Netflix takes us into Memorial Day weekend with plenty of content to occupy your time, should you grow weary of the cookout thing or, in the alternative, if you’re still sticking to social distancing. This week, the platform fires up followup seasons to two (very different) fan-favorite series. There’s also a tantalizing food series and a family film on the way, along with a spooky movie that might make you forget that we’re sitting on the verge of summer. And in case you missed it last weekend, Aziz Ansari has returned after an extended, largely self-imposed hiatus from the Internet. In other words, the streaming service is as stacked as always, and we’re the lucky beneficiaries.
Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.
Ragnarok: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming on 5/27)
This coming-of-age drama with a Norse mythology framework returns to show us more gloriously breathtaking Norwegian slices of nature. Unfortunately, not all goes smoothly, given that the residents of Edda are dealing with the effects of climate change, including melting poles, warm winters, and drastic, unpredictable changes in weather. Mysterious inhabitants turn this into a bit of a cautionary tale and a lot of entertainment.
The Kominsky Method: Season 3 (Netflix series streaming on 5/28)
The Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin-starring, Golden Globe-winning series reaches its final planned season with some heavy themes — money, death, love, murder, and the realization of dreams — at the forefront. An ex-wife and other family issues (including a contribution from Paul Reiser) continue to make everything more complicated than it needs to be, but the show’s audience knows this drill, and they’re here for it.
Master of None: Season 3 (Netflix series streaming on 5/23)
It’s been (four) years since we’ve seen Aziz Ansari’s brainchild do its thing, and that’s not even (officially, at least) down to the pandemic. Ansari’s been largely out of the public eye following sexual misconduct allegations, although he did emerge a few years ago for an insightful comedy special that goes a long way to show that gazing inward, and this season, the co-creator’s taking a step behind the camera to direct in a wonderful season that he cowrote with the Emmy-winning Lena Waithe, whose character (Denise) moves from the sidelines to the forefront to focus on her relationship with Alicia (Naomi Ackie).
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix series streaming on 5/26)
Food writer Stephen Satterfield takes a powerful voyage to discover the resourcefulness and straight-up artistry of the African American people. He draws upon knowledge from chefs, historians, and activists to do so, and the results are mouthwatering.
Two medical doctor BFFs witness a “ghost” while conducting a research experiment about life after death. This leads them down a rabbit hole of attempting to find a scientific explanation for what they’re seeing, and this obsession could have far-reaching implications for their friendship and beyond.
A city called “Eden 3” is filled with robots who no longer have human-boss types, which means that many robots now believe that humans never really existed at all and are only a myth. Naturally, a human baby girl shows up and throws their worldview into disarray.
Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:
Avail. 5/21 Army of the Dead
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Season 3 The Neighbor: Season 2
Avail. 5/22 Sam Smith: Love Goes – Live At Abbey Road Studios
Avail. 5/25 Home
Avail. 5/26 Baggio: The Divine Ponytail
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
Nail Bomber: Manhunt
Avail. 5/27 Black Space
Blue Miracle
Eden
Soy Rada: Serendipity
Avail. 5/28 Dog Gone Trouble
Lucifer: Season 5 Part 2 The Kominsky Method: Season 3
Avail. 5/31 Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story
And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:
Leaving 5/31 50 First Dates
Act of Valor
All Dogs Go to Heaven
The Blair Witch Project
Brokeback Mountain
The Boy
Deliver Us from Eva
The Help
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
Julie & Julia
Marauders
Milk
Miracle
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior
The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption
Soul Surfer
Striptease
Waiting…
Leaving 6/1 Alone: Season 6 Mother Goose Club: Seasons 1-2
The 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards were last night and so many of the biggest music stars were on hand. That included Lil Nas X, who wasn’t up for any awards but was there to present Elton John with the 2021 iHeartRadio Icon Award (alongside Coldplay’s Chris Martin). At one point during the evening, Lil Nas X took a couple minutes for a red carpet interview with Variety, and he spoke about his head-turning hopes for his next music video.
During the brief chat, he was asked how he plans to out-do “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and his previous attention-grabbing visuals. He responded, “I want to do something in a different lane that’s crazier. I’m not sure what yet, but that’s for when I make a main single or something, you know?”
