It doesn't rhyme but it's serious clever...

So, here's what I'm doing.  Every day I will try something new.  Maybe it's a whole new food.   Maybe it's a new store.  Maybe it's a new word.  Maybe it's a new activity.  Maybe you get the idea by now.  I just wanted to give myself the opportunity to combine a few of the things that I enjoy doing - writing, having a captive audience and sharing my opinion.  My commitment is that my opinion will always be my own.  No one has commissioned me to start this blog.  It's all me, all the time. If by some chance I start getting some stuff from anyone to write about, I will disclose that I got it for free and how I feel about said stuff will not be swayed by such freeness.  I also welcome suggestions.  If there is something that you truly have wanted to try but are too chicken or don't want to invest the money, I might could try it for you.  But don't go crazy.  I am not going to spend a fortune and I'm not going to do gross stuff!  I get the opportunity to do some product testing from word-of-mouth websites and will likely use this blog to review those products as well.

So far, I haven't tried anything new today but I wanted to go live.  I figured I might as well do something that is a retro-active new thing.  And it's a good one.

Jeni's splendid ice creams (www.jenisicecreams.com)
Jeni's is somewhat local to me here in Ohio.  It is artisan ice cream (my description unless it's on their site or packaging and it subliminally got captured by my brain).

I had wanted to try this ice cream.  I noticed it at Jungle Jim's and was totally intrigued by the flavors available.  And then I was disheartened by the price tag.  It was about $10.  For a pint.  Couldn't do it.  And I'm a pretty self-indulgent, self-professed sugar addict.  But last week I went to Jungle Jim's to get some $1.99 lb ground round and lo, there in the frozen food area was a cooler with 3 flavors of jeni's to try: Kona Stout, Savannah Buttermint and Thai Chili.  $2.79 each - "priced to try".  So I was ready to try.

The first one was Savannah Buttermint.  You know those pastel mints that used to be at the hostess stand at restaurants?  I loved those.  Until I realized that lots of people don't wash their hands in the bathroom and there was no little spoon to hygienically dole out the goodness.  Those mints are one of those things that you enjoy but don't really go out and buy for yourself to have around making them a true treat - rare enough to be enjoyed every time.  And this ice cream was a total re-visit to why - buttery, minty with flecks of white chocolate- cold and creamy.  It was so wonderful and unique.  It wasn't run of the mill peppermint or chocolate mint - it was something entirely familiar and new at the same time.

Next was the Kona Stout.  Let me be clear.  I LOVE coffee.  I love the taste of it.  I love the ritual of it.  I like it hot.  I like it cold.  I like it strong.  I hate it weak!  This had a mild coffee flavor to it.  I think I would have liked a stronger javaness.  And perhaps I have some weak taste buds but I really couldn't get a sense of the stout.  I enjoyed it - it was still some dang fine ice cream but I wouldn't ever spend $10 to eat it again.  Or, uhm, $2.79 either.  Have I taken the opportunity to mention that I'm frugal - kind of?

And finally, the Thai Chili.  I was a little timid.  I bought it wanting to be all adventurous but really?  Thai chili ice cream?  That's like the super hot sauce that I am only supposed to use a teaspoon full for some serious heat in those dishes!  What was that going to be like when you add cream and a freezer??
So I took the first spoonful and let it sit on my tongue.  At first, it's coconutty.  I felt the flakes before I tasted them.  When I gave in to the temptation to roll the coconut around my mouth, the sweet heat started sinking in.  It wasn't overwhelming - it was really just sort of perfect.  It just tastes exotic.  I took a nice long whiff of it just now to get a sense of what to describe about it.  There is a spice in there that I can't quite discern.  I want to say cardamom but it's not listed on the ingredients... trade secret?  Hmmmm...

So the bottom line is that I'm glad I bought some to try.  I would like to try some of the seasonal flavors that they are facebookin' (star anise with candied fennel?!).  And I've looked over the flavors and have to admit that the only one that I would absolutely pay full price for is the salty caramel.  The other flavors are some that I would love to try at a restaurant that serves it for dessert.  I have to admit that the price is not as daunting as it was before.  For one thing, these are quality ingredients.  And for another, this is ice cream that you truly savor - you can't gobble up these kinds of flavors.  They really are designed to tease and satisfy in just a few bites.

So - on the just made up scale of Jenny's jewels - I give jeni's splendid ice creams an overall  rating of 8 out of 10 jewels.  It's a qualified treasure.


And in closing, if you are curious about the name of my blog - do something new and look up the word cavy.  All will be revealed....