Perfect Bars

Update Review, 2023

I've raved about Perfect Bars for years now, but I just tried another flavor, and thus, an update review is in order!

Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp.

"Say hello to your new bestie: Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp! With its creamy blend of peanut butter, hazelnut butter, crunchy crisps, and dark chocolate chips, these protein bars are just what your life is missing. "

Chocolate + hazelnut can be a bit of a over-done pairing, and although I do like both chocolate and hazelnuts, I seem to be one of few people who doesn't adore Nutella, so I wasn't entirely sure about this flavor.  The idea of crisps inside my Perfect Bar drew me in however.

This was one of the more unique Perfect Bars, mostly due to the crunch from the crisps.  The base was otherwise much the same as others - lightly chocolately, reasonable peanut and hazelnut butter flavors, slightly crumbly texture, enjoyable.  The crisps give it little bits of crunch, like a Nestle Crunch bar almost.  It definitely helped make this feel a bit more like a candy bar than a reasonable healthy snack.

I enjoyed it quite a bit, particularly when I dunked it in whipped cream, and I'd get it again if I was in the mood for a reasonable candy bar replacement.  I still would like a stronger chocolate element though, like a coating, rather than integrated throughout.  ****.

Update Review, August 2022

I've long been a fan of Perfect Bar products, as you've seen in my original reviews.  While normally I'd jest at their lofty name, in this case, I do kinda endorse it.  The peanut butter based Perfect Bars in particular are about as perfect as any healthy nutrition bar is going to be.  Protip: cut into hunks, coat in chocolate, roll in cocoa nibs, and keep a stash of chocolate covered peanut butter protein bar bites in your fridge or freezer at all time.

Anyway, I've tried nearly the entire range of Perfect Bar bars, and clearly have my favorites.  This review however is for something new: the peanut butter cups!  I had to buy them the moment I saw them, because, that is basically what I was creating at home anyway.

Peanut Butter Cups

Oh Perfect Bar.  You did it.  You made the product I always pretend your bars actually are.  Peanut butter cups.  But, healthier peanut butter cups, with protein and superfoods of course.

The peanut butter cups come in 3 flavors (milk, dark, or mint chocolate), and, just like the bars, require refrigeration.

Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt.

"Indulge in you for a change. These better-for-you sweet snacks are crafted with clean ingredients like freshly ground organic peanut butter, honey, and 20+ organic superfoods then covered with rich fair-trade dark chocolate. With 7g of whole food protein in each 2-cup pack, get your sweet kick on the run and feel good from the inside out. This cup's for you."

I opened my pack with glee.  I did, however, slow down a bit once I saw the cups, as they made me laugh.  The shape was quasi familiar, but, not quite.  They were thinner than I expected, and, uh, kinda ugly?  And the cup was inverted from their common candy counterparts.  But I still dug in eagerly.

The dark chocolate shell was dominant, and it was reasonable dark quality.  I tend to use dark chocolate when I make my custom Perfect Bar chocolate coated bites, and I like the chocolate I choose more than this, but, this was better than average dark chocolate.  I loved the generous sprinkle of salt on top.

And inside, the peanut butter filling, much like the peanut butter flavored Perfect Bars themselves.  It was good, but, a bit hard to taste, as the chocolate was so dominant.

Overall these were good, although the chocolate to peanut butter ratio was a bit off for me.  It turns out, I just prefer to make my own with the peanut butter Perfect Bars, high quality dark chocolate I like, and, usually, cocoa nibs for crunch. They did inspire me to add a touch of fleur de sel next batch I make, the salt really does help the flavors pop!

***+.

Original Review, June 2021

Perfect Bar doesn't beat around the bush.  They believe that they make the best nutrition bars out there.  And thus, the self proclaimed brand name: "perfect".

I of course had my doubts, mostly because try as I might, I rarely end up liking protein bars, particularly those with delicious sounding names (show me a 'cinnamon roll' or 'birthday cake' bar that even comes close to the real thing ...), but also because Perfect Bars are also more ... complicated than most.  These aren't the kind of items you can just keep in your pantry, stash in your bag, etc, as refrigeration is mostly required.  I say "mostly required" because they are fine for a full week out of the fridge, but recommended storage is in the fridge (with a shelf life of nearly 9 months!), otherwise the oils will separate and quality will go down.  Because they use fresh real ingredients (they like to say the only preservative used is "cold").

Perfect Bars are also of course amazing for you, non-GMO, kosher, gluten-free, filled with protein and "expertly-hidden" super foods, and they only use complex carbs as sweeteners (organic honey or dates), yadda yadda.

I've watched the brand blossom over the past few years.  I remember when they first launched and carried only a small handful of flavors of bars, all fairly basic.  Now they have ... well, something for everyone.  Fruity, nutty, chocolatey, some even almost head in the "brownie" direction.

Perfect Bars now come in two sizes, regular full size bars and smaller "minis", plus bags of "bites", a children's line, and even ... peanut butter cups (!!!).  I've tried an extensive range of the offerings, and highly recommend.

Minis

Minis are only available in a reduced flavor set, basic nuts butters.  These are bite sized little treats.

Minis.

The minis are portioned at .74 ounces, about 100 calories, 4-5 grams of protein.  Little bites for a quick pre/post gym snack, but not a full meal.

Peanut Butter.

"Creamy organic peanut butter meets organic honey and 20 expertly-hidden whole foods."

I started with their original product, the simple peanut butter.

I had zero expectations for this.  Yes, I love peanut butter, but, nutrition bars usually don't live up to the taste I want, and the "expertly-hidden whole foods" scared me away when I looked at the wrapper and saw that in addition to peanut butter and honey, I had "dried whole food powders" that contained kale, flax seed, rose hip, orange, lemon, papaya, tomato, apple, alfalfa, celery, kelp, dulse, carrot, and spinach to look forward to.  How all those would *possibly* combine together and not 1) taste awful and 2) mask the peanut butter was beyond me.  And don't get me started on the rice protein, and slew of oils I had waiting for me (flax seed oil, sunflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, olive oil, and pumpkin seed oil).

And then I took a bite.

Well, huh.  This was one of the best nutrition bars I've ever had.