He also spoke about how he felt during his famous pants-splitting incident while performing on Saturday Night Live, saying, “I was quite terrified, but I was like, ‘The show must go on… I hope my goodies aren’t on TV right now.’” As for the current location of those now-iconic pants, he said, “I think they’re still in New York being shipped here. We have to put them in a museum one day.”
The rapper closed with a message for LGBTQ kids who might be facing struggles: “You f*cking rock, f*ck everybody else.”
Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks looked to be in exceptional shape in Game 2 against the New York Knicks, leading by as many as 15 points. However, Atlanta’s offense went silent after halftime, and New York executed a badly needed comeback to even the series at 1-1.
On Friday, the series moves from Manhattan to Atlanta, with the Hawks hosting their first playoff game since 2017. Though the Hawks are an offense-first team led by Young, John Collins and plenty of shooting, Atlanta’s defense has done its job in the series. Knicks star Julius Randle did find himself, at least to some degree, in the second half of Game 2, but the Hawks have been effective at walling off the rim, making life difficult on New York’s offense.
Young is averaging 31 points per game in the series, comfortably leading the team, but the bottom fell out for Atlanta in Game 2. The Hawks shot 11-of-40 from the floor after halftime, scoring only 35 points and only one point in the final five minutes. The Knicks deserve some level of credit for those results, as Tom Thibodeau pressed the right buttons, riding his veterans to success. It will be intriguing to see if New York can maintain an efficient offensive approach, and Nate McMillan also holds a potential trump card with the ability to increase minutes for Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic and others. All told, Game 3 is often pivotal in close-fought series, and this projects to be a hotly contested game.
From a betting standpoint, Game 2 went Under the total of 213.5 points and New York covered the closing point spread of 2 points as a favorite.
Game 3 TV Info
Tip Time: Friday, May 28; 7 p.m. ET TV Network: ESPN
Game 3 Betting Lines (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Series Prices: Hawks (-143), Knicks (+118) Spread: Hawks -4 (-109), Knicks +4 (-113) Total: Over 211 (-112), Under 211 (-109) Money Line: Hawks (-165), Knicks (+138)
The Brooklyn Nets entered the 2021 NBA Playoffs as the betting favorite to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Through two games against the Boston Celtics, there isn’t much in the way of information to change that viewpoint, with the Nets cruising to a 2-0 series lead in the first round.
Brooklyn did trail in the first half of Game 1, but Boston was largely non-competitive in Game 2. The Nets blasted the Celtics to the tune of a 130-108 win on Tuesday, leading by 27 points after three quarters and pedaling off down the stretch. Brooklyn leads the entire league in net rating (+17.5) in the playoffs, taking full advantage of their overflowing offensive options and Boston’s shorthanded roster. As one example, No. 4 option Joe Harris scored 25 points on just 14 shooting possessions in Game 2, and he serves as a perfect complement to Brooklyn’s trio of lead creators in James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The Celtics will need more from Jayson Tatum in Game 3, with the All-Star forward scoring just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting in Game 2. The absence of Jaylen Brown looms large for the undermanned Celtics, but Boston does have top-flight talent in Tatum, Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker. The presence of what should be a raucous atmosphere could also help the Celtics in Game 3, and this could be their best chance at an upset win in the series.
From a betting standpoint, Game 2 went Over the total of 228.5 points and Brooklyn covered the closing point spread of 9 points as a favorite.
Game 3 TV Info
Tip Time: Friday, May 26; 8:30 p.m. ET TV Network: ABC
Game 3 Betting Lines (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Series Price: OFF BOARD Spread: Nets -7.5 (-113), Celtics +7.5 (-108) Total: Over 227.5 (-108), Under 227.5 (-113) Money Line: Nets (-360), Celtics (+280)
It’s a big day for South African star Master KG. Following up his viral hit “Jerusalema” from 2019, today the producer and musician has released a collaboration with pop mastermind David Guetta and R&B superstar Akon. “Shine Your Light” is a sunny, optimistic reminder to bring your own positivity and joy into the world. It’s anchored by Master KG’s afro-house sound, and obviously influenced by contributions from both Guetta and Akon. “I am blessed and excited to have collaborated with not one but two legends in David Guetta and Akon,” Master KG said of the track. “‘Shine Your Light,’ is special for me because it not only combines our different styles of music, but also spreads a positive message. Join us as we unite the world with love through music once again. Wanitwa Mosss.”
