32 March 16th–March 22nd, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | Ice Cream Dream Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream brings decadent scoops to Scottsdale. BY ALLISON YOUNG J eni’s Splendid Ice Cream’s first- ever Arizona location is in a fitting spot. Smack dab in Old Town Scottsdale, on Fifth Avenue near the waterfront, it’s a bright and cheery shop, much like the ice cream itself. With floor-to-ceiling windows and an ice cream counter that goes on for miles, everything about Jeni’s feels fresh, fun, and unforgettable. Your journey starts at the epic counter where the names will have your mouth watering. Forget plain vanilla, out-of-the- box flavors are spiked with creative, some- times quirky combos. Options include Brambleberry Crisp, a fruity flurry of sweet and tart blackberries swirled with oven-toasted oat streusel in vanilla ice cream; Salty Caramel, a sweet and salty scoop with a caramelized, almost nutty finish that hits your palate from every direction; Darkest Chocolate, a flavor that more than lives up to its name with a deep, rich color and mouthfeel that somehow packs in more chocolate than chocolate itself; and Buttercream Birthday Cake, a decadent dive that crams in so much nostalgia and sprinkles, it makes ordinary cake and ice cream seem like an imposter. There’s also Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Gooey Butter Cake, Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks, and dairy- free offerings like Texas Sheet Cake and Lemon Bar. Seasonal standouts include Biscuits with the Boss, a Ted Lasso- inspired flavor that combines crumbly shortbread cookies with sweet cream ice cream, creating a buttery delight that immediately makes a to-go pint a no-brainer for noshing on while watching the new season. If you thought all ice cream was created equal, one lick of Jeni’s creations will prove you wrong. Yes, it’s partly the flavors, unique iterations inspired by everything from pie to pop culture, but even without the one-of-a- kind combos, Jeni’s is ice cream at its creamy, dreamy best. These flavors are beyond smooth, texturally superior, ethere- ally light, and dense at the same time. You can thank founder Jeni Britton for this magical finish. Her ice creams are made completely from scratch using only the best ingredients, which means super fresh milk from family dairy farms and never gums, emulsifiers, or fillers. Britton honed and perfected the recipe over more than 20 years. An art history student-turned-baker- turned-scent-enthusiast, her journey started in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio when Britton added cayenne to a tub of chocolate ice cream and was blown away by the spicy and sweet wallop, a mouthwatering hit of heat that paired perfectly with the rich chocolate. The rest wasn’t quite history. Guided by her imagination and freedom with ingredi- ents, Britton whipped up small-batch ice cream for the farmers’ market in Columbus, working the counter, tweaking her ingredi- ents, and refining her flavors. She wrote a James Beard award-winning cookbook on ice cream making. She hustled. Now she has more than 65 scoop shops nationwide, including the newest location in Scottsdale. Stop in and order a scoop of your favorite, or better yet three scoops – heck, get the flight with 10 half scoops if you can’t decide. Customers can order their scoops in a Buttercrisp Waffle Cone and enjoy from seats inside the cheery shop or on the communal patio, or better yet, take a stroll through Scottsdale and savor ice cream at its decadent best. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream 7051 East 5th Avenue, Scottsdale Jenis.com Allison Young Enjoy Old Town Scottsdale with a scoop from Jeni’s.
