REVIEW: Turkey Hill Key Lime Pie (Limited Edition)

Key lime ice creams have been a bit of a conundrum for us over the existence of this blog. Some companies are able to incorporate the tart fruit from Florida with little problem, while others have failed miserably. Even though it took nearly all month to find Turkey Hill’s Key Lime Pie, I was excited to see they had once again opted for a taste of summer to act as December's limited edition; similar to what they did last year with Coconut Cream Pie. This combination of lime flavored ice cream with graham pieces and a key lime swirl comes in at just 150 calories and looked promising from the illustration on the outside of the carton.

With the lid removed, the first layer was made up of a light green base that already showed plenty of the graham pieces, but as soon as the first few layers were scooped into a bowl, we got our first glimpse of the thick, key lime swirl. While the lime flavored ice cream started out sour, sugar soon rushed to the rescue to assist in balancing everything out. Due to the large amounts of graham cracker, the soft, pie crust impersonators are involved in nearly every bite and do wonders texturally. Although not found as often, Turkey Hill’s latest limited edition reaches its full potential when the key lime swirl comes into play. Adding another element of tartness, this brings another level of authenticity, but doesn’t compromise the balance between sweet and sour. Add Turkey Hill to the list of companies that managed not to mess up key lime ice cream.

Where I Found It: Kroger
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Elliot's Review of Phin & Phebes Coconut Key Lime

A bit of pumpkin overload and some mild carotenemia have me ready for a break from fall flavors. Coconut Key Lime by Phin and Phebes (pronounced Finn and Feebs) is the perfect sub-tropical oasis.

The electric green glow of many key lime pie ice creams and desserts never seem to foretell greatness, and is no substitute for well-balanced key lime flavor. As you see in the photos, Coconut Key Lime does not make that attempt to prove its identity.

This is the best key lime ice cream I've ever tasted. The tangy lime flavor plays nicely with the creamy, coconut tinged base, so there is no confusion about it - this is premium ice cream. This pint avoids the cloyingly sweet, sorbet-like taste characteristic of many other key lime pie ice creams. The incredibly creamy texture of the ice cream is exceptional. The coconut flavor is understated, but makes its presence known. Graham cracker crumbs are spread evenly, in a ladylike fashion. No enormous troves, concentrated clusters or oversized pieces here, nor are there in any Phin and Phebes pint. Consistency and balance are the dominant themes.

To my surprise, this is not one of their best selling flavors. People just need to taste it and that would change. Phin and Phebes take straightforward, natural ingredients and spin them into magic here. Track them down and taste it for yourself.

Where Elliot Found It: Straub's Market

Elliot's Grade: A

REVIEW: JC's Key Lime Pie Pops

The trend that first started with small, scale artisan brands of prepackaged pints of ice cream and frozen yogurts making their way into organic supermarkets has now evolved into frozen treats of all kinds. One of the products that recently caught our eye was a brand of ice cream bars called JC's Pie Pops. Initially passing on flavors like Apple Pie Crumble and Strawberry Cream, we opted for the Key Lime kind: tangy key lime cream covered in a crunchy meringue, key lime and graham cracker crust. Each box contains two pops and contain 280 calories of all-natural ingredients.

After removing the hockey-puck sized ice cream pop from its packaging, we dove right in with a bite including all the different components. The key lime ice cream was smooth, mild as far as tartness goes, and incorporated just enough key lime flavoring to help assist the crunchy coating. If you look closely, you can easily identify the three separate types; each of which made their way into every bite. When combined with the key lime base, the result was rather effective in impersonating a frozen key lime pie. We've tried quite a few similarly themed products and this was as good as any we've had.