The texture was slightly crumbly, but still held up well.  Smooth.  The peanut butter flavor was basically all I tasted, along with a touch of sweetness from the complimentary honey.  It was ... good.  Like the inside of a peanut butter cup.  Or a peanut butter blossom cookie.

I wanted chocolate with it immediately though.  If they made this dipped in chocolate, or with chocolate chips, wow, it would be such a hit.  (Which, of course they realized, and added to the full size line up.  Keep reading ...).

I immediately made a note to take a box of them and dip them in chocolate, and eat them that way instead.

Peanut Butter Perfect Bar + melted dark chocolate + cocoa nibs.

Which of course I did.  I assure you, this is a winning move.  I now regularly take a box of minis, temper some dark chocolate, coat them in chocolate, and roll them in cocoa nibs, and then stash back in my freezer or fridge.  Amazing little bites of joy, that I get to feel good about eating, since, hey, protein!

When I'm less prepared, even pairing with a piece of chocolate works, but I find dunking in a thick chocolate ganache or hot fudge works best.  You can make a bunch at a time and freeze them too, like buckeye cookies.  Sure, not healthy little snacks anymore exactly, but really quite tasty.  I get these regularly.

****+.

Almond Butter.

"Why should peanut butter lovers have all the fun? We blend creamy almond butter with organic honey and 20 expertly-hidden whole foods to get the perfect combo of taste and nutrition. Get ready to take your almond love to a whole new level."

The almond butter version I tried next.  I'll admit that even though I loved the peanut butter one, I expected to hate this one.  I was done being skeptical of all the other ingredients, but, the primary one, almond butter, is not something I'm generally a fan of.

And then I tried this.

It too, was ... well, good.  The peanut butter one didn't have distinct bits of peanut in it, but this one did have bits of chopped almonds, which added texture and crunch that I really enjoyed.  The honey also seemed stronger, which tasted great with the almond, but, was a bit too strong for me, resulting in a bite that was sweeter than I really wanted.

Again, I wanted to just coat it in dark chocolate.  I didn't mind these bars, but I prefer the peanut butter.

***+.

Full Size Bars

The main product range is the full size bars, good for a snack, pre/post workout item, or perhaps a meal replacement.  Some of them are quite good for breakfast on the go ...

These come with bases made from the original peanut or almond butter, or more recently, also cashew.

Full Size Bars.

Full size bars mostly clock in around 15-20 grams of protein, and range around 250-350 calories, depending on the variety (cashew bars have lower protein).  I've tried many.

Peanut Butter Base

After the success of the peanut butter mini, I was ready to dive into the expanded product range, all formed around that basic base.

Carob Chip.

"You’ll love this blend of creamy organic peanut butter, rich and velvety carob chips, organic honey and 20 expertly–hidden whole foods."

Given the success of the basic peanut butter, and my desire to have chocolate inside, I was pretty excited to try the carob chip, even though carob < chocolate.

At first glance though, it looked much more like any standard nutrition bar, strangely shiny, strange texture.

And ... it tasted about as it looked.  Fairly bitter (carob? chia? flax?). Strangely sweet.  I was pretty confused by this, since, at least on paper, looked like it should be *exactly* the same as the peanut butter one, but with carob chips.

Anyway, the least successful bar for me.

Update Review: I tried another, and almost liked it.  But the sweetness level was just a bit strange for me.

Another Update Review: I again tried another, again almost liked it.  Peanut butter good, but just the wrong sweetness, and, eh, carob.  My mom did think it was chocolate though.

I wouldn't get this again, and they discontinued it anyway.

**+.

Fruit & Nut.

"Mix it Up. Creamy organic peanut butter meets organic honey mixed with plump raisins, crunchy walnuts and 20 expertly-hidden whole foods – with no chemicals, preservatives, or junk to ruin the awesomeness."

This bar was not a looker.  But, it was a taster!

I'm notoriously anti-raisin, as they are usually just hard chunks of meh inside my otherwise tasty products, but, they worked here, as they were soft and added a nice chew.  I was a bit disappointed to find that they were the only "fruit" though inside my "fruit & nut' bar.  Why wasn't this a "raisin & nut" bar?

Actually, it should have been a "raisin & walnut" bar, as there was also only one type of nut: walnuts (besides the peanut butter base).  Walnuts were a unique choice though, and I liked the crunch they added.

The base was the standard peanut butter and superfoods, great peanut flavor, again still a bit too sweet from the honey.

I liked this one more than plain peanut butter, as the raisins and walnuts both added good textural components, but, I'd greatly prefer basically any other dried fruit, and there are far more exciting nuts out there.  Cherry and pecan!  Apricot and macadamia!  Come on Perfect Bar, get more exciting :)

Still, my favorite so far ...

*****.

Coconut Peanut Butter.

"It's no secret our original Peanut Butter Perfect Bar is a crowd favorite, so we decided to take it up a notch and pair it with fresh coconut flakes for a taste that will rock your world. It's time we give our peanut butter lovers a reason to go coco-nuts."

"We’re a bit nutty around here, but this island-inspired recipe has us going completely coconuts! Kick off your shoes and enjoy this blend of creamy organic peanut butter, organic honey and real shredded coconut pieces."

Oh, this was good.  Very good.  I was highly skeptical of the coconut and peanut butter combination (both things I like, but, not a common combo).  But, they worked.

The base was the same peanut butter base that I've enjoyed plain, and the shredded coconut added some texture.

Like many of the bars though I found it a touch too sweet, and needed to mellow it out with some chocolate to dip it in.  Which, I have to say, was even more amazing.

Still not a light item though, 340 calories per bar, 21 grams of fat, 19 grams sugar, but it does have the 16 grams of protein and tons of great-for-you-stuff inside that you somehow don't taste at all (kale, flax seed, orange, lemon, papaya, tomato, apple, alfalfa, celery, kelp, carrots, spinach, dulse ...)

Overall a winner, and one I'll gladly have more of, particularly when I have some chocolate alongside.

****.

Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter with Sea Salt.