Guetta has collaborated with Akon before, but also expressed his admiration for KG’s ethos. “I am thrilled to have been able to collaborate with Master KG, and I’m so pleased to get to work with my long-time friend Akon again!” he said in a press release. “My hope is that ‘Shine Your Light’ brings joy to listeners around the world as we join each other on the dance floor once again.”
I can’t think of a better way to start the summer than that sentiment. Listen the track above.
The Phoenix Suns are now, officially, in trouble in their first round series against the Lakers after getting thumped in Game 3 in L.A., losing 109-95 to fall behind 2-1. It was a rough night for Phoenix offensively, as they struggled to score consistently, shooting 42.7 percent from the field and committing 17 turnovers against the stout Lakers defense.
On the other end, after a slow start for L.A. in the first half as well, the floodgates opened courtesy of LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for 28 points in the third quarter that the Lakers won 33-23 to pull away from the Suns. Of those 33 points, seven were scored at the free throw line on nine attempts, most of which coming from Davis. On the night, the Lakers had 30 free throw attempts to the Suns 18, but in a game that was at one point a 21-point margin and finished as a 14-point game, the officiating was not high on the list of complaints most seemed to have.
However, Chris Paul couldn’t help but see the latest continuation of an unfortunate pattern for his teams, as it was the 11th consecutive loss for a Chris Paul-led squad in the playoffs when Scott Foster was on the call.
Chris Paul redirected the end of his final three press conference questions tonight to the same stat: “11 games in a row.” Paul’s teams have lost 11 straight playoff games refereed by Scott Foster. pic.twitter.com/BvbZTGe3eX
It’s certainly a dubious distinction and in the past it has come up in much tighter losses, but after a loss like this, it’s going to be hard to get too many people to buy into the argument that the officials played a major role. The disparity is notable, but so is the shot selection from the two teams. The Suns had 13 shots in the restricted area all game, whereas the Lakers had 25. That’s a massive difference and accounts for a good chunk of the free throw disparity — as did Dennis Schröder getting three free throws late after a Flagrant 2 from Devin Booker and Jae Crowder’s ejection for a technical.
Frustration with officials is expected for most teams after losses, but the Suns have bigger issues to figure out in this series. Deandre Ayton is feasting inside, but no one else could consistently get to the rim on the Suns and that had an adverse effect on their offensive efficiency and ability to get to the free throw line. Part of that is the highly unfortunate shoulder injury Chris Paul is still dealing with that is clearly limiting his abilities as a scorer, as he only attempted eight shots in 27 minutes as Phoenix opted for Cam Payne late as he was at least capable of getting up three-point shots (and hit a few).
Chris Paul’s issues with Scott Foster are well documented and there is some compelling evidence you can find in past games to support his claims, but this game doesn’t really fit into that as Phoenix was just flat-out outplayed in the second half.
The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers have two stars they can effectively pencil in for monster individual performances each night, and as such their first round series becomes about which of the “others” can step up in the big moments to give them support. In Game 3, Nikola Jokic and Damian Lillard had their customary huge nights, with Jokic piling up 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists while Lillard led all scorers with 37 points with five dimes to boot.
In the end, the Nuggets were able to get more from their supporting cast, including a somewhat surprising figure stepping forward late as Austin Rivers buried big shot after big shot down the stretch in a 120-115 Nuggets win. Rivers had 21 points on the night off the strength of a 5-of-10 shooting night from three-point land, most of which came in the fourth quarter to help Denver pull away from Portland after the Blazers had fought their way back to take a brief lead.
On the other side, it was a disappointing finish for Portland who started out on fire early in the first quarter but couldn’t consistently find the bottom of the net from three. They trailed for much of the night, but pulled even in the fourth quarter on the backs of an 8-0 run from Carmelo Anthony, who had 17 points on the evening off the bench.
Despite some flurries, as a team, they shot just 14-of-45 from distance, including a 5-for-16 night from Dame, but he did hit enough to keep things interesting late.