Where I Found It: The Fresh Market
Grade: A

REVIEW: Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Gelato

Although I had seen cartons of Ciao Bella gelato before, it wasn’t until I discovered their Gelato Squares that I became really interested. Their Sea Salt Caramel, Belgian Chocolate S’mores and Key Lime Graham squares had all been among the best ice cream sandwiches I’d ever had, so when I finally found their Key Lime Graham flavor in a pint, I took full advantage. Most of their offerings seemed to be unexciting sorbets and fruity gelatos, but I had already discovered the deliciousness of their graham infused key lime base sandwiched between two soft wafers and was ready to taste even more without the accompanying cookies.

This super premium gelato contains a substantial 270 calories per serving; even more than the gelato squares sharing the same flavor. The first layer of Key Lime Graham is light in color and shows off plenty of the graham cracker flecks inside. The graham crackers haven’t been tossed in as a mix-in, or even a swirl, but have been blended directly into the Key Lime gelato to build on both the taste and texture. Even without an extended thaw time to allow the gelato to soften, Ciao Bella’s Key Lime Graham scoops out with ease. The velvety feel as I pull my metal scoop through the first few inches has me reminiscing on my last experience with this stuff.

Each bite starts out smooth and sweet before slowly incorporating that signature sourness provided by the key limes. The graham cracker built into every spoonful not only adds an interesting texture, but also gives enough flavoring to sway the overall taste towards key lime pie. Even though this doesn’t state to be an interpretation of key lime pie, the graham cracker aspect impersonates the crust particularly well. The result is a well-balanced taste with enough texture to keep your taste buds occupied for multiple servings in a sitting. While I still prefer the Gelato Squares over the base only offering, Ciao Bella does key lime much better than most.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Dominique's Review of Steve's Coconut Key Lime Pie

It’s summer. It’s hot out. I spent all afternoon in the sun at a Brooklyn block party where The House of YES had set up a rig so we could do aerial acrobatics in the street. It was fun, but after being covered in sweat for hours, it was clear only one thing would help me actually feel refreshed. That, of course, would be a tropical ice cream like Steve’s Coconut Key Lime Pie. Funny thing is I bought it thinking for sure it had been reviewed here before. But no! So here are my thoughts, compare/contrasting it with one of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors, Key Lime Pie.

At first taste, there was way too much lime and a little hint at meringue. Even without getting a big helping of the key lime pie filling swirl, the base isn't hurting for sour citrus flavor. A few more bites in, however, the coconut cut through that pucker-inducing lime in a really clever way, blanketing it with a subtle sweetness and just a little dry coconut flavor. I like the clean, smooth lime in Ben and Jerry’s version, so I was dubious about adding in coconut, the only reason I’ve been putting off trying this one. But the lime comes on so strong that the coconut proves necessary to balance it out.

Shortly after the coconut in the base began to shine, I hit a big chunk of flavorful graham crust. The next bite had only a tiny crumb, but that still had a noticeable effect. The graham cracker crumb crust – very similar in texture to the vanilla wafer cookie crust in Steve's Southern Banana Pudding, also sourced from Brooklyn restaurant Pies-n-Thighs – soaks up the intensity of the super tart lime, giving the tongue a much-needed break before taking on more of the sharp citrus. That makes room for the coconut to reenter, working like a palate cleanser that repeats throughout. As far as graham cracker mix-ins are concerned, Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t stand a chance going head-to-head with Steve’s. I only wish there weren’t as many big chunks of crust because too many bites were crumbless.

I still think Ben & Jerry’s Key Lime Pie is a respectable version of one of my all-time favorite pies (and I really love pie) and can't get enough of the double swirl of lime and fluffy meringue, but from now on, I fully support putting lime in the coconut and mixing it all up. That points to one thing that Steve’s does better than most ice cream makers: intentionally layer flavors to create a bold, complex profile.

Next Steve’s I try will be another summer combo, Sweet Corn and Blackberry Preserves, which I spotted in the Union Square Whole Foods a couple days ago. Too bad it’ll melt before I get it home; must be a sign to buy an insulated bag.

