Sweet Science - Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie - Vanilla Cognac Ice Cream with a Pecan Pie Swirl

For the first pint after the Thanksgiving holiday, I decided to go with the Saint Paul-based Sweet Science brand's implementation of Pecan Pie.  It was a seasonal offering at their last tasting event, so it seems appropriate.  This flavor was even special enough that they charge a buck extra.  I figure that means that it must be extra good?  We'll find out.  Pieces of pecan pie are the swirl here.  The base is a vanilla cognac flavor.  This is the first pint I have ever had which includes cognac -- a type of brandy (distilled wine) manufactured near the town of Cognac in France.   This all sounds interesting.  I can't wait to try it out.

Opening the pint, the ice cream is off-white in color with very small mix-ins distributed evenly throughout.  Digging in, I do notice the cognac flavoring right away.  I am not a cognac expert, but it has a sweet, alcohol flavor.  There are variably-sized pieces of pecan distributed throughout the pint -- some are quite small, but I got a few half-pecan-sized pieces to chew on as well.  Pie lovers know that the pecans of pecan pie are suspended in a thick gelatinous filling made from butter, corn syrup and either sugar or brown sugar.  In this pint, it appears that this filling appears to have been fully blended into the base ice cream.  So, not really any 'swirls' but it tasted good all the same.

This pint was well-done.  The full blending of the pie filling made this into a sort of 'brown sugar, cognac pecan' flavor.  That makes it a refreshing twist on the usual 'bourbon whiskey praline pecan' flavor done by almost every other brand (see the 'pecan' label on the right and about half of them include bourbon and a praline coating).  I find it a bit curious that this is the flavor that costs and extra dollar.  Maybe it was the cognac?  Anyhow, it made for a great holiday dessert.