REVIEW: Front Porch Chocolate Rocker

While most of Front Porch's flavors are surrounded by a Southern theme, not many of their offerings incorporate chocolate. Of the 15 current offerings, Chocolate Rocker is the only pint that employs a rich chocolate ice cream as the base. Although a smorgasbord of chocolate ingredients can sometimes be overpowering, flavors like New Orleans Ice Cream Company's Mississippi Debris, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy and Private Selection's Denali Extreme Moose Tracks were all able to secure high scores.

Containing only 180 calories per serving, Chocolate Rocker is a lot less calorie dense than the aforementioned competition. Removing the brown rimmed lid reveals a lighter colored ice cream than I had expected. Front Porch has taken their rich chocolate ice cream and added a fudge swirl and chocolate truffles, many of which poke through the top of the pint. Grabbing the base first, I find that despite the rich adjective in front of the chocolate ice cream, this is a lot less overbearing than the chocolate bases used in other offerings. It was just mild enough to avoid the dry finish that many of the other chocolate on chocolate flavors seem to have.

If a company is going to incorporate chocolate mix-ins, I prefer this less-rich base to showcase the other ingredients. I would have loved to have seen this ice cream used in some of Front Porch's other offerings. Soon after fully appreciating the base, I begin to run across the fudge swirl. This lacked the liquid-like consistency of other swirls, but bordered on the same look and feel as the stiff fudge found in Private Selection's Denali Extreme Moose Tracks. The richness was taken up a notch, which complimented the chocolate ice cream efficiently.

Eventually I begin to encounter the chocolate truffles, which turned out to be the best part of the pint. Much richer than the previous two elements, these were much more dense than I had anticipated. Like the cake pieces in past Front Porch selections, these weren't going for authentic texture, but instead trying to incorporate as much flavor as possible inside. The chewy squares of chocolate enhanced every bite they managed to slide into. The overall feel wasn't quite as dense as Chocolate Rocker's competitors, but the result was one of Front Porch's most enjoyable offerings.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B

REVIEW: Front Porch Dandy Peppermint Candy

My exploration through the flavors of Front Porch has been a roller coaster ride thus far. I took a small hiatus from the pints that take their inspiration from the Southern lifestyle, but after becoming a peppermint convert when it comes to ice cream, I had to try their Dandy Peppermint Candy. In the past I've tended to avoid peppermint ice cream like the plague, but with the holidays fast approaching and having tried mint flavors from Blue Bell and Edy's, I'm excited to explore this combination of peppermint ice cream with crushed mints.

Using the mentality above, Front Porch approaches their version by taking a bright white base, a shade I haven't encountered yet, and adding crushed green and red striped candies. Removing the top reveals a lightly-colored layer that doesn't effectively hide the colorful candy below. With only 170 calories, this is right in line with the other, non-chocolate mint offerings I've had recently. As my spoon hits the aromatic ice cream, the fluffy yet substantial consistency is reassuring.

My first sample of the base is sweeter than I had anticipated, only allowing subtle hints of the mint to shine through. The typical cooling attribute of peppermint ice cream is kept to a minimum, but that was a positive for my particular palate. The subtleness of the herb allows you to appreciate the deliciousness of mint fused together with sugar and cream. After only my first bite, the crushed candies began showing up on my spoon. I was surprised to find, as I lifted my bite from the pint, that there was a liquid-like swirl surrounding the pieces of peppermint.

Aside from the obvious addition in texture and taste from the actual smashed candy, the gooey swirl left behind enhances this mix-in immensely. The possibly unintentional peppermint swirl is much more effective than just the mint chunks themselves. The unique crunch of the striped peppermint is much better than that found in previous flavors due to the fact that these are just small enough to avoid the painful mistake of chomping down on an overly large piece that isn't quite ready to be chewed. The thick, sweet swirl left behind finishes off this well-constructed creation.

I'm a believer in aesthetics in ice cream to a degree. When a flavor looks delicious, more than likely it will be. The colors left behind by these bleeding pieces of peppermint create a festive looking selection that should certainly be marketed as a holiday-inspired offering, especially seeing as how Dandy Peppermint Candy will be my new go-to pint when I'm craving peppermint.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Front Porch Homestyle Butter Pecan

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

REVIEW: Front Porch Nana's Banana Pudding

After recently confessing my nostalgic love affair with banana pudding during my review of Blue Bell's Banana Pudding, I was hoping Nana's version from Front Porch would be even better. Although I've never referred to my grandmother as Nana, it's widely known that if your grandmother is cooking it, whatever that may be, it's bound to be delicious.

