READER REVIEW: Elliot's Review of Phin & Phebes Banana Whama

Check out Elliot's latest review of Phin & Phebes Banana Whama with a little insider info from one of the founders of this Brooklyn based company!

Growing up on the Mason Dixon line, I was not quite southern enough to have access to true southern banana pudding. All I can do is try to make up for lost time. The ice cream gods conspired against me this fall as Phin & Phebes became unavailable locally, forcing my hand to order some online via Fresh Direct. I hope this disturbance in the force is resolved in the coming months as local grocers sort out what they’ll carry next spring.

Phin & Phebes is one of just a handful of nationally available brands who choose to do things the hard way. They don’t include gums, thickeners or stabilizers in their ice cream, even “natural ones” like tapioca starch and syrup. It is cheaper and easier to craft a base and duct tape it together with binding agents and thickeners than with just milk, cream and eggs, especially one that stays together on its own, has a decent shelf life and can be produced on a large scale. One of the Phin & Phebes pints I’d found to be habit forming is their Banana Whama flavor. They’ve added a pleasing pudding flavor to a banana base dotted with vanilla wafer pieces. The texture of the 14-15% butterfat base is velvety, not icy or watered down as is the problem with many ice creams featuring fruit. The crumbly wafers remain well textured throughout the pint.

I was able to get a bit of the backstory from Crista of Phin and Phebes on how this flavor came to be : “I grew up in the South and one of my favorite places to eat was this place called Woody's BBQ. Every time we ordered from there I would order like a quart of banana pudding and gobble it up. It was the perfect balance of whipped cream, vanilla wafers and bananas. It was the real homemade deal. I moved away from the South when I was 18, and didn't realize how much I missed banana pudding until I rediscovered it at Magnolia's and Sweet Sugar Sunshine in NYC. They were able to make banana pudding that actually tasted like the stuff I would eat in the South. When making this flavor my obsession for Banana Pudding was reborn and I was literally buying a quart each week for myself to consume. When we starting making ice cream in our home kitchen for fun and playing around with a bunch of different concepts I would make banana pudding myself from scratch, using butter, cream and corn starch. I’d use the homemade banana pudding and pour it into our sweet cream ice cream base. The flavor was awesome and we would sell through it like crazy at markets and fairs, but what we realized when launching our pint business is this not a shelf stable product and that it gets icy over time. So I then set out to reformulate the recipe to what you see today. Jess and I both agree that it is even better than the original concept we made in the past.”

There you have it! A star is born. I love this pint and this brand, and am eager to see what other flavors will be born in Brooklyn.

Where Elliot Found It: Foody Direct
Elliot's Grade: A

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: 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

NEWS: The Story of My Grandmother Stealing My Phin & Phebes Ice Cream Makes Da' Blog

After sharing the story of how my grandmother stumbled upon my last pint of Phin & Phebes, they thought it was worthy of being shared with the world. I agree. It seems my love for ice cream comes honest. 

Check out Da' Blog by clicking here if you're interested.

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Considering the fact that I’ve tried literally dozens of different versions from different companies, I’m no amateur when it comes to coffee ice creams. Most creameries tend to go for the straightforward, sweet style when making theirs and some even throw in mix-ins to enhance the beloved caffeine-filled beverage. Every once in a while, a company will stray from the norm and take a slightly different approach. Phin & Phebes Vietnamese Iced Coffee is an excellent example of this. They say, “What’s better than coffee ice cream? Vietnamese Coffee ice cream! We took one of our favorite summertime treats and turned it into an ice cream flavor so you can enjoy it all year round. We make this flavor with a blend of regular coffee and chicory coffee and a hint of cardamom to make your mouth sing.” I haven’t yet had the opportunity to partake in an actual Vietnamese Iced Coffee, so first I thought I should find out exactly what Phin & Phebes had modeled their version after. The best definition I could find online stated that Vietnamese iced coffee is made with finely ground Vietnamese-grown dark, roast coffee brewed with a small metal French drip filter into a cup of full of sweetened condensed milk, stirred and poured over ice. This sounds like the ideal way to start a scorching day in Southeast Asia.

Image found on FlickR, courtesy of todd*

According to a few different sources, Vietnamese Americans introduced the practice of adding chicory to impersonate the taste of Vietnamese-grown coffee, but this addition isn’t found in the authentic version. Phin & Phebes opt for taste over tradition and decide to not only include chicory, but also cardamom for a little extra zing. After tweaking the formula to their liking, the end result is a super-premium ice cream that contains 240 calories per serving and 14% butterfat. This base-only ice cream has the same fluffy, yet substantial consistency that their other offerings have had, but is still plenty dense enough to show off all the complex flavors involved.

Although I’ve had both chicory and cardamom infused ice creams in the past, I’ve never experienced the two strong spices working in unison inside a singular pint. My first bite started off with the sweet taste of cream and sugar you’d expect from your standard coffee ice cream, but that’s where the similarities stop. As the ice cream begins to break down, the flavors of the dark roasted coffee beans, bitterness of the chicory and unique characteristics of the cardamom come through in just right the proportions to give Phin & Phebes coffee ice cream the one of a kind feel they were looking for.

