Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Review:Häagen-Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding Ice Cream
When I reviewed Häagen-Dazs Caramelized Pear & Toasted Pecan ice cream at the end of September, I relied on a sample sent by the company's PR firm. This time my wife had picked up some Sticky Toffee Pudding, the winner of the company's 2006 flavor contest, without my knowledge and walked into the kitchen with the remnants.
She: "You should review this ice cream. It's great!"
He: "What is it?"
She: "It's got toffee and bits of cake in vanilla."
He: "OK, let me try some."
She looks darkly at He.
She: "Isn't my opinion as good as yours?"
He: "Yes, but if I'm reviewing it, I actually have to taste it."
She holds out a quarter teaspoon of ice cream.
He: "How about a little more?"
She gives me a funny look, and then holds out the spoon again - a third of a teaspoon this time. I take what I can get. She's right; this is a great flavor. Note to self: buy some and then hide it so I get at least a scoop.
She: "You should review this ice cream. It's great!"
He: "What is it?"
She: "It's got toffee and bits of cake in vanilla."
He: "OK, let me try some."
She looks darkly at He.
She: "Isn't my opinion as good as yours?"
He: "Yes, but if I'm reviewing it, I actually have to taste it."
She holds out a quarter teaspoon of ice cream.
He: "How about a little more?"
She gives me a funny look, and then holds out the spoon again - a third of a teaspoon this time. I take what I can get. She's right; this is a great flavor. Note to self: buy some and then hide it so I get at least a scoop.
Labels: Häagen-Dazs, ice cream, pudding, toffee
Friday, September 28, 2007
Review: Häagen-Dazs Caramelized Pear & Toasted Pecan Ice Cream
Back in March I chided (Or would that be mocked?) Häagen-Dazs for producing ice cream based on flavors submitted in a contest without public acknowledgment of the creator. At the time, someone from PR said that only the winning flavor's creator would be compensated - and I'm guessing that credit is part of the compensation. Well, the winning flavor - caramelized pear & toasted pecan is now shipping and there's certainly public acknowledgment for contest winner Leslie Zoerb.
My sample from the PR agency arrived yesterday and I tore into it as quickly as I could get it to thaw a bit from being packed in dry ice. (I used a trick my daughter came up with - microwave the container for 15 to 30 seconds or so to get it a bit soft.) This is a killer flavor, which means congratulations go to both Ms. Zoerb and to the people at the company who were able to translate her idea into a viable commercial ice cream. This is subtle: pear ice cream with pieces of caramelized pear and bits of toasted pecan. The blend is marvelous and, even though I don't normally like nuts in ice cream, they add texture and help balance the other flavors.
Apparently she was trying to make a pear tart when the power went out. Obviously an improviser when times get tough, she went to the gas-powered range, caramelized pieces of pear, and served them with vanilla ice cream and pecans. I did try going to the company link for the "back story" and found what looked like it was supposed to be a short video loop. Only, there didn't seem to be any sound, and all I could see was a picture of some pears, butter, brown sugar, and pecans, followed by the words, "Congrats, Leslie! Thanks for making the world a bit sweeter." OK, so they're clearly not a media company. Who cares? Pass the scoop, please.
My sample from the PR agency arrived yesterday and I tore into it as quickly as I could get it to thaw a bit from being packed in dry ice. (I used a trick my daughter came up with - microwave the container for 15 to 30 seconds or so to get it a bit soft.) This is a killer flavor, which means congratulations go to both Ms. Zoerb and to the people at the company who were able to translate her idea into a viable commercial ice cream. This is subtle: pear ice cream with pieces of caramelized pear and bits of toasted pecan. The blend is marvelous and, even though I don't normally like nuts in ice cream, they add texture and help balance the other flavors.
Apparently she was trying to make a pear tart when the power went out. Obviously an improviser when times get tough, she went to the gas-powered range, caramelized pieces of pear, and served them with vanilla ice cream and pecans. I did try going to the company link for the "back story" and found what looked like it was supposed to be a short video loop. Only, there didn't seem to be any sound, and all I could see was a picture of some pears, butter, brown sugar, and pecans, followed by the words, "Congrats, Leslie! Thanks for making the world a bit sweeter." OK, so they're clearly not a media company. Who cares? Pass the scoop, please.
Labels: caramel, Haagen Dazs, Häagen-Dazs, ice cream, pear, pecan