Glancing over the description, I'm a bit concerned with the lack of a whipped cream component. As a highlight in Blue Bell's version, whipped cream plays a vital part in what makes the flavors in banana pudding so comforting. Hopefully Front Porch realizes the disadvantage they've put themselves at by leaving out such a key ingredient.

Holding off the urge to make presumptions, I skim through the unabridged description and tear off the top. The look and smell of this ice cream quickly put my mind at ease. The familiar aroma of banana pudding subsided my desire for the addition of whipped cream. The soft, pliable banana ice cream passively collected on my spoon. After examining my first bite, this is the most accurate rendition of actual banana pudding you're going to find.

Front Porch should lose the banana ice cream tagline and name this base simply, banana pudding. Possessing the slightly artificial banana taste, just like actual banana pudding, I couldn't shovel this stuff in fast enough. Light, airy and overly smooth, even the consistency rivaled real pudding. With only one mix-in on hand, Front Porch amplifies the amount of vanilla wafers inside.

Although they could have been bigger, these vanilla wafers helped tremendously with taste and texture. Coupled with the bold banana base, the somewhat soggy, but still slightly-crunchy wafers give this an authentic feel. A step above a standard Nilla Wafer, these carried the same crunch, but were much chewier after the fact.

What I previously thought would struggle without the whipped cream component, did just fine. After all, the more real estate for this banana base, the better. At only 170 calories per serving, and much easier than whipping up an entire platter of pudding, this pint-sized offering will continue to find it's way into my freezer.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B

REVIEW: Front Porch Sweetie Tea

Allow me to begin this review with an excerpt from an article entitled Sweet Spoonfuls that appeared in the August 2012 publication of Our State magazine. Blake Miller writes, "There's something about sweet tea on a summer day. The way the glass sweats and water drips down onto your hand. The way the subtle tea flavor cuts through the sugary sweetness and makes it refreshing. The way it complements just about everything you crave during the summer -- burgers straight off the grill, low-country boils, sticky barbecue ribs, corn on the cob. There's just something about sweet tea that makes you feel Southern when you sip it, as if you were meant to sit on a deep front porch, swaying in a rocking chair with a glass. Now imagine that flavor, that feeling, of sweet tea tastefully rolled into ice cream."

Reading the description above, I'm a bit skeptical. I love sweet tea as much as the next person, but I have no idea how you'd incorporate that taste into ice cream. I'm a little relieved to see they've taken their vanilla base and infused it with sweet tea instead of trying to create a completely separate base. After falling in love with the chunks of red velvet cake in Scarlett Red Velvet, I'm looking forward to trying the tea cake pieces in this pint.

Popping off the top releases the familiar aroma of black tea leaves. The color borders on being grey. Scooping out my first bite, I have no idea what to expect. The most complex base of any Front Porch flavors I've had, the initial taste comes from their quality vanilla ice cream, but ends with subtle hints of tea and lemon. A little heavy on the lemon for my taste, the overall taste rivaled that of Nestea, not of the overly-sugared Southern sweet tea I'm accustomed to.

It doesn't take long before I run into the chunks of tea cake. As I excavated my first piece, I discover they're the same size as the bits in Scarlett Red Velvet, but unfortunately, lack the same denseness. Possessing a slightly softer texture and subtle hints of tea, the cake is a great addition to the sweet tea vanilla ice cream. The moist squares were about the only complimentary mix-in that would have worked with this particular base.

Front Porch knew their sweet tea vanilla base was one of a kind, but they also knew, with the addition of a cake mix-in, that it could be unforgettable. As dubious as I had been that I would actually enjoy this flavor, this was a nice change of pace. Using unique ingredients and a little imagination, Front Porch produced a unique flavor that can only be found from them.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets

Grade: C

REVIEW: Front Porch Praline Coastal Crunch

After Front Porch's Scarlett Red Velvet took me by storm, I was ready to further explore some of these Southern-inspired pints. Not putting too much thought into the matter, I grabbed the first flavor that caught my eye. After trying two unique offerings from Front Porch first, I'm looking forward to sampling more traditional ingredients like candy-coated nuts, creamy vanilla ice cream and a subtle caramel ribbon in their Praline Coastal Crunch.

