Fairy's Strange Tribute to Junk Food!
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The Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Fetish!
by Farah 'Fairy' Mahdzan (22-Aug-2001) | Readers Say

As though having achieved some unspeakable mischief, I laid back in my chair looking smug and satisfied. I licked the last morsel of Cherry Garcia off my silver spoon and grinned broadly, tapping my tummy in ecstatic bliss. However, my smile faded as quickly as I had helped myself to my favorite Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Bukan apa. The next time I'll ever get that feeling again is when I dosh out RM22.90 for a mere pint of BnJ ice cream! Mahalnye! What was I thinking when I bought it??

Ben and Jerry's is a fine brand of ice cream. Got addicted to it (somewhat lah) during my student days in Ohio. Oo lalaaa.. ice cream tu best ok.. better than that European brand one. Back in US of A, you could get the same pint for about USD$4, which is roughly RM15 or so. I mean I don't mind paying RM15 back herelah but what to do; transporting ice cream is costly due to refrigeration requirements. So RM22.90 it is.

I didn't know we had Ben and Jerry's in Malaysia till Linda told me she bought a pint of Chunky Monkey the other day at Jaya Jusco. Finished it as soon as she laid hands on it (atta girl Linda!). BnJ's got all sorts of flavors, all radical ones. Cherry Garcia is my favorite because it's essentially cherry ice cream with generous bits chocolate chunks and cherry pieces (*drool*). Chunky Monkey is banana ice cream with huge chocolate chunks and walnuts (yow!). My other favorites include Mint Chocolate Chip, and Heath Chocolate. Phish Food is not bad either!

Once Ben and Jerry (the guys who founded the brand) came to my university to give a talk about their company and success. Unforunately then I had no clue who they were so I didn't go. But I heard they gave away free ice cream. (Damn!) How they come up with radical and unthinkable flavors is this: word has it that one of the guys (Ben or Jerry's I don't quite know) has some sort of a taste bud problem. Meaning he can't really taste mild and mediocre tasting Ice cream. So he decides to concoct all these wonderful flavors so that he can enjoy them! Their mixes are really quite fascinating. There's a flavor called Jerry's Jubilee and it's Cherry Garcia + Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Woweee. It most definitely won't last an hour in the fridge when we buy it. Even our cat Baby loves ice cream so she gets a lick from our spoon every now and then.

So as soon as my tongue got quite intimate with the ice cream, I used to have Ben and Jerry ice cream parties with the girls back in Ohio. We could afford it, bought at least 4 different flavors and had a jolly time!

The other American ice cream that I absolutely crave is Dippin' Dots (that picture is from my Cedar Point story). Ahh you guys back there, you guys know what I'm talkin' about... *big smile*. Hot dang.. best ice cream there ever was!

But there are cool local ice creams back in Malaysia. Thinking about this brings me back to memories of my childhood when 50 sen was my daily allowance (nowadays 50 sen can't even pay for your parking ticket - you'd be short of 10 sen). Especially during hot days, I'd always enjoy one of this "ais krim seposen (sepuluh sen)", or when translated, ten cents ice cream. They are basically cheap popsicles sold by ice cream men who go around on their motorbikes selling off these delights to little kids. Ais krim seposen were usuallly made by filling grape or orange cordial drinks into long plastic bags, then the plastics bags are knotted and frozen. Ahh.... The simple delights of being a child with only 50 sen in the pocket.

Here's a drawing I did in memory of ais krim seposen.

But I don't really get with some of the local Malaysian ice creams. Watered-down versions of what is supposed to be creamy and rich ice cream, yam, or (heaven forbid) durian flavored. *Shudder*

 

WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT The Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Fetish!:
#37. I've been associated with the Best ice cream Brands in Idia for the past 15 yrs. Can I have addresses / e-mail IDs of Brands available in Malaysia.

