Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
I love Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Unfortunately, there aren’t any Jeni’s in the cities where I’ve lived: Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Charleston, and Tampa, to name a few. I was finally able to try their ice cream when I lived in LA, and I was immediately hooked. Whenever I’m in a city — there are locations all over the USA — I make sure to stop there.
No additives
Jeni’s ice creams have a uniquely smooth texture and buttercream body with bright flavor and a clean finish. They don’t use synthetic flavorings, dyes, or off-the-shelf mixes. If you purchase a pint at the grocery store or purchase them online, you should instantly notice the absence of stabilizers and emulsifiers on the ingredient list — WIN. Jeni’s was founded using fresh ingredients and a complex process of building texture and flavor without the use of additives.
Unique, supreme texture
The texture of the ice cream at Jeni’s is supreme — it’s smooth and creamy; however, it does melt fast (without any additives). What I like most, though are the use of flavors. Of course, they have standard flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and salted caramel — but more interesting are their “riskier” flavors. These are the flavors that sound weird as ice cream, but once you try them, you wonder why more shops don’t take on this inventive approach. Some of my favorites are:
Goat cheese with cherries
Sweet cream biscuits & peach jam
Gooey Butter Cake
Get your Jeni’s fix
I’m so happy that they have a few Charlotte locations so I can always get my fix. One is in the South End, one is in NODA, and my usual stop is the Park Road location. Don’t worry about going to one location over another — they’re all consistent. And if you don’t live near a Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, have no fear, you can still get your fix other ways:
1) Pick up a pint at the grocery store or specialty shop. Many national and regional chains such as Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, Wegmans, Roche Brothers, etc. carry Jeni’s pints. Go to Jeni’s website to find the store nearest you.
2) You can buy their pints online! This is a new option, and the caveat is that there’s a minimum of four pints. With that said, sometimes you need to take drastic measures to get your fix.
3) If you like to cook, as I do, pick up a copy of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home Cookbook. Many of their signature flavors are included in the book, and while the recipes have been adapted for the at home chef, they taste pretty darn close to the real thing.
Long story short — if you need a cold treat to cool down this summer, swing by a Jeni’s location, or grab a pint to enjoy at home. You definitely won’t regret it!