I've nearly completed my cruise around some of the founding flavors from Ben & Jerry's. The ones I used to always overlook. I've learned quickly that just because some of the flavors are basic doesn't necessarily mean they're basic in taste. My distaste for bananas, fudge chunks, and raw nuts in ice cream had caused me steer clear of Chunky Monkey for some time now.
Described as, "Banana Ice Cream with Fudge Chunks & Walnuts," this sounded like the opposite of what I would usually want, but at the request of a blog follower I decided to forgo my apprehension and take the plunge. The thought of banana ice cream used to give me cold feet, but after being blown away by Jeni's Splendid Hummingbird Cake and another Ben & Jerry's flavor, Banana Cream Pie, I've come around to the idea of banana based ice creams. The fudge chunks, which I consider to be Ben & Jerry's worst mix-in, as well as the walnuts, still have me worried. The first layer reveals a banal-looking banana base with only minuscule amounts of mix-ins meandering up to the top.
This banana base is identical to the one used in Banana Cream Pie, so I've grown accustomed to how sweet and mellow this fruit flavor can be. The whopping chunks of walnuts were plentiful and became involved in every third bite or so. I typically avoid raw nuts inside my ice cream, but these soft and chewy walnuts are more than welcome to stick around.
Then come the fury of fudge chunks. They're gigantic, gaudy and I just don't understand why Ben & Jerry's insists on putting them in so many flavors. Granted they redeem themselves a tiny bit once melted down, their brick-like consistency beforehand is a lot to overcome. I nearly broke a tooth on two or three over the course of the container.
When it was all said and done, I ended up enjoying this more than I had anticipated. My experience wasn't as life changing as it has been for others, but I definitely understand why people tend to swing towards this pint. As far as classic Ben & Jerry's fruit-base flavors are concerned, I'd take this one over Cherry Garcia any day.
Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C
