Milkjam Creamery - Ruby Rose

Ruby Rose - Bergamot & Lavender Ice cream with Ruby Grapefruit Marmalade and Ruby Chocolate Freckles

 

Milkjam Creamery in South Minneapolis has four flavors available for February (instagram link here).  I have reviews two of these flavors -- XOXO and I ♥ You -- in previous years, so that leaves two left for me in 2021.  The first of those two is called Ruby Rose (instagram link here).  It is a bergamot and lavender flavored ice cream with a ruby grapefruit marmalade swirl and ruby chocolate pieces as mix-ins.  Bergamot is the orange flavoring added to Earl Grey tea, but this is the first time I have seen it outside of that blend of tea.   I have had grapefruit only once before from McConnell's and ruby chocolate only once before from Häagen-Dazs.  This sounds like an eclectic mix of ingredients.  I am curious to see how this turns out.

Removing the lid, the base ice cream has an off-white yellowish color.  I don't know if it is the bergamot that is giving it that color as some sweet creams have a slight yellowish tinge due to the presence of egg yolks.  I also see some pink splotches which I am guessing is the ruby grapefruit swirl.  Digging in, it is quite tangy.  I taste the bergamot first.  I notice a little bit of lavender with bergamot right away but the effects of the lavender fade as I continue to eat the pint.  The ruby grapefruit swirl is even more tangy.  Then I notice the small 'freckles' of ruby chocolate.  These are tart as well which matches my impression from the Häagen-Dazs pint I had last year.  It is amazing how many different flavors they can get out of the cacao plant and separating the processing it different ways.  Here, the tart ruby chocolate does go well with the ruby grapefruit and the mild citrus base.  It all goes well together.

This is a very interesting and unique mixture of tangy ingredients in an ice cream by Milkjam.  You have the tangy bergamot in the base balanced by a twist of lavender.  You have the tart ruby grapefruit swirl and the ruby chocolate freckles are tangy-tart as well.  It works.  It is different, but after having so many different ice creams these past few years, I appreciate interesting new flavor combinations.  Check it out.