Where Dominique Found It: Associated Foods (Brooklyn, NY)
Grade: A

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry's Key Lime Pie (Limited Batch)

With the summer heat in full swing, Ben & Jerry's has decided to release their Key Lime Pie flavor as a limited batch for the next few months. A few of my fellow ice cream enthusiasts had tipped me off that this pie was making a comeback a few weeks before Ben & Jerry's had even released any information on the subject. After many failed attempts at tracking down this South Florida treat, I was finally about to procure a pint at my local Publix Supermarket. Key Lime Pie based ice creams seem to continuously come up short, so I was hoping Vermont's Finest could do better than the competition.

Described as a lime ice cream with a tangy lime twist, fluffy meringue swirl and pie crust pieces, I'm delighted to see that they've included actual pieces of pie crust in this one. All the other components will be attending their coming out party to my palate. I hadn't heard much feedback as far as other reviews were concerned, but after this dreamy description I'm ready to dig right in. After removing the top to this limited batch, the first layer of this 270 calories per serving, super-premium ice cream seems pretty pedestrian. As I pulled my spoon across the top layer, I can't seem to find nearly as much going on beneath the surface as I had initially expected, but hopefully the taste can make up for the lack of looks.

Following my first few bites, I've determined why Ben & Jerry's is usually able to pull off these fruit-based flavors better than the competition. They tend to teeter towards a sweet vanilla taste rather than the fruit itself. They allow hints of the true fruit flavor to come through without attacking you with too much, which works especially well with Key Lime, where tartness can be a problem. While true Key Lime lovers may object, I would choose this version of lime ice cream over many of those from other manufacturers. Considering this lacked most of the much-loved tartness of the lime, Ben & Jerry's administers an interesting approach of incorporating some twang in their ice cream. They've thrown in these little stripes of tangy lime twist. They come into play every fourth bite or so and add some serious zest to the equation.

I enjoyed this much more than those who actually try to include the zip of the Key Lime throughout the whole ice cream. The meringue swirl is also a nice supplement. It retains an authentic, light and fluffy feel and invites some sugar inside any bite in which it's involved. Noticeably sweeter than the rest of the ice cream, even when you can't see the meringue inside a bite, you certainly pick up the taste. As much as I enjoyed the swirl of sweetened egg-whites, they can't overpower the pieces of pie crust. These are included in large amounts and even though they're flaky and soft, they're able to be extracted in one big piece.

While it may sound like I loved this newest addition to the Ben & Jerry's lineup, it just wasn't as wonderful as I had hoped. With that said, I've come to the determination that Key Lime Pie is one of those flavor profiles that is best served in it's traditional form. Because of the bountiful amount of mix-ins, my mouth was never bored, but it can't overcome the fact that this is one of those desserts that has trouble being successful when transformed into an ice cream. There's something about tangy fruits that imposes a ceiling. They'll never be as comforting as their chocolate, vanilla and peanut butter brethren. I can't imagine a Key Lime flavor being much better than this and it still wasn't enough to avoid an average rating.

Where I Found It: Publix Super Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Blue Bell Key Lime Pie

Blue Bell has a long-standing tradition of being able to nail Southern classics in ice cream, so I was excited to see that they had started offering Key Lime Pie again. Key Lime is continuously used as inspiration for ice cream flavors, but a concept that is rarely well executed. The tart fruit typically has trouble coinciding with the sweetness of ice cream, however their description of sweet and tangy key lime ice cream blended with crunchy graham cracker crust and a creamy whipped topping swirl has me hoping for the best. Since I failed to locate a pint-sized portion, I ended up splurging for the huge, half-gallon pail my supermarket had in stock. Investing in such a large quantity of something you've never tried is always risky. If you don't enjoy what you've just purchased, you're stuck with the equivalent of four pints of ice cream, all the same flavor, rotting away in the freezer.