"This one is a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, and just the right amount of nutty! Our original Peanut Butter Perfect Bar recipe – creamy organic peanut butter, organic honey and 20+ nutrient-dense superfoods - receives a foodie-approved upgrade with the addition of Fair Trade Certified dark chocolate chips and a pinch of sea salt."

If there was any bar I was most eyeing, this was it.  Peanut butter base is the best base.  I always want chocolate with it.  And, dark chocolate?  Sea salt? Even better.

When I opened the bar, I was *thrilled*.  It looked exactly as I hoped, loaded with little chocolate chips.  This was a healthy item?  I could eat this giant pb cup in bar form guilt free?  Yes!

And, it was basically exactly as I expected.  Soft, crumbly, slightly-to-sweet pb base with good peanut butter flavor.  Lots of chips, although they were entirely on top and not distributed throughout.  The chips were dark chocolate, which is the chocolate I generally prefer, but actually, with peanut butter, I do like creamy milk chocolate a bit more.  The chocolate flavor also somehow didn't turn out as pronounced as I hoped and expected.  I also didn't really detect the sea salt.

That all said, it was still a good bar. I think I prefer to just have the classic plain peanut butter, and pair with my own creamy milk chocolate however.

****.

Cranberry Crunch.

"Sometimes, you just want to lighten up. And this is the Perfect Bar for that occasion. Creamy peanut butter meets organic honey blended with organic cranberries, naturally light crispy puffed rice and 20 expertly-hidden whole foods. 35% fewer calories—100% incredible."

This bar is the only one dramatically different from the rest of the product line.  It is designed as a lighter option, lightened up by adding puffed rice cereal, so it has less of the nut butter and protein mix.  It really is a lighter - even though the same dimensions, it weights 45g compared to the 71g standard bar.  Ok, I know they mean nutritionally, not literally talking about the weight. It is lesser in all these regards too: 220 calories, 12g fat, 14g sugar, 9g protein (compared with 330 calories, 18g fat, 19g sugar, 16g protein).

Anyway, the result?  Not successful for me.  But I kinda just don't like rice crispy puffs in my products (or anything like that, it reminded me of some Ben & Jerry's mix-ins that I wasn't thrilled with either).

Yes, the brown rice puffs add a crunch, but, its a strange kinda soggy/soft crunch.  I don't like it.  My second to least favorite bar, better only than the carob chip one I really disliked.  Like the carob bar, this one was also discontinued.

**+.

Chocolate Walnut Brownie.

"One bite of this plant-based bar and you’re off to brownie bliss! We crafted this whole foods nutrition bar with creamy organic peanut butter, sweet organic dates, crunchy walnut pieces, organic Fair Trade dark chocolate chips and 20 organic superfoods. With 10g of plant-based protein, this fudgy delight is a nutritious nosh and deletable treat all rolled into one!"

And then, I saved the best for last, it turns out.

Chocolate Walnut Brownie.  Sounds like one of those nutrition bars that has a tasty name, promises dessert, and instead still leaves you with protein bar meh.  Plus, dates?  Sorry, but I never like bars with dates.

And yet ... yup, another surprise enjoyment.

It was the most chocolate-forward of any of the bars, truly chocolatey, with chocolate integrated throughout the entire base, and in distinct chips.   I loved the crunch from the chips, and even more, from the pieces of walnut.  Did I taste dates?  Nope!  Nor did I taste the hemp protein, rice protein, chia powder, sunflower, flax seed, any of the whole foods powders (kale, flax, rose hip, orange, lemon, papaya, tomato, apple, alfalfa, celery, kelp, dulse, carrot, spinach).  But I tasted peanut butter and chocolate, and they were fantastic.

I'm surprised peanut butter isn't in the name of this one, as really, it was like a giant chocolate peanut butter brownie, with bits of chocolate chip and walnut in it.  Sure, the texture wasn't brownie, not cake-like, but it was still soft, the texture from the mix-ins was excellent, and most important to me, it was delicious.

I may or may not have had it for breakfast, and felt like such a rebel eating a brownie for breakfast, but I actually think I'd be satisfied with this as a dessert item too, which is truly saying something. 

Hands down winner in the "dessert" category.

****.

Pumpkin Pie.

"This seasonal-batch recipe talks the talk and walks the walk with a fall favorite like you’ve never tasted before. Our bar is crafted with freshly-ground organic peanut butter and honey, along with organic dried pumpkin and spices to make for a pairing that will have your taste buds craving this delicious pumpkin pie combo all year long."

Yes, even Perfect Bar jumped on the Pumpkin-Spice-All-The-Things bandwagon!  

So, first up.  If you are expecting strong pumpkin flavor, or traditional pumpkin spice flavors, this is not the product for you.  In fact, I had to do a double check to make sure I had opened the pumpkin bar ... as I just didn't taste it.  If you search for it, the pumpkin spicing is there, very mildly, on the finish, but otherwise ... I mostly tasted the signature peanut butter base (which, makes sense, peanut butter is still the first ingredient).

The bar was slightly sweet, had the same crumbly dense texture as others, and was pleasant, but, pumpkin forward it was not.  I appreciated the subtle light spicing as something different, but pumpkin and peanut butter aren't really a popular combo for a reason ...

***.

Almond Butter Base

Since the basic almond butter mini was decent enough, I explored the almond butter based product line too.

Maple Almond.

"Maple plus Almond Butter equals perfection, eh? Delish for breakfast, dessert and every meal in between, it’s the perfect bar for hiking adventures and cool-weather bonfires, or a great pick for your Sunday morning pancake fix. So much YES!"

I had high hopes for this one.  The plain almond butter one was almost great, and I adore maple, so, this sounded like the bar for me.  I hoped the maple would address the sweetness issues I had as well.

But ... I ended up not really caring for it.  Much like the plain almond butter, it had grit to it and bits of almond, so, lots of texture.  And it wasn't strangely sweet, although I didn't quite taste maple exactly.  Which sounds like I should have liked it, but instead it just tasted like almond butter to me, the kind of almond butter I never like.

Update: I tried one more just to be sure, but, yes, this is not the product for me.  I think my favorite of the almond based bars, but I just don't care for almond butter taste.  And guess what?  Discontinued!

**+.

Dark Chocolate Almond.

