ben & jerry's ice cream factory

a month or so ago i went to vermont to watch my good friend graduate from med school. it was a nice weekend -- the weather was awesome, i got to hang out with some of my favorite people, and we had the opportunity to see some pretty cool places.

csv spent four years in burlington, vermont, but in all that time she never went to the ben & jerry's ice cream factory. crazy, huh? so in her last 48 hours, we went. and not only did i get to try a fun new flavor, cinnamon yum, but i also learned some valuable ice cream making tips. 

 

tip #1: make your ice cream flavor but let it sit overnight before putting it in the ice cream maker and freezing it. it will help the flavors meld and become even more awesome.

tip #2: freeze your ice cream fast. by this i don't mean put it in the freezer very soon after making it (although you should be doing that), i mean get a freezer that gets/is very cold. so that when the ice cream is put into the freezer it becomes solid and super frozen super fast. this will prevent ice crystals from forming and will help with both the flavor and consistency of the ice cream.

now all i have to do is convince rcg to let me buy a mega awesome freezer!

unfortunately we went on a weekend, and even though they still hold tours you don't actually get to see them making the ice cream. (super bummer.) but it's still worth the trip, especially for the huge ben & jerry's fans out there, because each tour ends with a homemade flavor that isn't on the normal menu. and they have an extensive shop that sells most, if not all, of the flavors that b&j offer. delicious. 

what's your favorite ben & jerry's flavor?

(mine is mint chocolate cookie!)