With that being said, I have somehow never had the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard. It is described as “Peppermint candy pieces and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve.” Fans of this frozen delight were up in arms a year ago when it was not brought back for the winter. This year, though, they can rest easy, because the Blizzard of the month for December is: you guessed it, Candy Cane Chill.

I made my way to the local DQ to do a taste test, although I was surely going to love this thing. I chose the Mini size, because I think it’s a perfect little serving. The prices are as follows: Mini – $2.59, Small – $3.09, Medium – $3.49, Large – $3.99. Mini is definitely the worst value, but when it’s below 40 degrees I’m not usually looking to load up on ice cream. Brace-face at the drive-thru window said it was his favorite Blizzard, for what it’s worth.

My first order of business once I was handed my minty masterpiece was to tip it upside down. I’m not sure what it says about the Blizzard that you can do this without making a mess, but I do it every time, because I can.

If I had to use one word to describe the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard, it would have to be a weird word, like scrumdiddlyumptious, because I like weird words. But really, ‘mmmmmm’ would be a more fitting description.

If you’ve ever had the peppermint ice cream with the little red candy bits in it, that’s basically what this is, plus chocolate. This Blizzard is not overly minty, if you’re worried about such things. In fact I thought it could use some extra peppermint flavor. The candy bits were more like candy granules, but I guess that’s a good thing; a candy cane shard Blizzard would be somewhat dangerous. Of course, the chocolate pieces were good too, adding an extra flavor element. The best part was the crunchiness; I can’t explain it, but there’s something I love about crunchy ice cream.

So I guess what I’m saying is, go get one of these NOW, and love it. Last one to DQ’s a rotten egg!

As first reported, and lauded, here – Ben & Jerry’s new clever concoction, Schweddy’s Balls ice cream, apparently is not so appealing to everyone.  A right-wing group called One Million Moms, a branch of the American Family Association, is threatening a boycott if the company continues to produce this flavor.

According to the group,“Ben & Jerry’s announced their newest ice cream flavor which sounds anything but appealing. Schweddy Balls is the best they could come up with. The vulgar new flavor has turned something as innocent as ice cream into something repulsive.”

Point of clarification: The AFA is a group that “declares that homosexuality is unnatural and sinful” – so you clearly know they have a good perspective on the world.  When it comes to values, they are the shining beacon.

This “protest” is not the first for the group, for they have also sought out almost every major brand in the country for doing such outrageous things as supporting same-sex partner employee benefits and LGBT activism. Shame on them!

I guess it is only a matter of time before these publicity suck-ups turn to other products.  From the food department, the likely suspects:
•    Pirate’s Booty popcorn: far too suggestive
•    Rice-A-Roni: the ‘San Francisco Treat’ features a town that is way too gay-friendly
•    Atomic Fireballs: see above, under “Schweddy”
•    Mike and Ike: Two guys? Could be homo-erotic –and they aren’t taking any chances
•    Grape-Nuts: Nuts… balls? Too close for comfort
•    Blow pops: Talk about a lay-up
•    Lay’s potato chips: What about the children!
•    Fighting cock bourbon: Liquid satan, plus a phallus to boot
•    Good and Plenty: too promiscuous
•    Schmitts Gay Beer: Nahh – they probably wouldn’t mind this one

What am I missing, readers?  Where will One Million Moms strike next??

If you’re anything like me, you have been patiently waiting since December 12, 1998 to get your mouth around one of Pete Schweddy’s balls. Well, dear readers, your day has come.

The gutsy ice cream purveyor, Ben and Jerry’s, is turning myth into reality. Based on the classic SNL sketch from 13 years ago, featuring the great Alec Baldwin, the ice cream is described as this:

“The flavor is Fair Trade vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and is loaded with fudge covered rum and milk chocolate malt balls.”

The only questions I have are the following:

• Will the balls be misshapen?
• Will the balls make my mouth water?
• Will the balls glisten?
• Will the balls be larger than expected?
• Will I like the way the balls smell?