After a CJ McCollum three pulled Portland within three, Monte Morris missed a pair of free throws with under four seconds to play that could’ve given the Blazers a shot to tie, but Jokic had other ideas, bullying his way to the rebound for the game-sealing tip-in.
It was a game that had to feel a bit like theft for Denver, who didn’t get the usual contribution from Michael Porter Jr., as he had just 15 points which is well below where he has been post-Jamal Murray injury. But with Rivers’ hot shooting night and a 20-for-38 effort as a team from distance, they made up for any other deficiencies with the three ball, out-gunning the Blazers to retake homecourt advantage and a 2-1 series lead going into Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.
Brood X is out and having the time of their lives in portions of the United States, and Washington DC one of many places where huge numbers of cicadas are making life interesting this spring. And that includes at spots TV reporters frequent for live shots, as one CNN reporter found out in hilarious fashion on Thursday night.
Manu Raju was getting ready to appear on CNN when a cicada landed on his suit and slowly crawled up his shoulder and onto his neck. At some point he made contact with his skin, which is when Raju noticed him and reached back to see what was on his back. And he certainly didn’t take very kindly to the encounter.
Raju shared a video of the “attack” on Twitter on Thursday night and quickly went viral.
“Had an unwelcome visitor try to crawl into my live shot earlier,” he said on Twitter, sharing the video recorded off of what looks like a monitor.
There’s a bit of censored language they bleeped out to keep it clean, but it appears the worst thing that happens here may be the demise of a cicada before it could carry out its efforts to continue its species survival. Still, judging by other reports in the DC area and the mid-Atlantic and it seems there are plenty of other cicadas out and about doing their part.
Raju is far from the only reporter to freak out when a bug lands on them, as many people in his replies shared videos from the past of other on-air talent having the same experience.
Welcome to the “Field Reporter freaks out on bug” club. At least you didn’t swallow it. pic.twitter.com/xqx7OOdymX
LOL, Manu! I have to say you really kept your cool. I think many other folks would have been like that Florida weatherman who saw a cockroach and flipped out!
Still, it’s a pretty good example of what people in the region are up against during cicada season, and a reminder to those on camera like Raju to expect the unexpected for the next little while.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying on a blistering hot summer day as a perfect scoop of ice cream. Whether it’s on a cone, in a bowl, soft-served, or from a grocery store gallon-sized tub, every lick just seems to melt away the worries of the day while taking us back to those nostalgic moments of youth, when our biggest concerns were who would get the biggest scoop. All while cooling us down, of course.
Well, those hot days are upon us once again. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be looking to indulge in the cold and silky sweet treat that is ice cream while you reminisce on summers past and prep whatever mayhem this one will bring.
To help you track down the perfect scoop, I accepted the monster undertaking of blind taste-testing 20 vanilla ice creams in a variety of styles. French vanilla, vanilla bean, non-dairy vanilla, and plain ‘ole vanilla — I sacrificed my blood sugar levels to narrow down which of our beloved ice cream brands hits the nail on the head when it comes to crafting incredibly rich and delicious vanilla offerings. (My personal go-to since childhood.)
To get this project started, I scoured grocery store freezer sections and online retailers for 20 pints and tubs of vanilla ice cream. I picked out some of the classic brands that have served Americans scoops for years and years, along with some of the newer creameries on the scene. Finally, with the help of my cousin — who shielded me from seeing anything beyond a scoop of ice cream in a bowl — I blindly ate a few spoonfuls of every ice cream, wrote notes on each, and then ranked them based on flavor, texture, and consistency.
All of the brands tested are easily accessible at grocery stores and online retailers across the country. I also included links to where you can purchase them online. Now let’s get to it!
Part 1: The Taste
Taste 1:
Via Janice Williams
Immediately I noticed how milky this ice cream was — quickly melting into a bowl of milk, and milky in taste as well. There was a freshness to it, and while it did smell of sweet and spicy vanilla, that wasn’t exactly the taste.
The ice cream was light with a Splenda-like sweetness.