"This silky smooth criminal is made with creamy almond butter, organic honey and 20+ nutrient-dense superfoods. We blend that recipe with rich cocoa powder and vanilla, and topped with Fair Trade Certified dark chocolate chips."

If I wanted chocolate with my almond butter bar, this was the one for it.  The bar itself was much darker, as it had cocoa powder blended in, and then, actual chocolate chips, dark ones at that.

This was the first almond butter bar that didn't have a strange sweetness to it, I think all the chocolate helped balance it out.  But it was still an almond butter base, gritty, and, well, very almond butter forward, which at this point I have realized just isn't for me.

I did appreciate the real, plentiful, dark chocolate chips.  I expect that almond butter fans will enjoy this one quite a bit.

***.

Almond Coconut.

"The protein bar dating scene is full of nuts, so let us introduce you to the plant-based protein bar of your dreams. Organic almond butter blended with organic dates, dried cranberries, 20 organic superfoods and yummy shredded coconut make this a happily ever after for your taste buds!"

I was very surprised when I opened this.  Why was it dark?  Why did it have chunks of fruit?  I thought this was going to be just almond butter and shredded coconut, as it was called the "Almond Coconut" after all.

But instead, it was loaded with dates.  Dates are the primary ingredient.  I hate the taste of date.  The dark color came not only from the dates, but also from a bit of cocoa (totally unexpected) and cranberries.

I really disliked this one.  You guessed it.  Discontinued!

**.

Other

For those who don't want peanut butter or almond butter, there are far fewer choices, not a direction Perfect bar seems to have expanded much.

Blueberry Cashew.

"This bar is a dreamy blend of creamy cashew butter, almond butter, bursting blueberries and a hint of vanilla. We're beyond excited to add another nut butter to the family, and with real blueberries and vanilla, it's truly our most delectable bar yet!"

I have a strange relationship with cashews.  Every once in a while, I decide I love them.  But generally?  Strong dislike.  Particularly to cashew butter.

But hey, I'm always up to try things.

This however was not the bar for me.  Cashew and almond butter were not a match I liked, both fairly bitter.  If you *like* cashew and almond flavors though, they were both pronounced, the cashew stronger than the almond, but only slightly.

Blueberry is a good match though, and I did like the little dried blueberry bits.

Nice to try, don't want again.

**+.

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Shain's of Maine Ice Cream

By now you know I eat a lot of ice cream.  I have ice cream, in some form, at least once a day.  Sometimes it is the star attraction, the focal point of my dessert, like a soft serve cone with rainbow sprinkles enjoyed in the sun on a hot day or the base for an epic ice cream sundae.  Other times it takes an accompanying role, like a nicely paired scoop with my warm fruit crisp or stuffed inside a croissant or pair of cookies.  But ice cream is there, daily, in my world. 

Let's just say, I've tried a lot of brands of ice cream.  From local small batch eccentric flavors, to international only offerings, to low-end mass produced "frozen dairy dessert", I've had them all.  So I was a bit surprised to recently find a brand I had not tried before:  Shain's of Maine.

As you can likely guess, Shain's of Maine is a brand based in, yup, Maine.  I believe it started as a diner, with ice cream as one of its main attractions (along with lobster rolls, 'nach).  I don't think they sell wholesale to other ice cream stands, they are not distributed nationally, and very few grocery stores seem to carry it, even in the north east.  But I found one independent market in my parent's hometown in New Hampshire that did offer quarts of Shain's, and I frequently returned to try more flavors.

Shain's offers a very large lineup of ice cream.  They have crowd pleasing flavors, for adults and kid's alike - boozy offerings like mudslide and rum raisin for the adults, and Dino Crunch or Smurf for the younger (or younger at heart?) crowd.   They have plenty of not crazy, but not completely standard either varieties like chocolate walnut, ginger, Irish creme and cookies, and mocha macadamia.  Of course, they have the whole "New England" line up, all the local favorites like Maine Survivor and Maine Tracks, and seasonal varieties like peppermint stick and pumpkin.  Some of their most unique flavors are Frozen Pudding (rum with candied fruit), Indian Pudding, and Butter Crunch (butterscotch with butterscotch candies).  And that is just the standard 14% base - lower fat, no sugar added, frozen yogurt, sorbets, sherbets, and even 10% bases are also available.

Update Review, July 2023

Another visit to the northeast in the summer, another opportunity to get Shain's of Maine ice cream, my favorite hard serve ice cream in the area.

Black Raspberry Explosion.

"Black raspberry ice cream with dark chocolate raspberry cups."

Black raspberry soft serve ice cream is something I grew up with.  Where I'm from, ice cream stands always had 3 flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and black raspberry.  They usually rotated in a 4th flavor weekly.  But vanilla, chocolate, and black raspberry were always a given.  I thought this was normal.  I grew up truly believing that black raspberry ice cream was as common as vanilla or chocolate.  I'm still not sure why this regional trend exists, but, let's just say, I grew up eating quite a bit of black raspberry soft serve (in a cone, with chocolate sprinkles!).  

And then I moved away, learned that black raspberry isn't always available, and that soft serve in general is less common.  Hmmm.  Black raspberry hard serve is something I've had very little of.  I've gotten it a few times from JP Licks in a sundae, but otherwise ... just not something I've encountered much.  

I saw this flavor from Shain's when I was at a nearby store when visiting my parents.  I had to get it.  I hoped it would remind me of my black raspberry soft serve, which was always my mother's favorite too, sorta crossed with my Dad's favorite ice cream, "Raspberry Rumble" (from Schwan's), with the raspberry cups.   It seemed like the perfect flavor for the whole family.

It was good.  Strong black raspberry flavor, creamy premium ice cream base.  The dark chocolate raspberry cups really delivered in the dark chocolate department, really strong and deep dark chocolate, nice snap to them.  There were TONS of them, in real Shain's style.  That said, I didn't really find any raspberry element to them - I thought they'd have a raspberry liquid filling like Raspberry Rumble, but these seemed solid.  If they had a raspberry flavor, it was lost in the deep dark chocolate and surrounding black raspberry ice cream.

