Some people enjoy getting away for the holidays. Instead of spending time with friends and family, they'd much rather bask in the sun with a drink in their hand and forget about the flurrying snow back home. Turkey Hill's limited edition offering for the month of December is catered towards these people. To help alleviate the chill of the Winter months for those who can't seem to make it to warmer weather this Christmas, Coconut Cream Pie is intended to hold us over until the calendar turns. Joining their other current limited-edition offering, Pumpkin Pie, these two dessert-inspired delicacies will both be featured in grocer's freezers throughout the remainder of 2012.
Most of the coconut based ice creams I've reviewed on this blog, such as New Orleans Ice Cream Company's Toasted Coconut, Blue Bell's Coconut Fudge, and Coconut Macaroon from Häagen-Dazs, have all received rather high scores, so I'm looking forward to Turkey Hill's latest limited edition. Combining creamy coconut ice cream with coconut cream pie pieces, a single serving will only set you back 170 calories. Removing the limited edition lid reveals a light colored base that looks very similar to the other coconut ice creams I've sampled. Turkey Hill is among the best at retaining a fluffy feel, but still having a substantial consistency. I scoop myself a healthy portion into a bowl and dig in.
The luscious, coconut ice cream from Turkey Hill is a great consistency for a non-super premium option. Completely void of any gummy texture, the subtle sweetness from this base is something I've learned to appreciate through my exploration of all coconut ice creams. Although it begins mild, this has a strong coconut aftertaste as well as a bit of pulp left over on the back end. There wasn't quite as much as you'd find left over in a bite of Toasted Coconut from New Orleans Ice Cream Company, but just enough to make the texture authentic and interesting. Rivaling the toasted coconut flesh left on top of the actual dessert, this bit of pulp adds the perfect parting note to each bite.
The overall flavor wasn't overly complex, but Turkey Hill tries to make up for the fact by adding pieces of actual coconut cream pie. Typically the swirls found inside containers from Turkey Hill are among the most impressive you'll find, but they've decided to forgo that approach in this limited edition offering. These round mounds of coconut cream pie pictured above are the extent of the mix-ins you'll find inside Coconut Cream Pie, but luckily, they're about as accurate as you could hope for. The dense, chewy pieces of pie add some needed sweetness, as well as some cake flavoring to the mild coconut base. Although this can't quite compete with the stellar performance of their Pumpkin Pie, it isn't too far behind either.
Where I Found It: Kroger
Grade: B