Taste 2:
Via Janice Williams
This tastes like a scoop of vanilla ice cream you’d get from a random, cute little towny ice cream shop on the side of the road. It’s sweet and intense with vanilla extract flavor. The texture is soft, light, and the scoop melted entirely too quickly.
Eat this in a cone and you’re mother will never stop complaining over the mess you just made. This would be better in a bowl with sprinkles on top.
Taste 3:
Via Janice Williams
More of a yellow-colored vanilla ice cream than white, this scoop barely melts in the bowl, despite being utterly creamy and decadent. It’s rich in flavor with an almost caramel taste, like it was churned with real vanilla bean, sugar cane, and an extra dash of love. The scoop is dense but the ice cream isn’t heavy at all.
Where are the waffle cones when you need ‘em?
Taste 4:
Via Janice Williams
Stark white and dry, a spoon of this tastes like diet ice cream. The vanilla flavoring is potent but is there any sugar in here? The sweetness is pretty diluted, and the ice cream itself feels thin in the mouth, almost airy.
Taste 5:
Via Janice Williams
Now here is a clean vanilla ice cream, no unnecessary extras. On first taste, it’s simple, delicious vanilla ice cream that tastes like it’s made with actual vanilla and just the right amount of everything else that makes this flavor so damn good.
It’s firm, but light, and rich.
Taste 6:
Via Janice Williams
This ice cream is bone dry, like a frosty ice sickle infused with vanilla and sugar. It’s so dry, that it takes forever to eat — lick after lick this stuff takes its sweet time melting, for sure.
Taste-wise, it’s pure vanilla, no gimmicks. The ice cream is not overbearingly sweet either.
Taste 7:
Via Janice Williams
This is a soft and creamy ice cream dotted with vanilla bean specks. Vanilla game is strong here — like maybe it has some real french vanilla eggy quality and some vanilla extract — but it features an extra oomph that tastes like a spice blend of vanilla graham crackers and cream.
Definitely want this one out of a bowl — it’s pretty melty but it scores on all fronts for flavor.
Taste 8:
Via Janice Williams
This is like official vanilla, or as I have written in my notes: “The mascot of vanilla ice cream if there ever was one.” There’s nothing artificial about the taste — there’s gotta be real, pure, straight-up vanilla bean in this. And it’s not sugary sweet like you may get diabetes after eating three scoops. It’s just right.
Perfectly creamy but dense enough to withstand sitting in a bowl for a few minutes without melting into a milkshake. And yet… it’s so incredibly flavorful with a rich, natural vanilla bean taste that it would make a killer milkshake, if you wanted.
Taste 9:
Via Janice Williams
Too melty and too soft, but it sure is tasty. This ice cream is buttery rich with woody vanilla bean flavor and an interesting note of honey and cake batter that brightens the whole thing up nicely. The flavor lasts throughout, whether it’s still in its solid form or not.
Taste 10:
Via Janice Williams
This ice cream is as creamy as custard and loaded with vanilla bean richness. It has a rather addictive quality with a woody, spiciness, and a little bit of zest on the backend that is forcing me to eat spoon after spoon until the ice cream is all gone.
It’s not as white or yellowy in color as the others I’ve tried, but it hits the mark on richness and texture.
Taste 11:
Via Janice Williams
Dry in texture but creamy in taste, this is definitely most unique vanilla ice cream. Sure, there’s some smatterings of chemical-tasting vanilla bean flavors throughout, but this ice cream also features a whole lot of… oat. It’s front-loaded with cinnamon that only seems to bring out the oat taste even more.
A slow melter, it’s pretty obvious this is a non-dairy option just from the taste.
Taste 12:
Via Janice Williams
This ice cream is dense but creamy in a way that seems like it’s made with more heavy cream than actual milk. There’s something real “vanilla-flavored” about this ice cream and it has an odd tangy, almost sour quality that lingers in your mouth after a lick.
Taste 13:
Via Janice Williams
Sweeeeeettttt like candy, but not in an artificial kind of way. This ice cream is riddled with natural-tasting vanilla bean — speckles of which are dotted in every spoonful. This ice cream tastes fresh and is well balanced with milk, cream, and sugar.
As far as texture goes, it somehow manages to be rather dry as clay yet totally creamy once it’s in your mouth.
