Salt & Straw (Portland) – Pear & Blue Cheese
Always Reppin’ the Weird Ice Cream Flavors
Salt & Straw has always been at the forefront of the ideal ice cream eateries across the country. Original and unusual flavors, community involvement, kind employees, and genuinely good tasting ice creams can all be found at this one establishment. If there is a flaw to be found here, critics would probably go with the notion that the quantity of ice cream is not always well represented for the price paid. And these are tough but fair words. I however fall on the spectrum that the quantity might not be large for the higher price, but when quality comes into play, it does rank fairly well with my PTQ ratio.
As for the Pear & Goat Cheese flavor decision, most people would be turned off immediately by the sheer notion of the blue cheese. Which is kind of strange to think about considering cheese is nothing more than milk that did something different with its life. Like if milk was a child, and had the choice to grow up and become a rock star or cheese. And in this heartwarming tale, the cheese decides to turn its life around and become the rock star!
Now when talking about the actual flavor I’d say it’s actually mostly pear, with the slightest hint of a semi sharp blue cheese that is found primarily in the aftertaste. In essence, the blue cheese tastes more like a cream cheese, making this an ice cream pear cheesecake. Furthermore, within the ice cream you can find actual chunks of pear, giving it a softer but slightly grittier consistency when transitioning from the smooth ice cream base- kind of like how the cookie transition from ice cream to cookie dough is a little different, this flavor has a texture change as well.
So cream cheese, gritty consistency, pear cheesecake- does that mean I dislike this ice cream? ABSOLUTELY NOT! If you’ve been reading my reviews thus far, you must know that I love unusual ideas and differing textures. The grittiness of the pear isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s merely an interesting change and something that is not experienced every day in the ice cream world. I love the use of pear in ice creams, and the fact that this pear cheesecake flavor now exists in my repertoire?! All ice can say is, “Move over strawberry. There is a new cheesecake champion for the moment.”
Dammit Salt & Straw, you’ve done it again. You’ve taken something that few ice cream shops would even consider and bring it into a delicious reality. Good shit, and even if not all your flavors are groundbreaking, I do appreciate the effort and courage to try new things on a regular basis.
Want to see me review a specific new flavor?
Sweet! I love trying new things (related to ice cream of course)! Let me know what the flavor is and where to find it by emailing me or sending me a message on my contact page. I’ll look forward to your ice cream recommendation.