Overall, this was a good flavor, it melted nicely, clearly premium, nice quality mix-ins.  Probably not a flavor I'd get again just because I love Shain's other flavors more, but, a nice ice cream.  ***+.

Whoopie Pie.

Oh, Shain's.  This is why I love the brand.  I opened the lid to see exactly what I wanted: big hunks of whoopie pie.  Seriously, Shain's mix-ins - so, so so good!

I've had this flavor before, and went into it with high expectations, and was not let down.  The vanilla base is fairly standard, but higher end, creamy, the style that melts nicely.  This is a flavor all about the mix-ins though.  Big, big hunks of whoopie pie.  The cookie parts are super soft.  Chocolately.  And seriously, some mega chunks in here.  Very good.  And then, the whoopie pie filling.  Which at first glance blends in with the vanilla ice cream base, but is immediately obvious once you take a bite.  Sooo sweet.  Exactly what you want inside your whoopie pie.  Or, you know, your ice cream.

Normally when I have ice cream, I have it as a component in a dessert, a scoop to pair with a warm fruit crisp/crumble/cobbler perhaps, or to make a pie a la mode.  I rarely just have a bowl of ice cream.  But this flavor is complete enough that it really doesn't need anything else added.  After all, there is a substantial amount of soft chocolate cookie-cake in here.  Yes, some fresh strawberries jazz it up a bit, but really aren't needed.

This continues to be a favorite flavor of mine, and is one that you can't help but just keep digging into, partially because you want to get more good bits, and partially because it is just that good. ****.

Update Review, December 2022

Another year of visiting the east coast, and another year of me requesting that my parent's freezer be pre-stocked with my favorite local(ish) ice cream: Shain's of Maine.  My family lives in New Hampshire, not Maine, but there are a few niche markets around town that carry Shain's, and it truly is some of the best hard style ice cream I've had, and a unique New England treat.

For this visit, my mother went all out, getting four different flavors for me to try.  One, Whoopie Pie, is an old favorite, but the others were new to me.  I enjoyed sampling more of the flavor lineup, and polished off far more of that ice cream than is really socially acceptable in a short visit, but, hey, it was a treat for me!  My feelings on Shain's remain much the same: the strengths are in their mix-ins, where they excel both in quality of the mix-ins (e.g. homemade whoopie pies) and in quantity (the Cookie Dough flavor really is about 50-50 ice cream to cookie dough gobs, and the Whoopie Pie isn't far behind).  The base ice cream itself is fine, above average grocery store quality, but not remarkable high end artisan ice cream.  I'll gladly try more flavors.

Whoopie Pie.

"Vanilla ice cream with chunks of Shain's of Maine homemade whoopie pies."

I've had this flavor before, so I knew what to expect, but I was still a bit surprised when I opened the quart of Whoopie Pie ice cream and there was a huge hunk of whoopie pie cake sitting right on top, just like before.

The cake was again really quite good - it is moist, chocolately, and just good chocolate cake on any dimension, even more crazy that its so good inside an ice cream base.  The vanilla ice cream was fine, but not quite as high quality as I remembered.  Still a touch above your average grocery store vanilla, but, not as good as more artisanal brands (I've been spoiled by a lot of premium ice cream lately).  And finally, the whoopie pie frosting, that is pretty hard to notice visually as it matches the ice cream just a touch whiter, but is quite clear when you get a hunk in your mouth, as it is very sweet frosting.  I love it, but, wow, a little goes a long way.

Overall, this really is a lovely flavor, and one that eats well.  You get your cake and your ice cream, and hunks of frosting, and it really needs little else added.  I sometimes add fresh strawberries or whipped cream, just to round it out a bit, but it isn't needed.

****+ for the whoopie pies, *** ice cream, **** overall.  Still my second favorite flavor of Shain's, only behind the cookie dough.

Tornado.

"Vanilla Ice Cream With Coated Chocolate Candies, Heathbar Pieces, Chocolate Cookies And Chocolate Chip Cookies."

There is nothing like opening a container of Shain's ice cream.  I mean, really, the mix-ins are just so front and center, it genuinely brings joy, at least to me, to see.  Right on top of the Tornado I could see colorful full size M&Ms and bits of Heath bar, and I was excited to dig for the two kinds of cookies (chocolate and chocolate chip).

It didn't take long to find the cookies, or at least, the Oreo-like ones.  There were tons of hunks of soft chocolate cookie in the mix, the most dominant of the ingredients.  There were fairly plentiful M&Ms too.  But besides the little bit of Heath bar I saw on top, I didn't actually find any more, and I love Heath bar in ice cream, so this was a big let down.  There were a few bits of the chocolate chip cookie, not cookie dough, but, cookie, much like the chocolate cookies, fairly soft.  They weren't particularly flavorful, and there was only a few bits in the quart.

This flavor really let me down.  I expected it to be absolutely loaded with goodies, and it was reasonably well loaded, just mostly with Oreos & M&Ms (or their off-brand counterparts).  It ate like a cookies & cream flavor, with some M&Ms added.  And since I don't care for cookies & cream ... yeah, not for me.  I really had hoped for more Heath, and for the chocolate chip cookies to be more interesting.

**+.

Maine Caramel Sea Salt.

"Caramel sea salt ice cream with chocolate covered caramel truffles."

A few years ago, salted caramel everything was such a rage.  I realized when I tried this flavor that it had been a few years since I'd had salted caramel ice cream.  But it seems Shain's got on that trend too, and dubbed it "Maine Caramel Sea Salt" ... I'm not quite sure what specifically is Maine about it (all their flavors are from Maine after all ...).

This is the first flavor from Shain's that I tried that didn't have a copious amount of mix-ins right on top.  It still had two small visible little truffles, and looked like a normal brand of ice cream, rather than their kinda signature over-the-top loaded up style of other flavors I've had from Shain's.

The base of this was really quite lovely - a sweet caramel ice cream, that trended in a maple-ish direction.  Smooth, creamy, great texture, premium ice cream.  It was certainly sweet, but not totally cloying.  I'm not sure I'd want a big bowl of it, but it paired really well with things like warm cinnamon rolls or liege waffles.  I didn't taste a particularly strong salted element, but, that is generally true of most salted caramel ice cream.

