For someone living in the South, Graeter's is hard enough to track down. Flagship flavors like Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip can be found with a little effort, but any of the limited edition or seasonal offerings are typically out of the question. Looking over their traditional lineup, Elena's Blueberry Pie always seemed to catch my eye, especially knowing that I'd probably never be able to find any locally. Graeter's usually sticks to their strengths, combining incredible chocolate chips with their super-premium French pot process ice cream. Only a handful of flavors stray from this proven method, but they've decided to add whole blueberries and pieces of flaky pie crust in this pint.
The idea for this unique creation was created by a loyal customer looking to make a difference. Once a limited edition flavor, Graeter's recently decided to add Elena's Blueberry Pie to their permanent lineup. Not only does this offering sound sensational, but every pint purchased goes towards a good cause. The Cure Starts Now is a foundation dedicated to finding the cure for pediatric cancer and eventually eliminating it completely. With the help of fundraisers, events, partnerships, and now Graeter's, they're looking to make a serious impact in the lives of children cursed with this disease.
The slice of blueberry packed pie on the top of the lid has me excited for what lies underneath. With the lid removed, a luscious, light purple ice cream with visible bits of blueberry and plentiful pieces of pie have me ready to dig in. If the looks alone weren't enough, the aromatic nature of the blueberries produce one of the strongest smelling ice creams I've had. As I dig my spoon across the first layer, the denseness is standard for Graeter's high calorie ice creams.
At 290 calories per serving, Elena's Blueberry Pie is far from the heaviest flavor from Graeter's, but still high for a fruit-centric offering. Based on the information from their website, Graeter's created this flavor by combining luscious blueberries and tasty bits of flaky pie crust with their rich vanilla ice cream. My first bite was full of a bold blueberry taste, as well as some serious sweetness to counteract the slight tartness.
Because the blueberries are blended in whole during the churning process, the bits of left over blueberry flesh are everywhere, adding a great textural aspect to this unique flavor. Flavors like Blueberry Crumble from Häagen-Dazs, Blueberry Cheesecake from Ben & Jerry's and Maine Blueberry Cheesecake from Private Selection all attempted to create a blueberry base, but they just can't compare. This is one of the most impressive fruit bases of all time. With such a great ice cream, I'm hoping the flaky, pie crust pieces are just as impressive.
After tasting my first piece, this is what I've been looking for. A bevy of brands have attempted to incorporate pie crust pieces into their pie-inspired flavors, but no one does this mix-in justice like Graeter's does in Elena's Blueberry Pie. The flaky crust breaks down into a soft, chewy component that rounds out this well-executed offering. I had once believed that it would be hard to beat Blueberry Crumble from Häagen-Dazs, but Graeter's combination of blueberry ice cream and pie crust have made it hard for others to compete.
Grade: A
