"Ben & Jerry's with The Sloppy Boys" is Episode 207 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Ben & Jerry's with The Sloppy Boys" was released on June 13, 2019.
"Tomorrow..." - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
We're joined by musicians The Sloppy Boys (Jeff Dutton, Mike Hanford, Tim Kalpakis) to discuss our recent trip to the Vermont-based ice cream chain, Ben & Jerry's. Plus, a chain-specific edition of Fake Chews.
Nick's intro[]
"The reluctant Republic": this is how American writer and historian Frederic F. Van de Water described the state of Vermont, which, from 1777 to 1791, was a semi-sovereign nation.
Founded to establish independence from neighbors Quebec and New York, Vermont earned an early reputation as an enclave of social progressivism which has carried forward to today.
Vermont
In 1978, in the Vermont capital of Burlington*, childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield followed the pattern of many grown-up hippies by becoming businessmen, opening an ice-cream shop centered on their liberal values they share with the state. Two years later, they began packing and selling their ice cream in stores, which turned them into a regional, and then nationwide, brand.
The duo overcame a unique hurdle. Cohen has a rare condition called anosmia, meaning he can't sense smell, and so his ability to taste is muted. This genetic anomaly was one reason their company pioneered the now common creamery practice of mix-ins. Cohen focused on texture over flavor in his dairy desserts, leading them to invent house-staple flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Cup.
In 1987, this duo paid tribute to 'wacky tobaccy' jam band, The Grateful Dead, by adding to its eclectic flavor array with Cherry Garcia, a psychedelic concoction of cherry ice cream and chocolate chunks that kicked off their dual traditions of naming flavors for celebs and incorporating fan suggestions.
But, as is the fate of many once-small businesses founded with idealistic aims, the company was acquired by a multinational in 2000, global food goliath, Unilever. But despite this foreboding corporate takeover, Cohen and Greenfield's brainchild has mostly continued business as usual, selling classic flavors (their own beloved creations like Chunky Monkey) and pop culture-inspired fare like Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream, while continuing to advocate for leftist political causes including the candidacy of the Green Mountain State's own Bernie Sanders.
And at their now numerous parlors, they offer flavors by the scoop and dessert items ranging from the obscene indulgence of The Vermonster sundae (made with 20 scoops of ice cream) to the realized utopia of Free Cone Day.
Today, the parlor the two hippies opened in a refurbished gas station now has franchises across the globe.
So how is the in-store experience of Vermont's most famous export?
This week on Doughboys: Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop.
[*Burlington is not the capitol of Vermont, Nick. - ed.]
Fork rating[]
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
3 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
4 forks |
| Mike Hanford |
|
3 forks |
| Jeff Dutton |
|
3 forks |
| Tim Kalpakis |
|
4 forks |
| Emma Erdbrink |
|
5 forks |
| Yusong Liu |
|
4 forks |
Emma and Yusong also offered ratings, so they have been included in this episode's average.
Fake Chews[]
Ben & Jerry's Yes, Pecan
In Fake Chews, Nick offers food trivia and the others guess which is fact and which is fiction.
For this episode, Nick has a list of Ben & Jerry flavors.
Nick also offers bonus points if anyone can guess the ingredients of the real flavors.
| flavors | guess | actual |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Matthews Band Magic Brownies | real | real |
| President Barack Obama's Yes, Pecan | real | real |
| Aerosmith's Cream On | fake | fake |
| Jimmy Fallon's Marshmallow Moon | fake | real |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg Banana Split Decision | fake | fake |
| Mike Mitchell's Dumb Guy Crunch | fake | fake |
The Lettuce Fap[]
| “ |
Sit right down, enjoy your beer |
” |
–Mike Mitchell's "The Lettuce Fap" | ||
Roast Spoonman[]
The Drop King actually had this photo already
| “ | Admiral Snackbar | ” |
–Matt Newsom | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | You know what I like about watermelon? It's how people sometimes step in them and have watermelon shoes. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | Jeff: I like that you put cookie dough on top of a cookie. That's like a sick perverted... Nick: I'm a freak! |
” |
–Cookie Doughboys | ||
| “ | I had a positive experience with this place. It made me sick! | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
The Feedbag[]
| “ | I used to love Italian food and now I have an issue where I can no longer enjoy cheese... well I enjoy it, but I can't digest it. That's really changed the type of food that I like. Now I think more of a Japanese food is my favorite. I'm wondering, if you took cheese out of the equation, what is your favorite ethnic food? | ” |
–Seth | ||
Related Episodes[]
Photos[]
