Ben & Jerry’s mustn’t have gotten the memo that Vegansaurus has almost 100,000 likes because we were somehow overlooked when the invitations were sent out for the recent blogger rendezvous in Vermont to taste test their new, non-dairy (vegan-certified) flavors. Our product samples must have also gotten lost in the mail, as did our coupons…but we’re not mad atcha. We’ve just stepped up to the challenge of having been left to our own devices to track the arrival of the 4 new, almond milk-based flavors. Vegans are psyched! [ed. note: I think Laura was invited to some LA event to try the flavors but I just love when Abby gets riled up!]
Considering I’ve been asking Ben & Jerry’s to develop a vegan line since the early aughts (do we hate this term? love it? I can’t decide [ed. note: team LOVE]), I was definitely the vegan for the job. I’ll admit that I wasted quite a bit of time scouring all of the upscale supermarkets in a 30 mile radius until, with a tip from a pal, I was able to secure three out of the four flavors in no time–from Target.
And remember when I said vegans were psyched? I was most definitely including myself in that generality. When the pints didn’t ring up the right price, I excitedly showed the cashier the photo I’d just taken as evidence–and then tried to explain to her why exactly I’d just taken a photo in the freezer section. But, I digress. People were asking me for a review before I’d even gotten the pints home. What do they take me for, some kind of heathen? Everyone knows you can only eat dry goods while driving.
As soon as I arrived home, my food-sniffing vegan dog knew something was up. She immediately had her sights set on the Chunky Monkey and, admittedly, so did I. But I dutifully plated all of the selections without so much as a taste before everything had been photographically documented. That made one of us.
To start, can I just get a hallelujah for Ben & Jerry’s? I haven’t had any for the better part of 2 decades, but it was instantly evident that they’ve still got it: each was a laudable mix of creamy ice cream, ribbons of flavor, and chunks of goodness. I took the factory tour as a vegetarian in the nineties and I always remembered that their quality control ensured that all of the elements were consistent throughout the pint; this non-dairy version all these years later is no exception.
While we were all considering the possible impending flavors, The Bearded Vegans made a valid point about not wanting them to be plain or boring. I couldn’t have agreed more and I’m happy to say that the rollout of the first 4 non-dairy flavors (before total vegan domination) is exceptional on that front. Incidentally, almond milk-based ice creams aren’t usually my go-to, but I think that
in this case it lends a lightness and airiness to these otherwise
phenomenally bold flavor combinations.
P.B. & Cookies: vanilla non dairy frozen dessert with chocolate sandwich cookies and crunchy peanut butter swirls. Depending on the bite, you get a cookie-packed mouthful of cookies and cream, or cookies and cream stuffed with a peanut butter bonus. Easily the best cookie-based ice cream I’ve ever had; my favorite.
Coffee Caramel Fudge: coffee non dairy frozen dessert with fudge chunks and caramel swirl. Extraordinarily creamy: the coffee is definitely prominent, but the caramel and fudge take the edge off. I liked this infinitely more than I expected to; also my favorite.
Chunky Monkey: banana non dairy frozen dessert with fudge chunks and walnuts. This flavor had my memory to live up to and I think it surpassed it with ease. The lightest of the three and definitely my favorite. More importantly, 89?s favorite (no nuts or chocolate, thankyouverymuch).
Chocolate fudge brownie: chocolate non dairy frozen dessert with fudge brownies. Still on the lookout, but no luck yet; sure to be a favorite. Feel free to weigh in if you’ve tried.
Every time a non-vegan company comes out with a vegan option, there is quite the debate about whether to support it. I’m almost always team local, but sometimes mainstream offerings help to bridge the gap between vegan items and non-vegans. I can’t help but to generally support as many vegan endeavors as I can find; it gives me an excuse to eat more ice cream.