Blue Bell's Key Lime Pie contains 170 calories per serving, which is much lower than most of their other flavors revolving around cake or pie. After removing the giant, golden lid from the carton, I was left looking at a first layer that was more yellow than you'd expect from a flavor modeled after a bright-green lime. The pale yellow base was striped up with bright white streaks of whipped topping and a few of the pie crust pieces even poked through the top. I scooped out a hearty helping into a bowl, but couldn't help but notice the slightly crumbly texture that is synonymous with many underperforming fruit-based flavors. Most of Blue Bell's ice cream bases are smooth and fall somewhere in between low-fat offerings and a super-premium pint. This, on the other hand, felt a bit different. My first bite was free of any of the other mix-ins and consisted only of the sweet and tangy key lime ice cream. Although I'm aware that key lime is overly sour when compared to other fruits, this directly translated into the taste of the ice cream; and not in a good way. The consistency was also a bit icy, a characteristic I loathe when companies create a base made strictly from fruit.

Luckily for Blue Bell, there were plenty of mix-ins hiding beneath the surface. The creamy whipped topping swirl added the sweetness I'd been looking for and attributed a light, fluffy texture to the mix. A whipped cream swirl may not seem like much, but it has been able to do wonders for any flavor it's involved with. The finishing touch came from the large hunks of graham cracker crust that were littered about. These crunchy pieces were dense, chewy and provided the grittiness of an actual Key Lime Pie's crust. Perhaps if Blue Bell had been able to nail the key lime ice cream this would have secured a higher score, but it looks like my search for the perfect Key Lime Pie ice cream continues.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: C

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Coconut Key Lime

Following my shipment of five pints of ice cream from Phin & Phebes, I shared a story with them about how my grandmother just wasn’t able to resist the urge to eat their Coconut Key Lime. After finding my circumstances as amusing as I had, they decided to forward my experience with their customers by way of Da’ Blog. Here’s how things went down: “I had a wedding to go to this past weekend and my elderly grandmother volunteered to housesit/dogsit for my girlfriend and I while we were out of town for the night. Keep in mind she’s 73 years old and not typically an ice cream fan (many major brands don’t agree with her taste buds and/or stomach). She arrived Friday night around 8pm. By the time we returned on Saturday afternoon around 5pm, not only had she discovered the last remaining pint of Phin and Phebes in my freezer, but she also managed to polish off the entire pint of Key Lime Coconut by herself. I already knew her love for all things coconut, however she just couldn’t stop raving about how incredible this ice cream was. Sure I’ll have to pick up another pint to review at my local Earth Fare, but hearing her go on and on about ice cream was well worth the sacrifice. I’ll probably pick up a few for her as well if I want to stay in her good graces.” After her endorsement, I made it a priority to head back and purchase another pint.

Key Lime Pie ice cream has been tried before by a number of different manufacturers, but they all seem to come up short. Whether or not they can’t outsmart the sourness or they choose the wrong mix-in, most have trouble agreeing with my taste buds. Phin & Phebes takes a completely different approach by ditching the pie route all together, replacing pie crust with graham cracker chunks and mixing their key lime base with a little coconut. The finished product is a 220 calories per serving super-premium ice cream that sounds like it has some serious potential; especially after popping off the lid and seeing the first layer. The combination of coconut and key lime ice creams results in a base that is light in color and full in flavor. Each bite begins mellow, but soon starts to incorporate the tart characteristics of the key lime. Before sourness is able to overwhelm the senses however, the distinguishable taste of coconut comes into save the day.

The coconut is able to balance out the lip puckering ability of the South Florida fruit and provides an above average base to show off the mix-ins to come. These little splotches of golden graham cracker chunks are involved in nearly every bite and bring an additional element of sweetness to contrast the bite of they key lime. They add a gritty, slightly chewy texture and compliment both bases tremendously. Although Coconut Key Lime isn’t based on a traditional Key Lime Pie, their creation ends up being better than any other ice cream I’ve had based on this concept. Now I fully understand why my grandmother caved in.

