know how they manage to keep the chocolate chunks tender during the freezing process, but they do.  Must be a bit of family magic passed down from generation to generation.  I am picturing a special ceremony on the production floor where the title of ‘secrets of the ice cream keeper’ is passed to the next generation, and the final part of the ritual is learning how to prevent the chocolate chunks from turning in brittle shards of sadness.

And even though I don’t live in any of the cities where they operate ice cream shops, I can now get my Graeter’s on anytime I like.  In addition to their mail order operation…that’s right, I can get ice cream delivered to my door (you can too!)…I can now pick up a pint or two at my grocery store.

Of the flavors I was able to try – Vanilla Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Chocolate Chip – Chocolate Chocolate Chip was my personal favorite.  The chocolate flavor is milky and rich but not overly sweet, and just a small scoop or two is enough to make me happy.  I shared the Vanilla with my coworkers and only got a small taste of that one.  But the fact that the pint was decimated in about twenty minutes leads me to believe that they liked it.  The Mistah is a sucker for Mint Chocolate Chip but I did manage to sneak a scoop or two from that container.  I enjoyed it but the mint flavor is a little subdued. While I was excited to dig in to the Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, it wasn’t my favorite.  To me, the essence of the berry flavor gets completely lost.

Looking at the list of flavors that Graeter’s produces, I’ve got my eye on a few that I want to get to know better….I’m talking to you Caramel and Buckeye Blitz.  So the next time I’m dashing through The Fresh Market, I’m going to have to make a point of actually looking at the ice cream case.  It’s a spot that I try and avoid, or at least turn my head and avert my gaze as I go by.  But I’m willing to make an exception every once in a while.

Disclaimer:  I received a selection of ice cream from Graeter’s.  All opinions expressed are my own.