The quality and taste of a creamery's vanilla can say a lot about a company, and with this being my first encounter with Front Porch's version, this should let me know a little more about this budding ice cream business. The first layer of off-white ice cream, darker caramel swirl and piece of praline looks promising.

Scooping out some of the vanilla by itself, this base wins me over immediately. Denser than the homemade vanilla from Blue Bell, this has a premium ice cream consistency without being too heavy. Short of a super premium vanilla like that of Graeter's, this is about the best you're going to find. Like the description states, the caramel swirl is certainly subtle. It runs really thin in some places, but really compliments the vanilla, no matter the size. Just don't expect the raging caramel rivers found in Ben & Jerry's, these are trickling streams in comparison.

The only thing missing at this point was a bit of crunch, but before long I found a lump of aromatic pecan pralines peering up at me. Unlike pralines from Louisiana, these lack the cream and soft texture, but instead combine pecans and sugar syrup to create a more traditional version. They add some much needed crunch, some chew and a sudden surge of sugar. I knew the vanilla would have to be viable in order to win me over and it certainly was. This, along with Scarlett Red Velvet, have me fighting the urge to fill my entire freezer with Front Porch ice cream.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Front Porch Scarlett Red Velvet

After the atrocity that was Sublime Key Lime from Front Porch, I had become turned off to this new local brand. It took months before I built up the courage to invest in another offering from this Mooresville, North Carolina based creamery. I've sampled red velvet selections from all over, so I decided to see how their Scarlett Red Velvet would stack up against the competition. Looking over the design of the pint's exterior, Front Porch describes their red velvet rendition as, "Red Velvet Ice Cream with Cake Pieces and Cream Cheese Swirl." After tearing off the top to this selection, I was greeted with some luscious looking ice cream and some dangerously dark chunks of cake.

Most of the other manufacturers pumping out pints of red velvet use fire engine red cake pieces, but that's not the case here. These look more like little bits of brownie. My only real concern is that this selection will share the same icy-consistency as Sublime Key Lime. As soon as my spoon hits the ice cream I can tell that won't be the case. The Front Porch red velvet ice cream base has a stout swirl of cream cheese and I collect a healthy dose of both for my first bite.

Front Porch really redeems themselves with this rich red velvet cake ice cream and cream cheese swirl. This base shares the same consistency with Blue Bell's Red Velvet, lacking the denseness delivered with a super premium ice cream like Ben & Jerry's, but I don't mind. The cream cheese swirl helps bring the base to the next level by adding a soft, goeey texture. Unless they fumble on their dark chunks of cake, this could be a respectable rebound. It doesn't take many bites before I find myself with a few of the lovely, little lumps lying on my spoon.

Similar to the size of a sugar cube, these bring a bite much larger than their bark. I wasn't remotely ready for the ridiculous amount of flavor these were packing. These weren't your standard soft, chewy pieces of cake. These were super dense and shared the almost the same consistency as cookie dough, but that wasn't even the highlight of these hunks of heaven. Front Porch decided to diverge from the direction most manufacturers took, and instead concentrate more towards the notes of cocoa in red velvet cake. This interesting approach really paid dividends. This resulted in a marvelous mixture of red velvet ice cream, cream cheese swirl and bits of red velvet brownies. I'm hoping this further proved that Sublime Key Lime was a fluke. Front Porch has again peaked my interest enough that I'll continue to travel through their Southern-inspired lineup.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B

REVIEW: Front Porch Charleston Sea Salt Caramel

After first exploring the Front Porch brand back in late 2012, we haven't had access to many new flavors until we made our way to Harris Teeter. There is where we found their Charleston Sea Salt Caramel: caramel ice cream with caramel swirl, vanilla wafers and sea salt. The illustration on the front and the "now with MORE cream & sweets" sticker this seemed like a sure thing. Once the lid was removed things looked even more promising.

The sweet, smooth caramel ice cream coated every taste bud initially, but had a salty bite as things started melting down. While this base alone was reason for praise, the thick stripes of caramel and large chunks of vanilla wafers added enough taste and texture to elevate Front Porch's creation towards the upper level of our rankings. We look forward to more creative flavors like this one from a local Carolina based company.

Where I Found It: Harris Teeter
Grade: A