Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream - Columbus Delicacies

So the weather was good on Saturday and I headed down to Columbus on the motorcycle to check out the motorcycle superstores and to try Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.  I saw Jeni's on Food Networks The Best Thing I Ever Ate and I have to say that it ranks right up there with some of the top ice creams I have had.

For those who don't know Jeni's, it is a local Columbus ice cream chain that has 5 locations and is making some excellent ice cream with quality ingredients in unusual flavors.  I stopped at the Dublin, Ohio store which is located in a nice corner space in the heart of the historic downtown.  The shop is clean and crisp, feeling like a modern dairy.   The flavors are a bit more adult and sophisticated then most ice cream places, and if you go to the website here you can see the flavors available.  The guy behind the counter was incredibly friendly and helpful and willing to guide me through the flavors and supply plenty of small tastes to help.

Overall, the Ice Creams I tried were excellent, they had a good texture and the flavors while fairly aggressive were well balanced with subtle characteristics and some clear thoughts of the aftertaste.  I would almost compare the flavor compositions to that wines and the descriptions seem to have that feeling.  To give Clevelanders a reference for comparison, comparing Jeni's to Mitchells Ice Creams, Jeni's is a bit more subtle and balanced, where Mitchells Ice Creams tend to be close to overload in sweetness and fat content, Jeni's manages to taste really good and have a wonderful texture without being excessive.

Now to the flavors, first the couple I tried but go for the full scoop: the Thai Chili packs a real spicy wallop that hits you right up front and lingers a bit, tasty but a bit intimidating and the Dark Chocolate which packs a rich smooth Chocolate flavor and dense consistency, but was a bit more one note then the other flavors.  Now the three flavors I picked (pictured above): the Queen City Cayenne, a rich chocolate with a bit of spice then the heat builds on the aftertaste; this was a unique ice cream for me and the heat plays well with the chocolate, I finished this one first to allow the other mellower flavors to cool my palate.  Savanna Buttermint with white chocolate pieces, the richness of the butter flavor works to temper the strong mint flavor which might otherwise be overwhelming, the white chocolate flakes add a lushness and extra punch to the flavor; this was a great counterbalance to the spiciness of the Queen City.  Finally the Salty Caramel, which has a wonderfully mellow caramel that pops from the salt and then ends with a very mild burnt sugar aftertaste; this was probably the most surprising I tried since the actual flavor profile should be simple, yet they managed to make a complex and satisfying flavor profile.

Cones or dishes are $3.75 for 2 flavors, $4.25 for 3 flavors and $4.75 for 4 flavors.  While the portions are not huge, given the high quality local ingredients and unique flavors, this is well worth the price.

I will visit Jeni's again when I am in the Columbus area, plus , Miles Market does carry Jeni's Ice Cream, unfortunately it is very expensive there.  If you have the chance and are looking for something different and a bit more adult in your ice cream, I don't think you can go wrong with Jeni's.

Miles Market - Produce Treasure Trove

With the combination of the winter weather and the bad economy I admit that I am not getting out as much as I would like, and especially I am not getting to roam about and discover new places. So I thought I would do some blogs on some of my favorite places, especially places that you can get a good deal on the food. Cleveland is blessed with some very good markets; you have the West Side Market, during the summer you have the assorted farmers markets around town, but the place that I go to most consistently for my fruits and veggies is Miles Market. Located at 28569 Miles Road in Solon, the market has been expanded over the years, now it has produce, wine and beer, bakery, deli, meats, seafood, prepared food and just about anything else you could want to prepare a meal. Lets start with the main reason that I go to MM, the produce. MM is one of the major distributors of produce in the area, so that means that the fruits and vegetables that you get at MM is some of the best and freshest you will find. The selection is excellent, with a good variety and I like that most of the produce is not prepackaged, you get to pick what buy. Being a single guy, I will buy produce and use it over a week or two. One thing I have found is that the produce from MM seems to stay fresh longer then that purchased from other vendors. Generally the prices are good with the weekly specials being very good. In addition, you will often find unadvertised specials in the market. Going through the aisle of natures bounty, you should be inspired to create some wonderful dishes. The bakery at MM is very good, with wonderful baked goods and breads. The prices are not cheap, but you do get a quality product well prepared and nicely decorated. Generally MM will have a muffin, bread and pie special each week. The deli, butcher and fish sections are well stocked and offer fine selections of products. You may not get the cheapest products here, but you will get quality and freshness. The prepared foods section is also very good. MM offers both fully cooked foods, including the new seafood section of the olive bar and ready to cook selections. It is well worth considering picking up a dinner here to have a restaurant quality meal without paying all the extras such as tax and tip. I strongly recommend Miles Market, it offers a wide selection of very high quality foods at reasonable prices. This is a true example of the difference between value and cheap. You will find places that offer cheaper prices, but you probably won't get the same quality. True value is when you get good or great quality at a reasonable price.