Big Dip

Would you say you're "brand loyal?" Do you reach for the Honey Nut Cherrios and never go near the Great Value Honey Nut Spins?  For the most part I'd say I definitely buy certain brands. Trial and error, I don't buy something twice that fails to meet my high standards! Well, unless it's on  SALE and then I might be swayed! That's how I ended up with ice cream that was only slightly better than the stuff you get complimentary at the all-you-can-eat-buffet.

I bought a 1/2 gallon, it's not really a 1/2 gallon anymore... the brand I bought was 48 ounces. You have to look hard in the freezer section for 1/2 gallon sizes, prices for those are in the $5-$6 range. Last week when I was picking out a special treat for the two of us, I was swayed by a $3.98 container of Butter Pecan. Jerry had a love affair with butter pecan milk shakes the summer he was 15 years old and worked at Ronnie's Drive-in. He was allowed one meal on his shift and he would wait and get it right before closing. He'd choose Fried Something and a large butter pecan milk shake, take it home and eat it in bed... then go to sleep! He weighed maybe 120 and at 6 foot was hoping he'd gain a few lbs. It took years before eating like that caught up with him. Somewhere around 30 he was finally able to gain and somewhere around 50 he had trouble keeping it off! 

Friday night I scooped out two servings and set down to savor the taste. It wasn't spectacular, it was just mediocre, I've had better. A little searching and I found an article on the

Best Supermarket Ice Creams in Cook's Illustrated. 

Ben and Jerry's Vanilla scored the highest with ultra creamy taste with a deep hazelnut aftertaste. Placing a close second is Haagen Dazs' Vanilla, creamy and smooth but with less vanilla flavor than the winner. Down the list was Wells Blue Bunny and Breyers, both had a pleasing vanilla taste but with textures like soft serve or ice milk. Yep, that was our complaint... it had that complimentary restaurant soft serve taste.

I'm afraid we are spoiled to the good stuff or a drive thru Andy's Custard. So tell me... which brand do you like best? And do you remember Big Dip? I don't think it's around anymore, but it was soft serve and they actually bragged about it on the box! Funny how times have changed from "New and Improved" to "Old Fashioned." 

Roba Dolce Treasure!

Nothing, absolutely nothing is better than a surprise that comes out of the blue! Last week when the doorbell rang mid-morning I didn't have a clue who it could be. I should have recognized the quick bing-bong, it's the certain way that UPS or FedEx rings the bell in their no nonsense-onto the next delivery way. You know what I'm talkin' about!

As soon as I saw the big box I remembered.

Karen over at This Old House 2 had graciously offered a contest for us Winter Weary, Blizzard Bonked Bloggers. She asked her readers to simply offer up some new flavors for Roba Dolce to consider. Two winners would be chosen and they would receive a full case of their delicious gelatos and sorbetos. Everyone who commented would be getting a gift in the mail. Was I reading this wrong? Roba Dolce was letting us suggest our favorite flavors AND they were going to reward us with gelato? Too good to be true! I've been buying mine at my local Aldi, but looking over their site I see Walgreens and even some of our convienence stores carry it in store brands. I'm going to demand that our local Sam's Club buy it for us, I'm hoping my clout with buying large quantities of paper products may sway them!

They had sent 5 large containers of frozen Heaven and 3 individual sizes perfect for one. Coconut, Pistaschio, Dark Chocolate, Mango and Lemon. Packed in dry ice to arrive is perfect condition, it was frozen hard as a rock!

It's barely 9AM, I'm in my robe and fluffy socks unpacking my treasures when I realize I need to get hold of myself and take a picture of them for the blog. Well, before I put them in the freezer I should take a picture of one of the single serves. After all, that would save time.

I opened the Lemon Sorbeto and almost took a bite. No, it's too early. I'll just scoop it out and take a picture then put them all in the freezer.

Isn't it pretty in the dish, all frosty and fresh? One little bite won't hurt. Ohhhh, just like a fresh lemon, that ting on your tongue that reminds you of summertime and birds singing. Silky and cold, I ate the whole thing. At 9AM I had gulped down a serving without even thinking how many calories. It was too good to be diet...remember I'm supposed to be on one, I turned the container around and got the surprise of my life...it said 120 calories! How can that be??? 

That night we sampled the Pistachio Gelato. Loaded with nuts, creamy and smooth, but only 8% butterfat compared to 14-18% with premium ice cream. More flavor and less fat, amazing!

Over the weekend we made a real dent in the mango sorbeto (like eating a fresh mango) AND the chocolate(dark and decadent, just the way I like it)  and coconut (toasty, coconut-y and Creeeeeamy) gelatos. If you take a bite of  coconut and chase it with a bite of the Dark Chocolate...you have an Almond Joy!!!

Our favorites are the Lemon, Mango, Chocolate, Coconut and Pistachio! All of them, they are all delicious and irrisistable and addictive...but in a good way!

Go to Roba Dolce's website and find out where you can buy this yummy goodness. Even if you're dieting, this is like two rice cakes. Nothing equals two rice cakes so I'm saying go buy some today! Here's a coupon for $1 off, aren't they NICE???

Click Here to print a coupon

Thanks to Karen and Roba Dolce for giving us a little Italian get-a-way, right smack dab in the middle of winter!