The little truffles were fine, reasonable quality creamy chocolate coating, a little bit of caramel inside.  I don't think the ice cream really needed them, but they didn't detract.

Overall, a nicely done sweet caramel flavor, and I'd get it again if I had pairings in mind, but I wouldn't seek it out otherwise. ***+.

Wild Maine Blueberry.

I approached the Wild Maine Blueberry flavor with interest.  Blueberry is not a common flavor of ice cream, but, wild blueberries *are* something Maine is known for, and thus, it makes sense that a brand so focused on state pride would have such a flavor.  I wasn't sure if it would be a homogenous blueberry flavor, if it would be vanilla with ribbons of a blueberry swirl, if it would have full size berries in it, etc.  Knowing Shain's, I kinda figured it would be loaded with swirl and berries, so I was a little surprised when I opened it to see no real mix-ins.  Yes, there were little bits of berry, but no substantial blueberry element.

The flavor was fairly mild.  Lightly sweet, lightly fruity.  I wouldn't identify it as blueberry if I didn't already know what it was.  Not amazing premium quality ice cream, not as creamy as I'd like, but still better than average.  It did have bits of blueberry in it, and a few larger pieces, but as the berries are wild Maine blueberries, they are a smaller size.  The bits of frozen berry were pretty hard and icy, so I didn't want them bigger anyway.

Overall, I give this a "fine" but not something I'd get again.  That said, I think it would be great paired with a warm slice of summer pie, especially blueberry pie.  ***.

Original Review, June 2021

My local market didn't have a huge variety of choices, but, I tried as many as I could.  I'd gladly try more.  This is some of the best ice cream I've ever had.

Cookie Dough.

"Vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and cookie dough."

Ok, wow.  My first experience of Shain's, brought to me by my sister after having an ice cream party, and sending me her leftovers.

I took one bite, and was blown away.  This is damn good ice cream.

The base was quality vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips (semisweet).  But the reason this flavor shines is the cookie dough.  ZOMG.  Not a flavor I'd pick myself, but, ZOMG.

I couldn't believe the hunks of cookie dough, visible on the edge here, which I thought at first that I just got lucky and had a quart with a nice chunk on the side.  Oh no, Shain's takes the mix-ins very seriously, and the cookie dough was generous chunks throughout.  Massive gobs.

Cookie Dough: THE DOUGH!!!! 

I mean seriously.  Look at these cookie dough hunks!!!

The cookie dough is huge, huge, huge balls of cookie dough, sweet, super buttery, and honestly, just awesome.  I have never, ever had cookie dough this good before.  Not in ice cream, certainly, and not even standalone.  The huge hunks were like eating just cookie dough, like any of the trendy edible cookie doughs like I've reviewed before (e.g. from local SF favorites Doughp - so good! or Out the Dough - stuffed into cannoli).  Honestly, the best cookie dough ever.

So although this is not a flavor I'd normally pick, I was sooo glad to have it sent my way.  I did not share the rest of this quart with anyone else.  The cookie dough was just stellar, so sweet and buttery, and I loved the crunch from chocolate chips in the base.

*****.

Pistachio.

"Pistachio ice cream with pistachio."

I picked up pistachio only because I wanted a flavor that didn't have any caffeine, and every other flavor available had chocolate in it.  So, pistachio it was.

It was fine pistachio ice cream, with plentiful whole pistachios, and a lovely green color to the base (made with, sadly, "pistachio flavor", not real extract).  I can't say this was a particularly exciting flavor, but, it was a fine pistachio ice cream.

***, as fairly "boring", but it was good for what it was.

Whoopie Pie.

"Vanilla ice cream with chunks of Shain's of Maine homemade whoopie pies."

Um, wow.  When I saw the Whoopie Pie flavor, I had no choice but to grab a pint.

Whoopie Pies may not be popular throughout the country, but in New England, where I grew up, Whoopie Pies are A. Big. Deal.  They are even the official state dessert of Maine, where Shain's is based.  I haven't ever seen a Whoopie Pie ice cream before, but, kudos to Shain's for doing this.

When the flavor originally launched in 2011 they partnered with a local bakery for the whoopie pies, but now they make their own.

So, yeah.  Whoopie pies.  A staple of my growing up.  My great aunt, the ultimate Whoopie Pie maker, *always* had these on hand when we visited.  Sometimes they needed to be fetched from the freezer if she didn't have any ready to go at the moment, but there were always Whoopie Pies offered (and honestly, they are pretty good slightly frozen too!).

We usually had the traditional chocolate cookie-cake with sweet white filling, but my great aunt also often made pumpkin cakes with a cheesecake filling, and a gingerbread one, for the holidays.  My sister even had Whoopie Pies (made by said great aunt) at her wedding on the dessert table, and EVERYONE stuffed their pockets as they left the venue.  I'll admit that I've kinda moved on from loving whoppie pies, but, nostalgia kicked in when I saw this flavor, and I do love pairing cake and ice cream, so this seemed like it would be a winning flavor, even if whoopie pies are *that* exciting to current-Julie.

The Shain's version was classic chocolate cookie-cake, and I was overjoyed to open the top of the pint and see the very generous hunks of whoopie pie, front and center.

Seriously, the Whoopie Pie Chunks!

Shain's did a nice job with this.

The ice cream base is their quality vanilla ice cream, and, just like the cookie dough, it was just insanely loaded with whoopie pies.  I mean really.  Look at this.

The chocolate cake was moist, and had a nice chocolate flavor.  I really did like the cake.

I was shocked to find that it also did have the classic super sweet filling in there too - what I thought was going to be refreshing vanilla ice cream turned out to be HUGE hunks of filling from time to time.  Once I knew to expect it, this was good, but the first time I got a mouthful of that rather than ice cream, it was a surprise.

I did find it trended too sweet for me at moments, but I did really like the quality vanilla ice cream base and the cake.  Pretty similar to a cookies & cream flavor, just, more of the sweet cream filling than I wanted.

***+

Grapenut.

"Vanilla ice cream with grape nut cereal."

