Ice cream review: Front Porch Chocolate Rocker

Ice cream review by John
Score: 4.5 out of 5 scoops
Company: Front Porch

The Morrisonville Ice Cream Company of North Carolina has apparently been around for close to a century, but only recently has it been releasing ice creams to stores under the Front Porch label. A store in my area started carrying these ice creams a month or two back and since then I've noticed the ice creams popping up in other stores.

I admit I was skeptical at first. New ice creams always make me a little nervous. I guess I've been burnt too many times, though I'm always willing to try something new.

Since I decided to test out one of the Front Porch flavors, I thought I'd start with one I thought had an interesting name, "Chocolate Rocker."

Wow.

Just ... wow!

You chocolate fans, you have to try this ice cream. It might be my new favorite chocolate-centric ice cream.

First you've got a chocolate ice cream base, and what a base it is! The chocolate ice cream part of this treat alone would be worth the price. But then you also get a fantastic swirl of creamy fudge that leaves your mouth watering. But wait, there's more! Mixed in with all this goodness are pieces of chocolate truffles that go crunch in your mouth.

I'm a person who likes textured foods, not just taste, so I was thrilled to discover this ice cream with its smooth fudge swirl and its truffles. Those truffles are like rich little brownie bites that are sort of spongy soft but also pack a bit of a crunch to them. It was a near perfect mixture of quality goodness for me.

This ice cream alone has sold me on Front Porch ice creams. I've yet to taste any of their other flavors, but even if I don't like any of them, I will always have Chocolate Rocker.

And what a name! It will definitely rock your taste buds!

Ice cream review: Breyers Blasts! Golden Oreo

Ice cream review by John
Score: 2 out of 5 scoops
Company: Breyers

I generally like cookies and cream ice cream, so I was hoping for something special since this is basically a cookies and cream treat but with Golden Oreo cookies instead of the regular, chocolate Oreos. I was quite disappointed.

If one spends some time looking around at various ice cream blogs and the like online, it will not be uncommon to find those who are not vans of Breyers and who will sometimes claim many Breyers products are not real ice cream. Unfortunately, this product gives credence to such notions.

The vanilla here was not creamy at all, but had an almost rubbery texture to it, maybe like really old ice cream that has been melted and frozen several times. The cookie swirl and bits were underwhelming reminding one less of Golden Oreo cookies and more of some kind of graham cracker swirl that has gone wrong.

No, this is not the worst frozen desert I have ever tasted, but I would not try this one again. Sorry, Breyers, but you can do better.

Ice cream review: Breyers Blasts! Snickers Bar

Ice cream review by John
Score: 3 out of 5 scoops
Company: Breyers

The official website calls this ice cream Breyers Blasts! Snickers Bar, but the box actually titles it Breyers Blasts! Snickers Caramel Swirl Chunk. Both are appropriate.

If you are a fan of vanilla ice cream, ice cream with chunky bits in it, chocolate, nuts, caramel, and/or Snickers candy bars, then you should be a fan of this ice cream.

By no means is this the greatest ice cream ever made. I'm not a big fan of Breyers frozen treats, but they aren't awful; there's simply better quality treats available, though your pocketbook will feel the pinch. I tend to think of Breyers as a decent staple ice cream to have around the house at all times, one you can serve to kids or for desert or at parties, etc. However, when you're in the mood to really treat yourself, Breyers isn't at the top of my list.

But enough negative stuff. Breyers makes decent ice creams at decent prices and they don't make crap.

The caramel swirl here is pretty good, one of the better ones from Breyers, in my opinion, holding its strength throughout. I'd personally like there to be a little more chocolate in this ice cream, as it seems the flakes and the chocolate coating on the peanuts is a little lacking. Still, the addition of the peanuts make up somewhat for what I feel is a lack of chocolate.

Could you do better? Sure. But this is a quality staple ice cream. Treat yourself, and your family.