A few good things have come from Columbus, Ohio. Namely Bow Wow, the Columbus Crew & Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.
This spread accurately represents the necessary elements of a great city. Rappers, sports teams & ice cream. Chicago has it's collection of famous rappers ranging from Chief Keef (rumored to occasionally make an appearance at random UChicago apartment parties) to Chance the Rapper, another south-side native. We have our band of lackluster sports teams: the Cubs who are painful to watch, the Bulls who continue to disappoint and the Bears who just resigned a contract with a quarterback who throws more passes to the other team. I joke, but in all seriousness, it was time for Chicago to get a decent ice cream shop. Sure, you have the standard ice cream chains but Chicagoans needed an ice cream that provided seasonal flavors and organic recipes. They needed a place to eat their feelings after the regular season ended. Thus, the legend of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream was born in Chicago.
Jeni's Ice Cream originated in Columbus, Ohio and I don't know Jeni personally, but she seems like a pretty chill lady. Their ice cream boasts the best local ingredients and flavors, making their creations eco-friendly and delicious. I was first introduced to Jeni's Ice Cream and have since fallen in love with their Lemon & Blueberries flavor. The unfortunate thing? Blueberries are seasonal so when I traveled north to Southport to get some, it was currently unavailable for the winter.
Fortunate for me, their other flavors are just as amazing. I settled on the Chocomole & Black Coffee (and I hate to even say settled because they were fabulous). The Chocomole is milk chocolate ice cream spiked with cinnamon and cayenne. WARNING: it is spicy. I have never had spicy ice cream before but it's life-changing. The flavor combines the sweetness of the milk chocolate with the kick of cayenne and cinnamon, reminding me a little bit of Mexican hot chocolate with extra spice. May now be tied with Lemon & Blueberries as my favorite flavor. It's compliment, the Black Coffee, was as enticing as a mug of strong, black coffee. Definitely the perfect combination to the Chocomole, creating the perfect spicy mocha frozen dessert.
Overall, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is one of my favorite ice cream stores in the country. It combines seasonal ingredients with the creativity and passion of multiple flavors and textures. If you haven't made a trip up to their Southport location yet (opened September 2013), take an adventure on the Brown line and prepare yourself for one of the best ice cream experiences of your life.
Mary
Fortunate for me, their other flavors are just as amazing. I settled on the Chocomole & Black Coffee (and I hate to even say settled because they were fabulous). The Chocomole is milk chocolate ice cream spiked with cinnamon and cayenne. WARNING: it is spicy. I have never had spicy ice cream before but it's life-changing. The flavor combines the sweetness of the milk chocolate with the kick of cayenne and cinnamon, reminding me a little bit of Mexican hot chocolate with extra spice. May now be tied with Lemon & Blueberries as my favorite flavor. It's compliment, the Black Coffee, was as enticing as a mug of strong, black coffee. Definitely the perfect combination to the Chocomole, creating the perfect spicy mocha frozen dessert.
Overall, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream is one of my favorite ice cream stores in the country. It combines seasonal ingredients with the creativity and passion of multiple flavors and textures. If you haven't made a trip up to their Southport location yet (opened September 2013), take an adventure on the Brown line and prepare yourself for one of the best ice cream experiences of your life.
Mary
Lemon & Blueberries and Sweet Corn
Salted Caramel, Lemon & Blueberries and Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet
