Last month, TLO head honcho Patrick sent me a text that most food reviewers can only dream about – "Braum's has launched their fall holiday ice cream flavors. Want to try them and write about it?"
It didn't take me long to say "Yes, Verne."
So, earlier this week I stopped by my neighborhood Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store to wait in line and try their concisely named holiday flavors – eggnog, gingerbread, pumpkin, peppermint, and hot chocolate.
When I walked inside, I noticed Braum's had gone full basic bitch and added a Pumpkin Spice and Egg Nog Latte to the menu, too.
Since I wasn't wearing my yoga pants, UGG boots, or 2014 Northface jacket, I went with the Egg Nog Latte over the Pumpkin Spice. I was hoping it would spice-up up my dreams, but instead, it was an elixir of autumnal seasonings, dirty leaves and mop-bucket run-off.
But that didn't matter. I had five new winter wonderlands of premium tastes to cleanse my palette, and what a job they did.
Check out these ice-cold beauties:
Here's my breakdown of Braum's new holiday ice cream flavors
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Peppermint Tidings!
I have always disliked Peppermint – the most stereotypical yuletide flavor – from a dental perspective, accosting my freshly brushed teeth with a glass of orange juice. Still, in ice cream form, it is mostly fine, with the little sprinkles of peppermint flakes, providing a freshly-brushed dessert.
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Pumpkin Greetings!
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Louis Fowler! Like a freezing bath of frozen pumpkin pie filling, this would make a rich and filling holiday treat for Thanksgiving. With the bittersweet taste of a refreshing cup of cinnamon cider and the abounding wick of a spiced Yankee Candle, this ice cream gives it all to fall in taste and aromas.
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Merry Gingerbread!
Whenever I have gingerbread, it's usually from do-it-yourself gingerbread house construction kits, gumdrops and candy canes not included. But, as an ice cream, Gingerbread is pretty good! With celebratory crumples of real gingerbread dashed throughout the spiced ice cream, it should be festive enough to catch a real gingerbread man.
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Jingle Hot Chocolate!
I believe in miracles, you chocolatey thing! The frozen hot chocolate is churning and burning over with little bits of spongy marshmallows, making every scoop worth it. The milk chocolate is not too invasive, with a slow ribbon of dark chocolate taste. Everybody talks about the drink—but I'd rather have the ice cream any day of the week.
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I Wish You a Merry Eggnog!
From the latte to the ice cream, eggnog has been the yuletide greeting of Santa-like department store shoplifters, lonely bar patrons, and, of course, depressed stroke victims for many years. But, this year, this non-alcoholic ice cream has an intense and rich holiday flavor and none of its fleabag surroundings. While its throat-coat taste isn’t all that good, at least you know they tried.
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Follow Louis on Twitter at @LouisFowler and Instagram at @louisfowler78.
