Sweet Science - Olive Oil

Olive Oil - Olive Oil Ice Cream

 

For today's review, I am returning to the Twin-Cities-based Sweet Science Ice Cream for a review of their Olive Oil flavor (instagram link here).  I bought it at the Golden Fig on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul.  This is a limited release of an old flavor.  Way back when I first started trying Sweet Science, they would often put a graphic of a "periodic table" which included all of the "chemical symbols" of their flavors.  They have since updated this table, but back then I remember the "OO" symbol stood out and being intrigued as to what Olive Oil ice cream might taste like.  Well, I finally get to try this flavor.  Checking my archives, I have since had olive-oil flavors from McConnell's (with almonds) and two flavored olive oil flavors from Pumphouse (here and here).  This is just olive oil.  Let's check it out.

Removing the lid, the ice cream has an off-white color with a greenish yellow tinge.  This is consistent with olive oil.  Digging in, the ice cream is very dense (not a lot of air).  As I eat the spoonful, it still has a creamy texture to it.  I taste notes of olive oil flavor but it is not too strong.  The main flavors are milk and cream.  This is pretty good.  I am wondering if the olive oil is changing the texture in a way similar to how butter can?  Maybe, but I could be trying too hard to make the connection.  This is a homogeneous flavor with no mix-ins.

This is a solid implementation of a simple olive oil flavor from Sweet Science.  It is mostly a plain ice cream but there is just enough olive oil flavor in there so that you can tell it is there.  I can see why other brands add other flavors into the mix (a twist of citrus or perhaps almonds).  But, if you are curious and this flavor is available, certainly give it a try.

Pumphouse Creamery - Chocolate with Blood Orange infused Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Chocolate with Blood Orange infused Olive Oil & Sea Salt - Chocolate Ice Cream with Blood Orange infused Olive Oil & Sea Salt

I decided to check out Pumphouse Creamery in South Minneapolis and see what they were up to.  They have a new flavor:  Chocolate with Blood Orange infused Olive Oil & Sea Salt.  So, I stopped by and picked it up along with a couple of other flavors from their regular line-up which I have not yet tried.  Today, I try the chocolate-orange flavor.  As mentioned in previous reviews, orange goes surprisingly well with chocolate.  I have had a chocolate-orange flavor from Three Twins and chocolate-orange-spice flavors from Izzy's and Milkjam.  Often citrus does not mix well with dairy because of the acidity, but the flavor of orange comes from a chemical called limonene which is oil-soluble.  Here, a blood orange flavor is blended into an olive oil which is then blended into a chocolate ice cream.  I am looking forward to trying this.

Opening the lid, the chocolate base has the expected cocoa brown color.  The top is so smooth that it is hard to get the camera to focus.  Digging in, I actually taste the blood orange right away.  It is very good.  The chocolate is definitely in there, too, but it is something you taste after the orange.  I can have not had Pumphouse's simple chocolate flavor, yet, but I can tell it is good chocolate.  As I continue eating the balance between the orange and the chocolate stays fresh -- one doesn't grow to dominate the other.  The use of blood orange is fun.  It's like there is a hint of berry within the orange as well.

This is an excellent orange-chocolate pint from Pumphouse.  The rich flavor of chocolate blends very well with the bright flavor of blood orange.  Orange-chocolate flavors should be more common.  Check it out.

Pumphouse Creamery - Lemon Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Lemon Olive Oil & Sea Salt - Ice Cream made with Lemon-infused Olive Oil and Sea Salt

While I was at the Pumphouse Creamery in Minneapolis a few weeks ago picking up a pint of their excellent Fresh Rhubarb ice cream, I saw another interesting flavor called Lemon Olive Oil & Sea Salt.  I am always curious about olive oil flavors and I love lemon so I picked it up.  The website clarifies that this is lemon-infused olive oil, so the lemon is *in* the olive oil and not a separate ingredient.  Let's dig in!

Removing the lid, the ice cream is quite white.  Taking a whiff, I can smell notes of lemon which is promising.  The first spoonful is thick and smooth and has a subtle lemon flavor.  The olive oil itself adds more texture than flavor.  The ice cream feels really smooth inside my mouth.  As mentioned before, the lemon flavor is not strong, but I really like it.  I has a cool, refreshing and palate cleansing effect.

I really liked this ice cream.  The olive oil creates a nice texture and the infused lemon flavor is quite good.  This is not a strong flavor, but it is quite refreshing.  It is a good choice for when you are in the mood for something simple, yet slightly out of the ordinary.

McConnell's - Olive Oil & Salted Almonds

Olive Oil & Salted Almonds - Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ice Cream with Smokey Salt-Roasted Almonds

I have to get an order from McConnell's!  They had an interesting group of fall flavors that I had not had before and their shipping costs seemed reasonable, so I got a five-pint shipment.  McConnell's is headquartered in Santa Barbara but the shipment came from Union City which is in the northern part of the state.  Perhaps this is a sign that they are expanding their distribution.  It could also be why the shipping is now more reasonable.  The first flavor is called Olive Oil & Salted Almonds.  I have heard murmurs that olive oil makes a surprisingly good ice cream base and I have not tried it before.  So, I am anxious to give this pint a try.

Opening the pint, the color of the olive oil base is on off-white yellow and I can see some evidence of almonds right away.  Digging in, the base ice cream is quite thick and dense.  McConnell's is known for that.  There's not a lot a lot of air introduced during the churning process.  The olive oil has made the base perhaps a bit creamier than normal but I must admit that I don't immediately taste olive oil.  Scattered throughout the pint are almond shavings.  These are excellent.  I keep trying to think more about this base.  I do like it and it goes well with the almonds but I'm trying to figure out what the olive oil is bringing into the mix.  I guess it does seem a bit more savory and rich than plain old sweet cream.  Maybe that is it.

I really liked this pint of ice cream.  The almond mix-ins were quite good and the base ice cream goes very well with it though I didn't really specifically taste olive oil.  It is good -- I don't want to scare people away -- but I think I might have gotten a bit too wound up in anticipation of my first ice cream which included olive oil.  I will have to see if I can find more olive oil flavors where the specific effects are more pronounced.  That said, McConnell's makes great ice cream.  This is thick and rich ice cream and the almonds are excellent.