Worth Every Penny at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Whether it’s a hot new handbag, a fab pair of boots, or a pint of ice cream, we all have our limits on how much we’ll pay, no matter how badly we want it. I stroll the supermarket aisles weekly, eyeing premium products like pricey aged-balsamics, truffle-infused cheeses, and fresh seafood, which I ultimately prefer to order out than risk ruining in my own kitchen. Until recently, the same could be said for a pint of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. While the hand written labels offering enticingly delicious flavors like Brambleberry Crisp or Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet often beckon as I pass the freezer, I immediately convince myself that a $4 pint of Häagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s would also hit the spot.But when the brick and mortar Jeni’s opened in Westside Provisions last month, I just had to see if the ice cream actually lived up to the price tag. My random mid-week offer to get ice cream after school came as a pleasant surprise to Big A. She happily obliged, and eagerly eyed her choices in this airy & modern space (similar to every other restaurant and shop in this ’hood). The staff patiently let Big A sample a number of flavors, even suggesting ones that would be perfect for a kid’s palate. Despite the staff’s effort to convince Big A that the Milkiest Chocolate in the World was the way to go for a kid chocolate lover, Big A stuck to her guns and chose signature Askinosie Dark Milk studded with flecks of pure chocolate (she is Daddy’s girl). She gleefully enjoyed her treat, complemented with a scoop (man, was I being generous) of The Buckeye State, Jeni’s ode to Ohio’s favorite confection of peanut butter and chocolate.

In a holiday mood myself, I couldn’t resist trying the Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows. With fluffy, homemade marshmallows studded throughout, this (with all due respect to traditional pumpkin pie) is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert! Let’s just say that my threshold for spending – at least for premium ice creams – just increased. After all, buying it by the pint is the responsible, “green” thing to do… just think of how much less driving I’ll have to do back and forth to Midtown for ridiculously good ice cream.