Why I Love Blue Bell
I blame my love of ice cream fully on my dad, who has been encouraging my sweet habit from a very early age. The man can’t say no to a scoop, and he definitely passed that onto me. Growing up, we made regular runs to our favorite ice cream parlor, and at home, our freezer was never without a half-gallon (or two) of Blue Bell. Despite agreeing that no other brand could hold up to our Blue Bell standard, the rotating roster of flavors were always up for debate: Strawberry or Buttered Pecan for him, Cookies and Cream for me. Two we could agree on were Ultimate Neapolitan and Moo-llennium Crunch, both of which I think we liked because they had so much going on. With both flavors, each bite felt different from the last, and I think this sense of unexpectedness is the basis for my new Blue Bell obsession.
The New Flavor
I first tasted this flavor at Aunt Ebby’s Ice Cream, a parlor that’s been scooping Blue Bell on St. George Island, Florida for 32 years. I’ve been going to the shop my whole life, almost always requesting a waffle-cone scoop of Cookies and Cream to try to lick up before the sun melted it down my elbow. But a couple of summers ago, I saw a new flavor on their lineup that caught my eye: Cookie Two Step. Described on the website as “a creamy vanilla ice cream with hints of brown sugar, combined with chunks of chocolate crème filled cookies and tasty chocolate chip cookie dough pieces”, it’s an irresistible combination of all my favorite stir-ins.
Why I Keep It In My Freezer
Though Cookie Two Step was released in July 2016, I first learned about it on this summer beach trip. Lucky for me, my local Piggly Wiggly keeps the royal blue carton stocked–something I’ve made sure of ever since. The combination of cookies and cream and chocolate chip cookie dough is my idea of the perfect ice cream flavor. Like my dad, my husband is on the Blue Bell train, too. His usual picks– Bride’s Cake and Oatmeal Cream Pie– are delicious, but even he has to admit that Cookie Two Step is one of their best inventions ever. There’s just something about it. It’s nostalgic, with the perfect ratio of creamy ice cream to chewy cookie. Being a huge fan of the brand, I’ll be the first in line to try any new Blue Bell seasonal flavor, but just know, the carton in my freezer will forever and always be Cookie Two Step.
