After shaving two skinny layers off the highest of Van Leeuwen’s Hidden Valley Ranch Ice Cream, I closed my eyes and thought it tasted acquainted.
I’m certain a lot of you’re pondering, “Effectively, DUH! It tastes like Hidden Valley Ranch!” Yeah, I do know. I’m acquainted with the flavour as a result of I purchase the 40-ounce bottle two-pack at Costco yearly to assist persuade my physique to eat extra salad. However after shaving off a number of thicker layers that might legally be thought of “spoonfuls,” I noticed this bizarre ice cream taste tastes like one other odd dessert creation in a pint — Van Leeuwen’s Pizza Ice Cream.
Nevertheless, after evaluating ingredient lists, they don’t share any savory ones, so I’m unsure why they remind me of one another. To get the savory ranch style, the ice cream was made utilizing buttermilk powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and different pure flavors. These elements make this odor prefer it’s not going to be a enjoyable time.
It additionally doesn’t initially style like a enjoyable time as a result of the buttermilk, salt, onion and garlic powders, and herb flavors strike the style buds arduous. However after subsequent makes an attempt at consuming it, the sweetness within the base begins to come back out and the savory components fade a bit, making the ice cream a bit extra edible. Very like the pizza taste, as soon as I bought previous the preliminary savoriness, it turned out to be, um, I can’t consider a phrase which means just below okay. It’s not as dangerous as I assumed it could be, and possibly consuming Van Leeuwen’s earlier uncommon creations has made my style buds prepared for regardless of the model gives.
As a result of I at all times have Hidden Valley Ranch in my kitchen, I may examine the 2, and the notable distinction between them, apart from sweetness ranges, is that the dressing has a stronger eggy and buttermilk taste that might’ve been terrible within the ice cream. Additionally, as a result of I at all times appear to have McDonald’s in my home, I may learn how that is as a McNuggets dipping sauce. It’s, um, not one thing I’d do once more as a result of the savory components get considerably negated by the ice cream’s sweetness. Additionally, as a result of I continually attempt to persuade my physique to eat salad, I occur to have some lettuce and uncooked spinach in my home. So I topped them with ice cream, and realized it’s not a great salad dressing due to the style and the way it slides off the greens.
I think about 99 p.c of you will see that Van Leeuwen’s Hidden Valley Ranch Ice Cream completely disgusting, and I utterly perceive, however I consider it in another way. I wouldn’t name it scrumptious and even good. I don’t even suppose I may eat a bowl of it. However it’s okay in small doses; a artistic novelty that makes me smile and grimace on the identical time; I haven’t thrown it out after consuming 1/sixth of the pint to date; and I really like that Van Leeuwen had the Nads Leeuwens to promote this. These are the nicest issues I can say about it. However you probably have an adventurous palate, it’s value a strive.
DISCLOSURE: I acquired a free product pattern from Van Leeuwen. Doing so didn’t affect my evaluate.
Bought Value: FREE
Measurement: 14 fl oz
Bought at: Acquired from Van Leeuwen, nevertheless it’s obtainable at Walmart
Score: 4 out of 10
Diet Info: (2/3 cup) 260 energy, 18 grams of fats, 11 grams of saturated fats, 0.5 grams of trans fats, 105 milligrams of ldl cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar (together with 15 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.