New Orleans Ice Cream Company

Many years ago at a Grand Tasting at The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience I met Adrian Simpson. He was handing out samples of ice cream made by The New Orleans Ice Cream Company. The samples were Vanilla Bean and Chocolate City after the famous comment of then Mayor Nagin. Both were delicious. In the ensuing years I met Adrian time and again at NOWFE and food shows both broadliner and the LRA Food Expo. We became friends talking about his product and me making comments to fellow restaurateurs at these events. He would e-mail asking if I would promote it here. I was a bit slack about it and finally last month he offered to send me samples if I would post my comments on the blog. I of course said yes and I received 10 flavors from him with a promise of 10 more in the future. I found out just the other day that the Albertson's on Ryan carry six flavors. I have not been able to make it there to see which they carry but when I do I will let you know. Many of the flavors have a south LA or a New Orleans flair and made from local products when available.

This a super premium product and you will pay for that. However it is entirely worth it. It is dense and creamy with hardly any overrun. This when people like Blue Bell pump air into the product under the guise of making it smooth when they are actual increasing the volume for profit. I feel like I am eating air. New Orleans Ice Cream uses all natural products. The milk base is skim milk, cream and buttermilk. Buttermilk you say. I asked and Adrian said they feel it adds to the richness. My thoughts are that buttermilk is tangy and brings out the flavor and richness like salt added to pastries brings out the sweetness. The thickeners and stabilizers are product of trees and seaweed. Another thing they are judicious with the add ins not going overboard like Ben and Jerry where there are more add in than ice cream. The main focus with these products is the ice cream with some add ins to enhance the flavor. Stay tuned for flavors starting with Vanilla Bean