Earnest Ice Cream

Awhile back, I had the good fortune of sampling Earnest Ice Cream at the Swallow Tail's Pop Up Soda Shoppe.  The brainchild of Ben Ernst and Erica Bernardi, they sought to make quality ice cream from whole food ingredients.  Now, with their store opening up on Fraser near King Edward, their wares are accessible more than ever.  By sheer luck, I noticed a Facebook post indicating that they were opening up shop.  Hence, I hightailed it down there on the same day dragging along Costanza and Elaine.

With a lineup out the door and over half-an-hour long, I guess we weren't the only ones tipped off by their grand opening. Patiently waiting for our turn, we had plenty of time to decide on what flavours to try.  Heck, with only 8 to choose from, it wasn't hard (the less the better as each batch would be more fresh).  For myself, I gave the Whiskey Hazelnut a go (bottom left).  It was quite sweet and I could definitely taste the whiskey.  I liked the crunch of the hazelnuts in each bite.  Viv had the Strawberry Basil (bottom right) and it was rich, creamy and had the natural taste of strawberries with a touch of fresh basil.  My daughter opted for the Blueberry which appeared to have lemon added to it since it had a more lively flavour than just blueberries.

Elaine went for the always popular Salted Caramel and it didn't disappoint as it was creamy, sweet and with the right amount of salt, elevating the flavours.  The crispy waffle cone didn't hurt either.  Lastly, Costanza's kid had the Tahitian Vanilla which no one got to sample as he practically inhaled it.  I guess it was good?  Looks like I'll be back for more (and different flavours too).

The Good:
- Great people
- It's hard ice cream and creamy
- Real ingredients

The Bad:
- Of course not cheap, but reasonable considering
- Limited flavours, but good for freshness