While in Vermont a few weeks ago at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory, we were shown a quality control demonstration of how pints were chosen at random and chopped into quadrants for further examination. One of the flavors we took a closer look at was their Pistachio Pistachio pint; a pistachio ice cream with lightly roasted pistachios mixed in. With Ben & Jerry’s Pistachio Pistachio on the left and Haagen-Dazs Pistachio on the right, the differences are glaring. Not only does the version from Vermont’s Finest include larger, whole roasted pistachios, but they also give you two more ounces per carton than Haagen-Dazs.
My initial introduction to pistachios had come in the form of Sicilian Pistachio gelato from Talenti and even though it hadn’t impressed me; the side-by-side comparison in Burlington had persuaded me to purchase the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream version. The fact that my fellow bloggers and I were able to share this pint after we examined the finer details didn’t hurt either. Since I already knew that my second experience with pistachios would prove better than my first, I wasted no time in ripping the lid right off. The 270 calories per serving in Pistachio Pistachio is right in line with most flavors from Ben & Jerry’s and more than reasonable considering there are nuts involved.
This super-premium ice cream doesn’t show any signs of the natural, light green coloring you’d expect; taking on the same shade as a your standard vanilla. Before I even broke the surface, I could already see three sizable pieces of pistachio poking through the top. My first impression of the base comes from its richer than normal flavoring that remains mellow from start to finish. Although this isn’t as complex as some others, that allows the consistency of this fat-filled flavor to be fully appreciated. It isn’t long before I begin running into all the lightly roasted pistachios that have been generously littered about.
Without the assistance of an accompanying swirl, these shelled, un-skinned (hence both the green and brown exteriors) nuts have been included in high quantities. Ben & Jerry’s pack as many pistachios as physically possible while still retaining a somewhat-reasonable ratio of ice cream to mix-ins. Some of the larger concentrations even resulted in up to 6 pistachios in a single bite. These have been lightly roasted in order to release some additional flavors, but still retain their natural, raw feel. The slightly crunchy pistachios ensure that each bite finishes with a taste of the actual inspiration behind this flavor. I’ll end this review with a quote that once graced this pint’s exterior, “Ahhhh, pistachio.... It's one great nut. That's why we filled this pint with a deliciously intense sea of pistachio ice cream loaded with sweet nuts you won't have to crack to savor."
Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B
