Although it doesn't sound too exciting, sometimes something simple like Front Porch's Homestyle Butter Pecan is exactly what I'm looking for. Utilizing a high quality vanilla ice cream and something to add a little texture produces a pint that gets back to the basics. Even though a slightly similar flavor from Blue Bell, Moo-llennium Crunch, couldn't get the job done, I'm hoping this classic combination will yield better results.
Elaborating on the initial description, the elongated literature on the back has me prepared for a vanilla packed with loads of pecan pieces. Having previously tried Front Porch's vanilla ice cream in, I'm not worried about the base ice cream holding this one back. The caramel, praline pecans and their vanilla in Praline Coastal Crunch had won me over, so I'm hoping this would do the same. I'm usually not too enthralled by uncoated nuts in ice cream, but the word buttery leaves me optimistic.
As soon as I popped the lid off, I found a pecan half peeking through the luscious looking vanilla ice cream. Scooping out some of the base, the vanilla does not disappoint. As expected, the consistency is smooth, yet light, and the color is the perfect shade of beige. Sometimes a simple vanilla hits the spot. I'm hoping the large pecan half is foreshadowing the influx of pieces to come.
Despite claims of adding as many roasted, buttery pecan pieces as we can before the lid won't fit, as I worked my way through this pint, the size and frequency were pretty average. I had plenty of bites completely free of any nut fragments, but what the nuts lacked in quantity, they made up for in quality. Initially adding some crunch, once the pecans broke down a bit, the chewy roasted nuts release the buttery characteristics I had been waiting on.
I wasn't expecting the complexity of the nuts, but I was pleasantly surprised with the end result. Plus, something about the sweet, buttery pecans just resonates with the South. I find myself looking for a rocking chair, some shade, a big spoon and some silence so I can enjoy this one. No, this flavor isn't life-changing, but it was able to obtain my seal of approval.
Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C
