May 9, 2018

Jeni’s Ice Creams

After brunch this Saturday at Local 16, my soul sister and global health expert, Mia Keeys, and I were walking back to the U Street metro, when we were enchanted by the neon sign for Jeni’s Ice Creams. Never ones to pass up the free smells of freshly made waffle cones, and further enticed by ice cream scoops in cones walking past us on the sidewalk, we decided to pop into Jeni’s. As we approached the entrance, the sidewalk board touted a spring flavor: Necatar Honeycomb. As Mia is on a honeycomb kick, this was further proof we had to try Jeni’s.

The neon sign should have been the first indication that inside Jeni’s was bright, colorful, and inviting. The menu board sounded like all the ice creams of your wildest dreams: Cream Puff, Ricotta Toast with Red Berry Geranium, Brambleberry Crisp, Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate, Salted Honey Pie, and Brandied Banana Brûlée, to name a few. A young woman helped us pick out some flavors and after sampling about half a dozen and learning about how they were created, we settled on these three for our trio: Nectar Honeycomb, Wildberry Lavender, and Coffee with Cream & Sugar. If there would have been room for a fourth, I would have picked the Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate – it tasted like the smoothest peanut butter cup without the sugary bite.

Now Saturday I was neither supposed to have coffee nor sweets, but the Coffee with Cream & Sugar could not be left behind. A bold espresso taste softened by sweet cream. If only all coffee tasted this good. The Wildberry Lavender was a no-brainer because both Mia and I love lavender. This concoction tasted like a fruit loop. Finally, what originally sealed our fate, bringing us into Jenis’, the Nectar Honeycomb. This one was my least favorite of the three. It did indeed taste like honey and the outdoors.

Tasting spoon from Jeni's Ice Creams — Love is in the details! I have a thing for spoons, and Jeni’s tasting spoons were delightful! Ignore the remnants of the Brambleberry Crisp.

Jeni’s is the best of artisan ice creams – sourced directly, made without synthetic flavors, created with care and attention to detail – and you can definitely taste the difference! Jeni’s is located in cities across the U.S. but do not fear – even if there isn’t a Jeni’s nearby, they ship!! And a quick search on Jeni’s Ice Creams store locator informed me that my local Mom’s Grocery Store sells Jeni’s. I smell trouble.