I mentioned in my review of Hazed and Confused that I will next do a review of That's My Jam. I also promise to not ask “what's the difference between jam and jelly?” at any point in the review because I want to keep things nice and classy as fuck. I, of course, hope that Mr. Ben, and/or Jerry, will read my review and ask me to taste test their ice creams, so lewd and crude jokes have no place here... eh, who am I kidding. I won't even get a comment on this post.
That's My Jam is appropriately titled, since this flavor is my jam. The name might make you think of some shitty improv indie band in Wicker Park (or, for you New Yorkers, Williamsburg), but thankfully, it has no relation to such things. Even if it did, it would be ok, since it is far more pleasant in scent, sound, and probably taste. I wouldn't know about the latter, but maybe one of you have some experience with that. I also realize this shows how self centered I am, since I am assuming you would know what Wicker Park and Williamsburg are like. Or perhaps it is unwitting self deprecation since I do not expect too many people to see this? Anyway, I digress.
This variety of Ben and Jerry's Core line consists of chocolate ice cream, raspberry ice cream, and a raspberry jam center.
The chocolate ice cream is... you know what, fuck it. It's chocolate ice cream and I'm not describing it again. It is the SAME exact chocolate ice cream found in the Hazed and Confused flavor, including the little chunks of chocolate. If you need a review for chocolate ice cream, you've probably been living on a deserted (definitely not desserted) island all your life. Or you could read the other review and add a couple of views to this damn blog... please *cries*.
The raspberry ice cream is fantastic. It actually tastes noticeably similar to real raspberries. It is not too strong, but not weak at all either. It has a slight tartness and it is not overly sweet. It is thick, creamy and rich (get your mind out of the gutter, you dirty person you). This one also features the little shards of chocolate chunks with some occasional berry seeds, though no berry chunks.
The raspberry jam was the highlight. It is VERY bold, tarty, full of seeds, and tastes like actual raspberry preserves. A flavor this dominant was certainly needed to offset the robustness of the chocolate ice cream. It was still somewhat soft, so I guess their jam doesn't crystallize quite like ice cream does (should I be worried about that?).
I was also able to finish the pint in one sitting without feeling that this was sickeningly sweet, artificial, or like it was sticking in my throat. I also did not feel disgusted or ashamed with myself because, well, I don't feel bad or guilty for eating pints of ice cream in single sittings. Although maybe having it for dinner isn't really good behavior though, but I am big enough a person to forgive myself. Plus, thanks to the jam, it's like having servings of fruit. How awesome is that? It's almost as awesome as tomato sauce, and thus pizza, being a vegetable. I'm still in the process of trying to figure out if chocolate or coffee can be considered fruit, but I'm fairly certain they are. I also think we can safely say that wine should be considered fruit juice, right? It's made out of grape juice, after all.
Anyway, of the two Core flavors I have tried, this one wins. My main complaint with That's My Jam, and one of the complaints for Hazed and Confused, is that Ben and Jerry's could have done something much more interesting had they replaced chocolate with something else. I mean, don't get me wrong, I LOVE chocolate. I'm sure someone reading this has probably seen me with my eyes closed and sniffing the air while the smell of chocolate envelopes West Loop (again, assuming you know what West Loop is like); or has heard me say how I'd lick their chocolate vats clean since my saliva is water soluble, and they won't have to burn off the chocolate to clean them out. Such waste is totally immoral, after all (are you reading this, Bromer Chocolate Factory People? My offer still stands. It's win win. Please respond to my emails and revoke the restraining order).
However, chocolate ice cream, especially good chocolate ice cream, is very strong in flavor. It's so strong, that all those “double” or “triple” chocolate flavors are superfluous because they're not any stronger than regular chocolate. So the inclusion of chocolate ice cream will ultimately mask any subtler flavors it is paired with. You want to complement flavors, not overpower them, after all.
I'm not offering suggestions for alternatives without being on B&J's payroll, but I definitely have some good combinations in mind, *hint hint*.
Anyway, this flavor gets a 9/10. The raspberry ice cream was well done, the jam was fantastic, especially when it could have easily been an artificial disaster, and it was strong enough to actually balance out the chocolate. Good job, Ben and Jerry.
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