Taste 14:
Via Janice Williams
According to my helper, this ice cream was no easy scooper (for what it’s worth, she was using a spoon instead of the traditional ice cream scoop). It’s a dry ice cream with an off-white color dotted with vanilla bean specks. It holds the cold well, but it doesn’t have that creaminess I usually look for in an ice cream.
It puts me in the mindset of a vanilla-flavored sorbet. But the flavor is consistent.
Taste 15:
Via Janice Williams
Well, this is…. interesting. The speckles in the ice cream tell my eyes that there’s vanilla bean in here, and there’s some faint remnant of that in the taste. But the main thing that I’m tasting here is… butter? It doesn’t have a creamy richness, per se, but rather a more buttery profile. And it tastes that way too.
Is this ice cream? It’s by far the oddest tasting vanilla I’ve ever had.
Taste 16:
Via Janice Williams
What sort of artificial ice cream is this?
This “ice cream” is so dry it’s almost like chalk. It literally crumbled into pieces in the bowl. Texture alone makes it pretty obvious that this is for sure one of the dairy-free options. That aside, the flavor has a slightly medicinal quality about it. The vanilla is there… kinda… but in a way that makes me feel like I maybe just took down a spoon full of vanilla-flavored cough syrup.
Taste 17:
Via Janice Williams
This ice cream is pleasantly rich and custardy. It has a strong vanilla flavor — like the same old same Madagascan vanilla bean and something else that I can’t quite put my finger on. But I like it. The ice cream doesn’t melt super quickly, and it’s got the body and texture to hold up well in a cone.
Taste 18:
Via Janice Williams
This ice cream tastes like a couple of coconuts got together with some vanilla beans and threw a party. The first thing you notice is the coconut flavor before the vanilla comes sauntering across your tastebuds. It’s dry but still creamy and has a nice slow melt.
Taste 19:
Via Janice Williams
Of all the vanilla beans, none have been speckled as much as this one. And my eyes aren’t misleading me either — this ice cream is a vanilla overload! It’s like licking vanilla beans and gulping down a cup of sugary delicious cream. That’s how booming this joint is with vanilla. This is a wet ice cream. It’s incredibly smooth and rich, and the sweet sugar lingers long after a bite.
Taste 20:
Via Janice Williams
Texture is dry and frosty. Let my helper tell it, you can hear the spoon scooping out the ice cream.
It may not look all that creamy — and even after a few minutes sitting in the bowl, it’s slow to melt — but let me tell you, take a lick of this and it’s pure cream jam-packed with vanilla flavor. Is that molasses I’m tasting? This ice cream has an extra dose of sweetness that makes the texture a total non-factor.
Part 2: The Ranking
20. So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Bean — Taste 16
There you have it people: Ice cream made with organic coconut milk, coconut oil, cane sugar, and — according to the ingredients — actual specks of vanilla bean instead of actual full-on vanilla bean.
It’s gluten-free and vegan and tastes every bit of it.
Bottom Line:
I know that we need dairy-free options for the dairy-free folks in this world, but OMG there just has to be better grade fake ice cream that doesn’t involve animal milk or cream.
Since 1969, LaSalle has been selling pints of ice cream along with dozens of other pre-packaged frozen foods. And if you’re ever in the New York City area, you can visit their ice cream shop in the Bronx for scoops and single servings.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t bad ice cream, but the twang on the backend of the lick is a little off-putting, to say the least.
Well whadyaknow? An ice cream made from avocado? Millennials rejoice.
This treat is also made with real Madagascan vanilla beans along with vanilla bean paste, sea salt, avocado oil, water, organic cane sugar, tapioca starch, organic guar gum, and organic gum acacia.
Bottom Line:
No wonder this ice cream was unlike any other ice cream I’ve ever tasted. It’s completely dairy-free and made with one of the richest, most filling, buttery, green fruits that ever existed.
17. Tillamook Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream — Taste 1
Out of Tillamook, Oregon comes this vanilla ice cream made with milk produced by real cows on Tillamook’s farms. Along with skim milk, regular milk, and cream, the ice cream is comprised of pasteurized egg yolks and natural flavorings including vanilla extract.