You’ve got to give credit to the company for having a sense of humor and bucking the PC trend. Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way.

As for the actual taste – I’ve never been a big fan of malted milk balls in general, or having booze in my ice cream, so I would likely pass.  But what do I know – are there any takers out there?

H/t to NPR (of course) for the read.

Now before you protest, “But Sam, I do both!” delve carefully into your memories. On a childhood trip to Dairy Queen, you were one of two kids. The first kid saw that white, pillowy mound of soft serve with a curl on top and bit right in (which, if you had a mouth sensitive to the cold like me and my dad, had to be done by wrapping your lips around your teeth). This “biter” experienced the glory of indulgence, but found themselves envying the second kid, that annoying friend who somehow ended up with an entire cone in their hands when all you had left was the crunchy bottom part.

If you were this second kid, one of the more patient “lickers,” you saw an art to eating ice cream cones. Sure, soft serve was a creamy, sweet treat, but it was also a medium for expression. While your friend chomped away without a thought, you sculpted your cone to perfection, licking it into different shapes to make it last. While this eating style typically gave your cone more longevity, it came with its own risks – on a hot summer day you could find yourself with a flood of ice cream dripping all over your hands.

Who were you in the realm of ice cream cones, So Good readers? The biter or the licker? Vote for your answer and explain in the comments section below.

Last month, So Good wrote about the news that Ben & Jerry’s would be going fully fair trade by 2013. This is a huge deal, and something that I, as well as the company, hope will motivate and inspire other businesses to do the same. To help remind So Good readers about its commitment to going Fair Trade, Ben & Jerry’s has graciously donated a prize pack for So Good to giveaway to one of its readers.

Here’s what the winner will get: 6 months(!) of free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the form of 30 vouchers for a free pint, plus a Ben & Jerry’s cooler bag filled with a scoop, B&J’s tote, pint cozy, pint lock, t-shirt, hat and a water bottle.

This is a KILLER prize pack that is available to all So Good readers.

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post naming your two favorite fair trade products from any company. One lucky winner who leaves a comment will be chosen at random. This will also be a great way to educate other So Good readers about the many fair trade products out there that they don’t know about! The contest will be open for ten days, with no submissions accepted after 11:59 PM on January 15th. Don’t forget to provide your e-mail so I can reach you. Good luck everyone, and keep supporting the fair trade mission!

I have to admit that when it comes to ice cream, I am fairly powerless.  I think that when you find the right brand and the right flavor, it is pure bliss.  And while I have done my part to explore as many undiscovered gems as possible during my travels, there is still much work to be done.  Fortunately for me, this is a hunt that will last as long as I can lift a spoon to my lips – and that is pretty encouraging.

When recently searching for “best ice cream” in Google (part of my regular due diligence), a year-old article from Forbes Traveler came up as the top hit.  I perused this document with much interest.  The article references a number of places, some of which I have heard.  Among them:

Cincinnati: Graeter’s
Cambridge: Toscanini’s
San Francisco: Bi-Rite Creamery
Santa Barbara: McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Wisconsin: Sibby’s Organic Zone Ice Cream
Boulder: Glacier Homemade Ice Cream

I have been familiar with Graeter’s for a while, and have always been interested.   McConnell’s is no stranger to my supermarket aisle.  The others are clearly more regional, and thus do not ring any bells. 

I know there are more treasures out there, and my aim is to try something new and delicious.  What I propose is to either order from one of the above vendors, or from a place recommended by a reader who seems particularity passionate. I will then chronicle my findings here.  The product does not have to be ‘ice cream’ per se, as I would happily embrace frozen custard, gelato, or any other cold dairy treat.  I do not discriminate, except on quality.  It also has to be shippable.

Let the great ice cream chase begin!  I await your recomendations…

H/t to Forbes Traveler for the top picture.