WTF happened to ice cream?

[no_hypocrisy]

Not just a simple one-scoop cone cost 35 cents in 1974 -- and in the Hamptons, no less!

When did ice cream stop having flavor? Now all you get is a sensation of cold and sugar.

I went to an ice cream parlor and I ordered a Bear Creek concoction that I figured had to be loaded with flavor: caramel, cheesecake, chocolate nuggets.

Nada. Niente. Nichts. Zilch.

I used to work in an ice cream store decades ago. The ice cream decidedly had flavors. My first love of ice cream was coffee with chocolate sprinkles. Unless I make my own, ain't gonna happen again.

What are your experiences with retail stores that sell ice cream?

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Pitango gelato in DC and Balt - and Bassetts in Philly are both superb

Also, Talenti gelato in grocery stores is superb.

Most store ice cream (Cold Stone, Brusters) is pretty awful. Breyers and Edys is simply air.

[smirkymonkey]

5. I love Talenti gelato!

In fact, I just had some of their butter pecan a few minutes ago. It was a struggle not to eat the whole pint!

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. the coffee chocolate chip is devastating!

[smirkymonkey]

12. They have a black raspberry chocolate chip that is also amazing.

The other thing I like about it is that it's not rock hard when you take it out of the freezer to scoop it. It's much smoother than regular ice cream, not as granular.

[OriginalGeek]

15. I might commit crimes for that

Our publix had Talenti on bogo a while back and I'm an addict ever since.

[TexasBushwhacker]

14. The Caramel Apple Pie flavor is great too

They used to make a Coffee Toffee flavor but I think it's discontinued.

[yuiyoshida]

2. I just ordered some Ben & Jerry's ice cream...

it was 10 dollars per a medium size container. Its probably the only Ice cream I will even eat...

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. Chubby Hubby is my favorite B&J flavor!

[yuiyoshida]

10. THE ONLY way I can eat it...

is in a ice cream float. Going to have a Dr. Pepper float tonight...as soon as they deliver it.

[madaboutharry]

3. I like Cherry Garcia, but I think you're right.

I think ice cream nowadays has a lot of chemicals and preservatives in it, which kills the flavor.

[OriginalGeek]

18. True story

Wife opened a pint of Cherry Garcia many years ago. Enjoyed a few bites then pulled out a long gray hair. Back then neither of us had gray hair so it had to come from the pint. We wrote them a letter and explained how we love their ice cream and appreciate the lengths they go to create authentic flavors but we reckoned a Jerry hair was just too authentic.

They wrote back and apologized and thanked us for making them laugh and sent us like 10 coupons for free pints.

Still love B&J.

[madaboutharry]

22. Hair of unknown origin is always bad.

[appleannie1943]

4. First of all, it no longer has milk in it, let alone real other products. It is a concoction of

chemicals with artificial flavors. It is not cream, eggs and sugar with real vanilla or berries or fruit.

[elleng]

20. Hagendaz does, cream, skim milk, cane sugar, egg yolks, and coffee (for coffee i.c.)

[Major Nikon]

34. All food is made from chemicals

Food products called "ice cream" have specific legal requirements regarding dairy content per US (and other countries) food code:

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=135.110

Specifically a product called "ice cream" has to have cream.

[fierywoman]

6. Get an electric ice cream maker-- new or at Goodwill --

and David Lebovitz's ice cream book (The Perfect Scoop)-- it's really easy to make. Me, I love the rice ice cream you find in Florence.

[unblock]

7. my favorite was Frusen Gldaje coffee ice cream. that had a very creamy but intense coffee flavor

sadly they are no more

[no_hypocrisy]

21. I remember that brand.

They had a rockin' chocolate almond.

[surrealAmerican]

24. I remember that.

The chocolate covering on the almonds kept them crunchy. It seemed like an innovation at the time.

[uppityperson]

11. We've a local small ice cream shop that makes their own and it's yummy

[SharonClark]

16. Hagen Das is my favorite commercial brand but we have several local craft ice creams that are supurb

A chocolate shop makes their own gelato and several artisan ice cream makers are selling at the farmers markets and local groceries. With all that good ice cream available most people settle for the tasteless fluff.

[Mme. Defarge]

31. And if you read the ingredients

you'll discover that it really is ice cream. ALWAYS read ingredients.

[jberryhill]

17. Your sense of taste changes with age

[elleng]

19. Recently hagendaz coffee, and mint chip, and

B & J Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz have satisfied me. I don't do anyone's concoctions.

[DFW]

23. I'm still trying to figure something else out

Why, in the States, is ice cream some pedestrian normal dessert when the English word is used, but mysteriously transformed into something special for double or triple the price when it gets translated into Italian?