Bottom line:
This was just too milky of an ice cream for me. The cow’s milk taste just kind of overpowered everything. Although the vanilla flavoring seemed natural, overall it felt like something was missing.
One of America’s oldest ice cream companies, Edy’s (on the East Coast) / Dreyer’s (West Coast) has been making various flavors of ice cream since 1928. Their classic take on vanilla, which is a favorite of Edy’s / Dreyer’s fans, is made with simple ingredients like fresh milk and cream with an emphasis on staying on the lighter side.
For example, each serving (about a half-cup) is only 100 calories and three grams of sugar.
Bottom Line:
Disclaimer: I’ve never really been a fan of Edy’s. Bias aside, there’s simply just better vanilla ice cream. But this is a good one for those who want to enjoy a sweet treat without all the sugar.
Here’s an option for those of us who live dairy-free lives: Ice cream made from water, oats, sugar, vanilla seeds and natural flavorings, and various other ingredients I can’t pronounce. The folks at Oatly have given consumers the oat milk, and now here it is in its solid and creamy form.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a member of Team Oat Milk, then this is for you. If not, there are better options out to come.
There are only 290 calories in an entire pint of this stuff. No wonder it’s such a light ice cream. It’s made with “ultrafiltered” skim milk — whatever that means — along with regular skim milk, cream, and sugar. But you can thank the real ground vanilla beans for that quality flavor.
Bottom Line:
Are there better vanilla ice creams? You bet there are. But this is a good alternative for someone looking to cut back on all the calories.
13. Adirondack Creamery French Vanilla Ice Cream — Taste 17
This ice cream from upstate New York does include vanilla extract, but its flavoring comes with a twist. Instead of sourcing vanilla from Madagascar like everybody else, Adirondack Creamy uses a blend of vanillas from Madagascar AND Tahiti.
Bottom Line:
This is the ice cream to buy when you’re in the mood for vanilla but looking for something with a little extra pizzazz than the standard.
Yet another American staple, Friendly’s started out as an ice cream shop in 1935. It’s progressed to a full-fledged restaurant chain with locations all across the country where you can get crazy good sundaes to go alongside your big beefy cheeseburgers. The company has been distributing tubs of ice cream at various grocery stores in the U.S. since 1987
Bottom Line:
This is exactly the type of ice cream you want to eat during a road trip pit stop or on your way home from a day at the beach or a park. No better, no worse.
Pure sweet cream and vanilla from Madagascar is what has allowed Häagen-Dazs’ classic vanilla ice cream to remain a fan favorite for more than five decades. In fact, vanilla was one of the first three flavors the ice cream company debuted when it first launched in 1960.
Bottom Line:
This is good ice cream. The only reason why it’s not higher on this list is that it takes forever to eat. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?
Coconut milk, coconut syrup, coconut cream, coconut crazy! If you’re going to make a completely plant-based ice cream, this is one of the better ways to do it. Other goodies included in this dream cream include certified organic vanilla beans and vanilla extract.
Oh, and I should mention even the packaging on this ice cream is bio-based and made out of non-GMO sugar cane husks.
Talenti slow cooks real Madagascan vanilla beans in milk, cream, and sugar for 45 minutes with a process called bain-marie. That’s how the gelato maintains such lusciously decadent texture with maximum flavor. They even incorporate a little lemon zest to help bring out the richness of the vanilla.
Bottom Line:
Who says you need to travel all the way to Italy for some quality gelato? Talenti gets the job done with this vanilla ice cream, and it won’t cost you any flight miles to get it.
You would never guess that Ben & Jerry’s started out with just two guys (Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield) slanging ice cream out of a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont in 1978. Flash forward some 40 years later, and the ice cream company is an American staple, making a plethora of funky fun flavors — but the vanilla is still the bee’s knees.
Bottom Line:
What’s not to love about Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream? This is one of those mindless purchases that you can always count on to be top quality.
Van Leeuwen makes their vegan ice cream with cashew milk and a blend of coconut oil and coconut cream. The vanilla is cold ground and straight from the bean, and it’s sourced from Tahiti.
Bottom Line:
Van Leeuwen’s vegan vanilla bean clears up any misconceptions that vegan sweet treats can’t be as good as the real thing.