Where I Found It: Earth Fare
Grade: B

REVIEW: Dannon Oikos Key Lime Greek Frozen Yogurt

When these new Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt pints started showing up on the shelves of our local Walmart, there was only one that peaked our interest: Key Lime. As always, we tend to seek out every available option containing this sour citrus. Regardless of what you may think about frozen yogurts, for those who pair our ice cream eating with a strict fitness regimen, it's nice to add 24 grams of protein to your macros for the day while only adding 600 calories (and that's only if you decide to polish off the entire pint).

The bright green frozen yogurt looked identical to the illustration on the outside of the carton, and with that, we dug right in. While Ben & Jerry's Greek frozen yogurts allow the tangy, slightly unsweetened taste to shine through in the finished product, Dannon seems to add quite a bit more sugar to the equation to help aid there entry. Along with only a slight taste of the Key Lime flavoring we were looking forward to, this doesn't manage to make it very far up our rankings list, but again, the nutrition facts may offset the mediocre taste for some.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: C

REVIEW: Ciao Bella Key Lime Graham Gelato Squares

Ice creams based on the key lime pie concept continuously seem to come up short on this blog. Whether it’s the supreme tartness of this lime or the lack of substantial pie crust, I’m usually left with both a puckered face and a below average product. The decision to buy some of the Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Squares from Ciao Bella had been easy, but a buy one get one free offer also allowed me the opportunity to try their Key Lime Graham versions. This Italian reincarnation of the South Florida staple is made up of key lime graham gelato and graham cracker squares. The promise of real lime juice printed on the box may excite some, but all I can think of is the sourness associated with the bright green fruit.

The key lime versions of their gelato squares contain the same 250 calories that the Sea Salt Caramel variations did, however I remain skeptical that they can pack the same punch. Only after I remove the sandwich from the white wrapper do I realize that the key lime graham gelato actually has tiny bits of graham cracker blended right in. My knife cuts through the soft graham cracker crust easily, but requires some extra effort to push through the lightly shaded gelato inside. Just as the sea salt caramel base had turned out to be, the key lime graham filling is dense and takes its time before breaking down. As the gelato begins to melt in my mouth, Ciao Bella has managed to tame the tartness better than most. This is easy to eat, just sweet enough, and the graham cracker crumbs give the gelato a great texture.

The graham cracker squares surrounding the gelato have the same soft, chewy consistency as the Sea Salt Caramel chocolate squares and add another element of sweetness to combat the slight sourness of the gelato. The very nature of an ice cream sandwich allows the two cookies on either side to become incorporated into every bite; a strategy that is much needed when using a tart filling like this one. The result is a frozen dessert that encapsulates everything people love about key lime pie without become overwhelming to your taste buds. Although these aren’t quite as addictive as the Sea Salt Caramel Gelato Squares, the fact that these received only a slightly above average overall grade is impressive considering Key Lime is involved.

Where I Found It: Harris Teeter
Grade: B

REVIEW: Edy's Key Lime Pie Slow Churned Yogurt Blends

While we typically review premium and super-premium ice creams, it’s hard for us to resist anything with Key Lime Pie in the title. Our lack of self-control led us to covering this carton of Edy’s Key Lime Pie as part of their Slow Churned Yogurt Blends lineup. At only 120 calories per serving, fitting a cup of this into your diet couldn’t be easier. Labeled as a cultured frozen dairy dessert, coupled with the slim nutrition facts, left us skeptical from the start.

As we scooped some into a bowl, the graham cracker swirl was far larger than we had anticipated. Our first few bites were interesting to say the least. The feel and taste of the base was much as advertised; landing somewhere between a low-calorie frozen dairy dessert and actual flavored yogurt while providing a nice level of tartness from the Key Lime flavoring. The large chunks of graham cracker crust was enough to bring this odd creation up to average.

Where I Found It: Ingles Market
Grade: C