This is my first time ever having Grapenut ice cream, but much like Black Raspberry, it does seem to be a regional favorite.  I've seen it in several places around town, both at ice cream stands and stores alike, and regional decent quality large ice cream supplier Giffords is known for theirs. 

If you are not familiar, Grape-Nuts is a super classic cereal, a hearty, gritty, wheat-barley base.  I really do like Grape-Nuts cereal sometimes (something about the crunchy, hearty nature, when you have rich milk and add fruit on top ... or sprinkled on top of yogurt and fruit rather than granola ... and I know some people love it warmed up too).  The sound of crunchy bits inside ice cream was certainly appealing, but I still approached with a bit of skepticism.

One bite though and I was sold.  It was good!

The base is creamy quality ice cream, slightly on the sweeter side, vanilla.  Very good ice cream.  

The Grape-Nuts inside are actually surprisingly awesome - gritty, crunchy, and waaaaay better than any cornflake/etc addition I've had, that tend to be ... softer, soggier than I like.

Much like the cereal, this is great with some fresh strawberries or blueberries on top.

**** very enjoyable.

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Atlantic Fish Co, Boston

Boston is a city filled with nice seafood.  From low key lobster shacks, to classy oyster bars, and everything in-between.  When I was recently in Boston, I focused on seafood for every meal, starting with an *incredible* non-traditional lobster roll from Eventide Fenway, getting some mediocre crab cakes from Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, and concluding with the best clam chowder I've ever had in my life (and a very generously stuffed lobster roll) from James Hook & Co.  But also on my list was getting just a nice piece of haddock or Atlantic cod, both everyday seafoods around the Boston area, but, treats for me, as they are essentially never seen on the West coast. 

My research into nice seafood restaurants led me to Atlantic Fish Co, which has been around since 1978.  They source the fish daily from the docks, yadda yadda.  Open for lunch and dinner daily, brunch on weekends.

The dinner menu is essentially all seafood, starting with raw bar classics like shrimp, crab, and lobster cocktail, moving on to seafood soups (clam chowder, lobster bisque, seafood stew), to salads to which you can of course optionally add grilled seafood (or chicken).  Appetizers have all the usual suspects: tuna tartare, crab cakes, bacon wrapped scallops, crispy calamari , fried clam fritters, fried oysters, clams, mussels, etc, etc.  I was fairly tempted by their lump crab cakes, particularly after the lackluster ones from Rosebud, or by the grilled octopus with chorizo, but, I had my eyes set on things further down in the menu.

The main entrees are again what you may expect - yes, fish & chips, lobster rolls, steamed lobster dinner, lobster ravioli, lobster risotto, crab cake entree crab crusted haddock, bouillabaisse, seafood fra diavolo, even lobster thermidor!  

A second seafood section is the more simple dishes, the "Fresh Catch", where you select a seafood, and two sides of your choice, rather than composed dishes like the rest of the entrees.  Here you have a nice lineup: halibut, swordfish, tuna, haddock, salmon, and even a whole branzino.  Each is prepared slightly differently, with the details given, e.g. halibut is pan-roasted and has an herb crust, swordfish is grilled and has a citrus marinade and salsa verde, tuna is seared, etc.  With these, you have your pick of any two sides from the fairly lengthy side menu.

The sides lineup is full of heavy hitters: fries, mashed potatoes, and potato gratin for those who need their potatoes, fancy mushrooms, corn pudding, rainbow chard, and asparagus for those who want an interesting veggie, and spinach or broccoli for the real simple green veg.  When purchased individually, the sides range from $9 for most of the simple veggies (spinach, broccoli, swiss chard) and simple potatoes (mashed, fried), to $11 for more interesting veggies (mushrooms, asparagus, corn pudding), to the most expensive, potato gratin, at $12.

Non-seafood eaters do have a couple options ... a single steak, game hen, and pork chop round out the menu.  No vegetarian entrees.  This really is a place for seafood.

On the sweets front, Atlantic Fish also puts up a nice lineup: cheesecake, key lime pie, creme brulee, tableside baked Alaska, and classic Boston cream pie.

I was interested in nearly all the seafood, from the apps to the mains, most of the sides, and the desserts.  However, I kept it reasonable, and just ordered the haddock I so desperately was craving, along with my top pick of sides.

I ordered my delivery on DoorDash, which was quite easy and customizable.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

Overall ... there were some highlights, but, they weren't what I was expecting.  I'd still consider ordering from Atlantic Fish again, to try the crab cakes this time (and maybe a dessert ...).

Bread & Butter (Complimentary).

I was surprised to find a second package in my takeout bag, not with cutlery as I had thought it would be (none was included, luckily I had some in my hotel room), but rather, a fairly sizable half loaf of bread and butter.  

I'm not usually one to fill up on bread, but, this actually was really quite good.  Lovely crust to it, good chew, nice flavor.  I consumed nearly all of it ... and it really was a large (half) loaf.  Thank you Atlantic Fish for including this with takeout!  I wonder if this is the same bread they use for the bread bowls for the chowder?  The size and shape would make sense for that.

I later read reviews online, and saw that yes, this bread gets everyone's accolades.  I am not alone in thinking this was definitely above average bread, ****.  The highlight of my meal, truly.

Fresh Catch: Haddock $32 at the restaurant, $35 DoorDash.
Asparagus, Corn Pudding.

"Broiled, scampi butter."

Haddock.  For those who live in the northeast, and everyday fish.  For me, now living on the west coast, a treat.  We never have haddock.  I was so excited for it.  The haddock comes broiled, with scampi butter (and a lemon to squeeze over).  

I was pretty thrilled when I opened the container.  The portion of haddock was generous.  It looked to have some light herbs on top, although I didn't see anything I'd identify as "scampi butter".  I quickly dug in, pushing aside the comically large parsley garnish.

And ... well, I didn't care for it.  The taste was just ... odd.  I can't describe it.  It wasn't fishy, it didn't taste not fresh or anything, but it had such an odd taste to it.  It must have been the "scampi butter" that I wasn't liking?  That said, it truly didn't seem buttery at all, I didn't really taste shrimp/prawn, and it did have what seemed like a light gremolata on it.  I sorta wondered if the preparation was different than advertised?  The fish was nicely cooked, moist, and I tried to squeeze lemon over it, I tried to add my own leftover tartar sauce, but I just couldn't get past the odd taste.  It really, really let me down.  *+.