Where I Found It: Phin & Phebes Shipment (also available here)
Grade: B

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Vanilla Cinnamon

As I stood scanning over all the selections inside the Styrofoam cooler I had just received from Phin & Phebes, perhaps the least exciting sounding of them all came wrapped in red. This pint of Vanilla Cinnamon sounded rather uneventful and features the simple combination of vanilla ice cream with Vietnamese Cinnamon. According to the duo from Brooklyn, “We wanted to make a vanilla ice cream that was, well…not so “vanilla.” The Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon in this two-fold bourbon vanilla ice cream steals the show. Enjoy by the spoonful or with an espresso or on top of warm apple pie and call it a day.” After reading their mission with this flavor, it seems Phin & Phebes has the intention of putting another unique twist on a classic. While I’ve had cinnamon infused ice creams in the past, I’ve yet to see anyone utilize the Vietnamese version (also known as Saigon cinnamon).

According to Wiki, this Southeast Asia indigenous spice has the highest concentration of essential oils compared to the other cinnamons, and as a result, costs more than the rest. From 1959 to 1975 during the Vietnam War, this was unavailable in the United States, but luckily for us Phin & Phebes goes the extra mile to secure some of the best cinnamon available for their ice cream. This base-only offering comes in at 240 calories per serving, enough to ensure that this ice cream will have a thick consistency to showcase all the complex flavors involved. After taking off the top, the first layer is a beige color and shows plenty flecks of the aforementioned Vietnamese Cinnamon. Despite the density, my spoon scoops out the base with ease.

My first taste of Vanilla Cinnamon is packed full of complex flavors that I hadn’t initially expected. The front end is loaded with mild hints of bourbon and plenty of the sweet vanilla mentioned in the description; a combination not commonly found. Then, slowly but surely, the Vietnamese Cinnamon comes into play as the sweetness of the bourbon-infused vanilla is ushered out. Each bite finishes with a burst of the aromatic, flavorful spice. By effectively balancing out the flavors, and using unique ingredients, Phin & Phebes has found a way to make their vanilla, well…not so vanilla. Although this may not appeal as much to the vanilla bean purists, they've created a new favorite of mine.

Where I Found It: Phin & Phebes Shipment (also available here)
Grade: A

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel

After bringing together sweetened peanut butter and salted pretzel bits in Peanutty Pretzel, the second of Phin & Phebes most recent releases also looked to combine contrasting flavors. This time they’ve opted for a mixture of dark, rich and fudgy chocolate ice cream with salty caramel. They describe their new Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel by writing, “The mysteries of the Universe unravel with every bit of this dark chocolate ice cream sprinkled with salty caramel to form an outrageously rich and delicious treat.” Up to this point, salt-infused bases had been attempted exclusively with caramel, but Phin & Phebes puts a uniquely New York, chocolate twist directly into the ice cream itself.

This base only offering tips the scales at 230 calories per serving, which is right in line with many of the other super-premium ice creams from Phin & Phebes and ensures a slow-melting, dense consistency. Despite the fact that this contains 14% butterfat, the base retains a fluffier feel than much of the competition; but is still fully capable of delivering a full-bodied flavor. After sampling my first bite of Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel, I’m taken back by the bold, robust flavors flowing throughout. Unlike some of the bigger brands, these small, craft ice cream operations can stand to take more chances with their creations since they’re catering to a certain market. This is exemplified by the amount of salt involved.

The result is one of the saltiest ice creams I’ve seen. Although this may not sound too enticing to some, this really allows the flavors from the dark, rich chocolate and buttery caramel to flourish. Each bite contains a complex adventure through many different tastes that proves to be more than enough to keep me occupied; even without the assistance of mix-ins. The unique combination is something you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere and after completing the pint, just may be my new favorite chocolate ice cream.

Where I Found It: Phin & Phebes Shipment (also available here)
Grade: A

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Peanutty Pretzel

Only a few days after discovering this small Brooklyn-based ice cream company in my local Earth Fare, Phin & Phebes added two new flavors to their five existing ones. Peanutty Pretzel and Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel joined the likes of Banana Whama, Coconut Key Lime, Ginger Snap Cookie, Vanilla Cinnamon and Vietnamese Iced Coffee. Luckily for me, Phin & Phebes generously gifted me a five-pint shipment of their products; including the two latest releases. Although the combination of peanut butter and pretzels isn’t a new concept when it comes to ice cream, the description on their website shined a new light on this classic combination. They describe their peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered pretzel bits as, “Some things are just meant to be together. We combined creamy peanut butter ice cream with slightly salty pretzels covered in chocolate to form the Bermuda Triangle of ice cream flavors.”

This super premium, 14% butterfat peanut butter ice cream contains 250 calories per serving; an even 1000 calories for the entire pint. With the top removed, the first layer of this peanut butter base is off-white in color and shows flecks of the chocolate and pretzel that chipped off during the churning process. My first bite is mild, sweet and avoids the saltiness normally associated with peanut butter. Phin & Phebes is able to balance out the overpowering nature of the main ingredient inside; providing a suitable foundation for a salty mix-in. Peanutty Pretzel melts down slowly and brings a unique texture thanks to the crumbs that have fallen off the covered pretzels. Although they aren’t quite as plentiful as the mix-ins found in pints from other manufacturers, it isn’t long before I begin to run into the chocolate covered pretzel bits scattered about.

