Bebe Zito - Lemon Party

Lemon Party - Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream with Spiced Streusel and Spiced Blueberry Jam

 

Today's flavor is from the Minneapolis-based Bebe Zito and is called Lemon Party.  I picked it up from their scoop shop in the Wedge/Lowry Hill neighborhood of south Minneapolis.  This particular flavor is not on their current scooping list, but I found a pint of it in their freezer case.  I imagine this flavor will cycle back into the scooping bins at some point.  This is a lemon buttermilk ice cream with spiced blueberry jam and some spiced streusel.  Sounds like a good combination of flavors!

Removing the lid, I see a lot of crumble!  Bebe Zito likes to sprinkle mix-ins across the top of the pint before putting the lid on and that has definitely happened here.  Digging in, I get a lot of flavor all at once.  I do taste the lemon right away despite all the mix-ins.  It is a good lemon flavor.  I think the buttermilk is used just to help blend the lemon into the ice cream and does not provide any of its own flavor -- it is not a sour pint.  The blueberry jam is delicious.  I was surprised to note that the jam is spiced a bit.  I checked the ingredient list and note that there is coriander and cardamom mixed into the jam.  This is a nice effect and reminds me a bit of the jam used in Jeni's Claire's Cabinet flavor.  I still primarily taste the blueberry, but there's subtle and spicy 'finish'.  Good stuff.  The crumble provides a bit of grit to the pint and I note spiciness in there was well.  Checking the ingredient list, it says they use a five-spice powder.  It's not super-spicy, but I can definitely taste the cinnamon and nutmeg in the mix.  

This is a delicious pint from Bebe Zito.  This is not simple a lemon berry or a lemon pie pint as they a tasteful amount of spice to both the jam and the crumble.  Lots of flavor in here without overwhelming the lemon either.  This flavor is a winner and I highly recommend it.