This ice cream is made with Fair Trade vanilla beans and vanilla extract and milk from grass-grazed cows in Ohio. Even the honey comes from Ohio, made by the good folks at Deer Creek Honey. Jenni’s also uses nonfat milk, cream, cane sugar, tapioca syrup, and a pinch of sea salt to achieve its balanced, sweet flavor.
I don’t know who Van Leeuwen is, but the person/figure/entity sure does know their shit when it comes to vanilla ice cream. The reason why this ice cream achieves peak decadence is probably that it’s made with milk, cream, egg yolks, and salt in addition to the cold-ground Tahitian vanilla beans and vanilla extract.
Bottom Line:
This gets a bump above the vegan option because of the pure rich and creaminess this ice cream exudes. What that cream, milk, and egg yolk does for this just can’t be overlooked, and it’s clearly not easily replicated. Sorry, vegans.
All the milk and cream used in Turkey Hill’s vanilla bean ice cream comes from cows from their own dairy farm in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. It’s made with natural vanilla beans, and you can even see speckles of the spice mixed into every scoop.
Bottom Line:
When you’re sweet tooth is kicking in hard, this is the ice cream you’re going to want already waiting for you in the fridge.
3. Hood New England Homemade Vanilla Flavored — Taste 3
It all started in 1846 when Harvey P. Hood started selling his own premium-quality milk in New England. Now, more than a century later, the Hood company produces a number of dairy products including cheese, sour cream, eggnog and, yes, absolutely incredibly sweet and creamy ice cream.
Bottom Line:
Give me an ice cream with flexibility, and I’ll give you my heart. Whether it’s in a cone, in a bowl, alongside a slice of cake, or on top of a piece of pie, Hood’s vanilla is satisfaction guaranteed.
2. Coolhaus Best of Both Worlds Vanilla — Taste 19
This creamery only launched production in 2008, but it’s already contending with the OG’s of ice cream. It features a marriage of Madagascan and Tahitian vanilla bean flavoring and extracts to reach that booming level of vanilla piquancy. Regular milk and non-fat milk, cream, organic cane sugar, guar gum, carob bean gum, acacia gum and a bit of salt do all the rest.
Breyer’s uses non-GMO sourced ingredients and Rainforest Alliance Certified vanilla beans to concoct this gold standard of vanilla ice cream. Even the milk and cream come from Grade-A American cows that aren’t injected with any weird artificial growth hormones.
Who says you gotta be a hipster brand to be good these days? Breyer’s is a classic. They’re in every grocery aisle. And I’m telling you right now: they’re the best.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason why Breyer’s is the number one ice cream in America, and that’s because it’s damn good, plain and simple, deeply satisfying vanilla ice cream.
Many states are starting to add incentives to getting vaccinated as those eager to get inoculation from the novel coronavirus make their way through the process and supply begins to outweigh demand. Getting more people protected from COVID-19 will help bring the pandemic to an end, of course, and so those reluctant to get the jab might need an extra push have been offered anything from a free beer to cash prizes via a lottery.
One state is really going for it when it comes to a lottery, though. Rather than a single winner, California is offering up more than $116 million in a prize pool for residents who get the jab. On Thursday, California governor Gavin Newsom laid out plans for a major lottery on Twitter, with everyone in the state of California who has been vaccinated entered to win several big money prizes.
CA is launching a $116.5 MILLION GIVEAWAY for vaccinated Californians!
$15 MILLION in cash prizes for 10 winners selected 6/15
$50k for winners on 6/4 & 6/11
Already vaccinated? You’re entered.
Not vaccinated? Next 2 million that get fully vaccinated can ALSO get a $50 card.
As The Wrap detailed, 10 lottery winners will win $1.5 million, and that includes people under 18 — their winnings would go into a savings account for when they turn 18. And while the lottery is open to everyone in California, the next 2 million people to be vaccinated in the state would be eligible for a $50 gift card to Kroger or Albertsons, local grocery stores in the state.
Oregon, Ohio and New York are other states who have offered some form of lottery in the wake of vaccinations dipping in their respective states. That’s a lot of cash going to people getting the benefit of vaccination, but if it works and gets us all closer to putting the pandemic behind us, it’s almost certainly money well spent.
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