Shiny New Product Review: Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream. Go Sawxs!

I've fallen off of the wagon.  My attempt to eat a little healthier went right out the window after I found out that I'd been accepted into the 2010 NYC Marathon and after I read about Ben & Jerry's new flavors.  One of them in particular I was giddily willing to throw my healthy eating out the window for - marathon or not.  Serious Eats did a review on the new flavors which is where I learned of them.  They also reviewed some new limited edition flavors, one of which is Flourless Chocolate Cake - a Walmart exclusive.  YUMMM!  (the YUMMM is for the ice cream not for Walmart - I know some of you were going to go there - so I stopped you, okay?)

Was the promise of potentially melty delicious ice cream enough to draw me in to Walmart?  If you know me, you already know the answer.  Duh - I'm known for a few things (or at least I used to be). 

1.) Eating entire cartons of ice cream in one sitting (and I don't mean Ben & Jerry's sized)

2.)  Eating straight out of the carton (it saves dishes!)

3.)  Picking the best parts out (brownies, cookie dough, Oreos)

I don't do one of those anymore.  You can guess which.

So, I ventured to one of the local Walmarts in search of a creamy, cool treat.  Alas, the fabled flavor of Flourless Chocolate Cake was not there.  However, Boston Cream Pie was.  And while not a pie lover, I am a Boston Creme Pie lover (its really not anything like pie). 

Here are my discoveries (I should totally be paid for this - its like an expedition.  There's danger, wild animals, and either disappointment or an unearthment of something incredibly life changing.) 

First off, the packaging is wicked awesome.  It has a picture of Paul Reveah (the guy on the horse) and a cow saying, "Go Sawxs!"  The cow is even holding a four leaf clover on another part of the carton.  Go Irish!  How can you not love it already?  Boston Cream Pie is described by Ben & Jerry as:  "Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream with Yellow Cake Pieces, Fudge Flakes & Swirls of Pastry Cream."  I was definitely excited by the prospect of cake - not as sure about how pastry cream would translate into ice cream.   

Here Goes.

The pastry cream was a little sweet but overall good.  If you don't know what pastry cream is, I'll tell you the poor man's version - vanilla pudding - and if you don't know what vanilla pudding is, I can't help you but maybe a therapist can help you leave your house once in a while.  The cake pieces were divinity and deliciousness.  I wish there were more - but carefully added so as not to overdo the cake/ice cream ratio.  They were spongy and made me think of buttery pound cake.  I will tell you my one true criticization (remember? I make up words).  The "Fudge Flakes" just don't do it for me.  When I've eaten Boston Cream Pie in Boston I don't remember eating little bits of hard chocolate.  Ben & Jerry apparently need to travel a bit more.  It shouldn't be too hard.  Boston is not all that far from Burlington, Vermont (did I mention I've been to THE Ben & Jerry's?  I even have an official ice cream scooper from there).  I realize it might be scary to venture down south where they shave and shower but still, they should find out what the real stuff is.  Especially, because you don't want to anger Bostonians.  They're a rough crowd.  And you definitely don't dare to defile a Boston delicacy by doing it improperly. 

Boston's Ben & Jerry's Tea Party

  Ben & Jerry, if you are listening.  Please add CHOCOLATE GANACHE.  That is all.  Oh, and I'd eat it again.