Soon after breaking the surface I was met by a steady influx of these multi-talented mix-ins. The elongated pretzel sticks have a thin chocolate coating that provides a wide array of tastes and textures. The bits contain a light, crunchy feel that ends with a rich finish due to the chocolate glaze on the outside. When contrasted against the sweet, peanut butter ice cream, the result is a simple yet effective combination of classic flavors. An accompanying swirl or slightly larger pretzel pieces could have given Peanutty Pretzel the push needed to receive an A, but still remains worthy of seeking out and sampling for yourself.

Where I Found It: Phin & Phebes Shipment (also available here)
Grade: B

NEWS: Phin & Phebes Send Their New Flavors, Peanutty Pretzel and Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel

Following the release of their two new flavors, Peanutty Pretzel and Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel, I was contacted by Phin & Phebes to see if I’d be interested in reviewing these and a few others. A couple days after graciously accepting their generous offer, the doorbell rang and I was greeted by a shipment from Brooklyn. My excitement built as I removed the lid and the dry ice fog cleared. They had not only included their most recent releases, but also Vanilla Cinnamon, Coconut Key Lime and Vietnamese Iced Coffee; all of which I had spotted at my local Earth Fare earlier in the week. Hopefully these can live up to the high expectations set by Banana Whama. Look out for my reviews of these incredible sounding selections soon!

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Gingersnap Cookie

To celebrate the fact that Phin & Phebes products can now be found in The Fresh Market, we rounded out our reviews of their current flavor lineup by picking up this pint of Gingersnap Cookie.

Phin & Phebes has this to say about their ice cream interpretation of a gingersnap cookie, "Ginger lovers unite. We make this flavor by simply adding juiced ginger to the base and combining that with ginger cookies with a lemon icing filling. It's a creamy ice cream exploding with yummy ginger goodness." Our first bite of the ginger ice cream brings about a sensation we haven't found elsewhere. The unique base is full of bold ginger flavor, but with just the right amount of sweetness to effectively balance out the powerful spice.

The ginger ice cream itself was complex enough to keep our attention, however the ginger cookies with lemon filling demanded even more. The authentic cookie crunch and zesty ginger and lemon flavoring easily elevated this into the upper echelon. Phin & Phebes has certainly set the bar extremely high for any gingersnap themed ice creams to come.

Where I Found It: Earth Fare
Grade: A

NEWS: Phin & Phebes Release Two New Flavors, Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel and Peanutty Pretzel

After recently discovering the Phin & Phebes brand in my local Earth Fare, I fell in love with their Banana Whama flavor. This super-premium spin on banana pudding consisted of banana pudding ice cream with vanilla wafers for an authentic feel. Earlier today, this dynamic duo added Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel and Peanutty Pretzel to their current five flavor rotation of Vanilla Cinnamon, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Coconut Key Lime, Banana Whama and Gingersnap Cookie. Take a further look at these new additions on their website by clicking this link!

REVIEW: Phin & Phebes Banana Whama

Recently while browsing the aisles of a local organic food supermarket called Earth Fare, I stumbled upon a school of new selections sitting behind the freezer glass. Nestled in between the assortment of flavors from Jeni’s and Graeter’s, a small number of seemingly hand-designed pints sat peering back. After leaning in for a closer look, I started reading some of the creations currently available from the Brooklyn-born Phin & Phebes Ice Cream. Although it sat surrounded by enticing flavors like Coconut Key Lime, Ginger Cookie Snap, Vanilla Cinnamon and Vietnamese Iced Coffee, my hand instinctively reached for Banana Whama. Banana Pudding based ice creams are among my favorite, but because I’m so fond of them, I’m also overly critical. From fast food to super-premiums, I’ve had them all; but the simple description of banana pudding ice cream with vanilla wafers left me running towards the checkout lanes.

This small-scale operation cranks out five flavors of super-premium, 14% butterfat ice cream; a percentage that shows in the nutrition facts. Banana Whama will set you back 240 calories per serving, but a sacrifice I’m willing to make for the sweet succulence of banana pudding. After taking my first bite of the banana pudding base, I'm taken back by the simplicity of their ice cream and the spot-on taste it achieves. Phin & Phebes have added the ideal dose of pudding flavor to the let you know you aren’t strictly dealing with bananas. Their ice cream manages to retain a fluffy consistency despite its super-premium status; a trait you a rarely see when dealing with ice cream this dense.

The handmade feel surrounding Banana Whama is exemplified even more with the nature of how they’ve incorporated the vanilla wafers. These roughly broken pieces are left near-whole on occasion and really ramp up the authenticity. The big hunks of soft, chewy cookie are thicker than your standard wafer and some of the best I've ever had. Even without a whipped cream component, this has still managed to become my new go-to when I'm looking for a banana-pudding fix. Phin & Phebes are officially in my good graces and I look forward to further exploring their flavors.

Where I Found It: Earth Fare
Grade: A