[Dave Starsky]

25. How old are you?

People start to lose their sense of taste as they get older. I know elderly folks who put salt and pepper on EVERYTHING, and I am finding that my trusty bottle of hot sauce is getting used more and more on things I wouldn't have imagined using it before.

So please consider that your ice cream problem may be... you.

[no_hypocrisy]

30. I'm on the cusp of senior citizenship/older middle aged. But I can still distinctly taste

just about everything else, even nuanced flavors.

It's the ice cream, not my tongue.

[blogslut]

40. Maybe it's too cold.

Let the stuff get thaw bit and it might have more flavor for you.

[Croney]

26. Bliss Dairy in Mass. makes a no-sugar-added caramel pecan

that I get at a little stand in Boscawen, NH. First ingredients are milk and cream. I plan trips around this pit stop.

[greymattermom]

27. If you're in Rhode Island, try Brickley's.

My daughter went to RISD, and we'd always take a few extra days off in September and June. I loved their ginger ice cream. https://www.facebook.com/brickleysicecream/

[Chipper Chat]

28. For northern Indiana residents or travelers:

Good retail ice cream places are hard to come by but I have found two:
The Igloo in Silver Lake and Scoops in Milford

[exboyfil]

29. The miniseries 11/22/63

made this point with a time traveler.

Often argued with grain sugar vs. high fructose corn syrup

That $0.35 ice cream would be $1.84 in today's dollars. I am satisfied with the $1 cone from McDonalds, but I don't have many because of the calories.

[MFM008]

32. I tried an experiment

Last night. Got a chocolate cone from Dairy Queen.
A bit melty.
Tasted great.
Got a vanilla cone from McDonalds.
Didn't taste the same. It was cold .
But when I had enough I threw the rest in the bag.
In 88 degree heat it didn't melt in 10 minutes..
Wtf is in those things?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

33. I think the ice cream still tastes great, but my taste buds have gotten old. nt

[Initech]

35. In California we have this hipster ice cream place called Afters.

Their donuts are good, but their ice cream leaves something to be desired. I mean don't trust a place that combines ice cream with overly sugared breakfast cereal.

[AngryAmish]

36. Everything else got more flavorful

Part to the reason we are so fat is everything tastes more delicious nowadays. Cold sugar fat was ice cream. Had it six to ten times a year.

Now ice cream hits all five flavor notes, hard. Salty is now standard. Ummani also.

[Beaverhausen]

37. Jeni's is pretty tasty

started in Columbus OH and branched out. I get it here in Los Angeles. Somewhat strange flavors but it's good stuff.

and here's another vote for Talenti Gelato- for me is Salted Caramel. Woof!

[csziggy]

38. Publix brand premium ice cream is really good

Especially their Limited Edition Flavors.

In their regular flavors I like their vanilla which has real vanilla bean specks in it. The only flavor I haven't liked was their pumpkin spice but I never liked pumpkin in the first place.

Out of their Limited Edition line of seasonal ice creams hands down the best is New Orlean Pecan Praline.It's sort of like Butter Pecan but with a browned sugar/butter flavor with toasted pecans and little bits of crispy praline stirred in.

Some stores have it right now - but the last time I went into the one where I usually find it they were out. I'm buying some every time they have it in stock to encourage them to carry it all year round!

Year round they do have Otter Paws:

Otter Paws® delivers yummy vanilla ice cream sprinkled with chocolate-coated pecans and irresistible swirls of caramel. If you prefer classic tastes, but are looking to switch it up a little, Otter Paws® is the one for you.
https://blog.publix.com/publix/publix-premium-ice-cream-flavors-you-should-try-today/

At the link they list some of their best flavors but by no means all of them.

[Awsi Dooger]

39. Yeah, Publix is pretty good

Also their frozen yogurt.

My all time favorite ice cream was Farm Stores when I was a kid. It was like a drive-thru treat for the entire family. For some reason we also got milk.

[RobinA]

41. I Find

that much has no flavor anymore. I dunno, maybe it's age. I turn 60 soon. I stopped getting anything tuna salad out because it was just nothing. Somehow my aging taste buds seem to work at home when I make my own yummy tuna salad. I even quit smoking (not for taste reasons) and it did nothing for my taste. Actually it did nothing for anything. I ordered a filet minon out a couple weeks ago and it was cooked to perfection and a tasteless mush. I'm finding this more and more with meat. Blecccchhh, everything sucks!

[JCMach1]

42. Braums in TX and Ok

And Blue Bell at the grocery store... It's all you need. And, maybe the occasional gelato when out playing Pokemon Go

[musette_sf]

43. Best ice cream I've had lately

was Swiss, on return flight from Zurich. It was Ice Cream The Way Ice Cream Used To Be.