For my sides, it was a bit hard to narrow down, as I wanted to try their potato gratin, definitely wanted the corn pudding, and was really craving asparagus.  Corn pudding was my top choice, so, deciding to not go for two decadent sides at once, I opted for the asparagus over the potato gratin.

The asparagus looked great, although, a laughably small portion of only 4 spears.  They were large, juicy spears, nicely grilled.  But ... the asparagus was extremely over cooked, soft, mushy.  Entirely without seasoning.  It desperately needed salt and pepper to liven it up (and a drizzle of the lemon).  So, mushy and under-seasoned, not really a winning side dish.  **.

The corn pudding was the star though.  It was nicely crispy on top, moist and a bit souffle-like inside, with whole kernels of corn.  A loose style, as you can see the corn spilling out, not as cornbread or stuffing like as other versions I've had (like the incredible version at Truth BBQ in Houston), but more firm than the very loose creamed corn version I had at STK last month.  I enjoyed this dish, but it too didn't really have much seasoning.   I'd get it again if in the mood.  ***+.

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Alaska Airlines First Class Dining, SFO - SEA

My first flight on Alaska Airlines.  Just a short flight, so not tons to evaluation, but, I was reasonably impressed.

Flight Details

Flight: AS 1099

Aircraft: 737-800

Departure: SFO, 5:45pm

Arrival: SEA, 7:57 pm

Seat: 1C

Cabin and Service

This adventure, my first on Alaska Airlines, did not start out favorably.  The evening before my flight, our aircraft, planned to be a 737-900, got swapped for a smaller 737-800.  It had fewer rows.  Including the one I had booked.  When I went to do online check-in, exactly 24 hours before takeoff, as I diligently do, I was met with an error message, no seat assignment, and instructed to bring my travel documents, and see a gate agent.  Doh.

I did use chat with the Alaska Airlines staff online, both that evening, and the day of the flight, trying to get more info, but all I knew was that the flight was now very oversold, and they couldn't give me any indication of where on the list I was, or what my chances were of getting a seat assignment.  They did tell me that status mattered, and since this was my first flight with Alaska, I clearly had none.

Anyway, much stress, getting to the airport early, etc, etc, and I did get a seat.  1C, so no under seat storage, no foot rest, but, hey, it was a seat, on my originally scheduled flight.

Flight attendants were reasonably friendly, although did require I put away my Chromebook, even when converted to tablet mode, for takeoff, because it had a keyboard.  Most airlines don't care if it is in tablet mode (particularly if flying a premium class).  

There were no pre-departure beverages offered, although we did have boxed water waiting at our seats.  Alaska has gone no plastic, just like SFO airport itself.

Meal

Even though it is a relatively short flight, <2 hours, Alaska does offer a meal service in First Class.

Menu.

The menu was pretty boring.  All cold meals.  Two kinds of cheese plates, either with crackers, fruit, and a truffle, or with naan, ham, and labneh, a salad, or wrap.  I was interested in the labneh that came on the protein platter, but wanted an actual meal, and I'm allergic to avocado (which was in the wrap), so, I had really only one choice: the wedge salad.   I pre-ordered in advance, as did nearly every passenger.

Straightaway Oregon Old Fashioned.

"The Old Fashioned is revered for its versatility and simplicity. This variation on the classic speaks to wistful days spent in Milton-Freewater, OR, and we’ve transposed our fondness for the Pacific Northwest bouquet into our own bitters. Whether consumed around a mountain-top campfire or from the safety of your drawing room, tradition has it that one’s first Old Fashioned should be served by a friend."

Drink orders were taken very quickly once underway.  Assuming the domestic red wines would be lackluster, and excited that they had canned cocktails from Straightaway, a Portland based brand.  I was even more excited they had the old fashioned (often my cocktail of choice anyway), I opted for that, along with sparkling water.  Both came served in glasses with tons of ice.  My seatmate went for the other canned cocktail, the margarita, but made skinny, e.g. mixed with some soda water.  Those were the only cocktails available on the flight, but Straightaway also makes a slew of other great sounding cocktails (bottled or canned).

The cocktail was good.  Very boozy.  Basically, well, a reasonably made old fashioned.  I did lament not having a cherry or citrus zest garnish, which Straightaway even says you should add if you are "civilized".  ****.

Wedge Salad.

"Roasted red potato | red onion | blue cheese | roasted tomato | Applewood bacon | vinaigrette."

I had read reviews of the salad, all of which mention that it was quite small, but I still wasn't prepared for how tiny it was.  The amount of lettuce was remarkable ... in that there was barely any.  This was an appetizer sized salad, and I often think portion sizes are ridiculously large, but this, yeah, wow.  It was a snack salad.

That said, it was a good salad.  The lettuce was crisp.  The thin sliced red onion added a nice acidity.  The potatoes gave it a bit of substance, some needed carbs.  The "roasted tomato" seemed more like sun-dried, but they were flavorful and fairly juicy.  I don't generally get excited for blue cheese, but this too was actually fairly good, not too funky, just enough, and it added a slight creamy element.  The bacon was pretty greasy and flabby and not very good, so I salvaged the most crispy bits and ditched the rest, a bit of a shame.  But overall, it really was a good salad, just, so tiny.  If I could add anything to it, besides a larger portion, I'd add something for crunch, maybe some candied nuts?

The salad didn't come with anything else (besides some crackers), which I knew to expect, so I brought my own chips.  There was also no dessert (besides a chocolate), so I brought my own fruit and cookies.  I assumed I wouldn't like the vinaigrette, so of course, I had my own condiments - a different dressing, furikake, salt & pepper, onion and garlic powder, and steamed asparagus and broccoli jazz up the salad and round it out.  #alwaysPrepared.  The vinaigrette was fine, but, yes, a vinaigrette. It seemed to have some parmesan cheese in it maybe?  I did end up drizzling it over my broccoli and asparagus.

So overall, yes, good, particularly when I added to it, but, beware of the small size, and don't count on this for a full meal.  ***+.

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