Lalit
Posted by Lalit Singh on 25-Nov-2005, 22:30 MYT

#36. excuse me, but not all ben and jerry's is halal. i don't know which are or are not, but there is one with rum in it, and another with marshmallow, these two must be haram. not sure about others.
Posted by randomcat on 9-May-2005, 21:52 MYT

#35. Siapa bilang di Indo gak ada ice cream ben & jerry. Kalo mau beli call me. Saya kasih jelasin di mana bisa dapetnya
Posted by Hen on 7-Jan-2005, 17:49 MYT

#34. :ais-cream mmg best..... x kira ais cream aper pun.....tp yg paling best ais cream yg kat atas turrrr.....
sy begitu tertarik dgn lukisan tersebut....simple
Posted by mas on 12-Sep-2003, 11:25 MYT

#33. Maria, they're selling BnJ at 7-11s too. Tapi one ringgit more expensive than the price that is mentioned in this article.
Posted by Fairy on 4-Sep-2003, 17:23 MYT

#32. bnj's chunky monkey is my fav! i hope i got the name right. the only place i ever see selling bnj is cold storage @ bangsar shopping centre.
Posted by maria - Website   on 4-Sep-2003, 15:25 MYT

#31. Haaaa..aku ingat lagi. Ice cream malaysia org panggil. Anyway, i'm also ice cream. Gila siot...couldn resist. Aku duduk Gold Coast ni dah berapa puluh AU$ aku spend kat ice cream pun tak ingat. But i dont understand way good quality ice cream are bloody expansive in Malaysia. Aku suggest government patut ceiling price utk ice cream jugak laaa..sama macam garam n gula
Posted by anen on 11-Aug-2003, 13:24 MYT

#30. MK is right Fairy. It's Paul Reiser. BTW, bila nak web conferencing lagi nie? I miss you lah.
Posted by Linda on 7-Sep-2001, 12:09 MYT

#29. It's Paul Reiser according to IMDB.
Posted by MK84 - Website   on 7-Sep-2001, 09:09 MYT

#28. back the ice cream thingy.....i know this has nothing to do with ice cream..but I Love smoothies....Jamba Juice baby!

So freakin' healthy!
Posted by IaNo on 7-Sep-2001, 01:50 MYT

#27. He's so stupid-funny in A Night at McCool's....

I'll let you guys debate over his last name

Anyway, Im not sure If I've given you my picture...i may have but its probably my std 6 pic at SSP....

But I remember seeing your picture in the Amanian Yearbook...editorial page or something....I saw you, my cousin and this girl..mmmm i forgot what's her name....but she was from my primary school...lufinni? i dont know..i cant recall..
Posted by IaNo on 7-Sep-2001, 01:48 MYT

#26. MK, I think it's Paul ReisNer, not Paul Reiser. Maghah pakcik tu dengar you salah eja nama dia.

Iano, wow you saw him eh. I think he's pretty funny, I prefer to watch him in Perfect Strangers, cerita dia tinggal dengan cousin foreign dia tuh. Funny!

And Iano, I remember you vaguely lah. Did we ever exchange pictures?
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 7-Sep-2001, 00:48 MYT

#25. That's Paul Reiser
Posted by MK84 - Website   on 6-Sep-2001, 14:37 MYT

#24. Hmmm speaking of Ben & Jerry's, I was with my friends this one night last Fall queueing at BJ's and we saw this actor with his kid. He was sitting in the corner with his kid and trying not to look at us. Guess who was the dude?
....
....
Err im not sure what's his name but he's the guy who starred together with Helen Hunt in MAD ABOUT YOU
Posted by IaNo on 6-Sep-2001, 12:07 MYT

#23. hu hah hu hah? hu hah? i think you'd already know what my answer would be dear cousin... ermm when's linda leaving back to the states actually?
Posted by zack on 1-Sep-2001, 00:56 MYT

#22. Zack, psst, can get you free tix!
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 31-Aug-2001, 14:41 MYT

#21. Hey Zack, you ada minat nak join me and MK to attend Anugerah ERA (or something like that lah) kat Genting on the 29th of Sept? GIGI will be performing there!!! YES!!!
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 31-Aug-2001, 14:40 MYT

#20. nuttin beats the taste and feeling of a paddle pop pelangi and capt z orange flavored ice cream, nuff said!
".. paddle pop, paddle pop... super duper yummy!.."
Posted by zack on 31-Aug-2001, 03:56 MYT

#19. Got word from a friend that at a sundry shop in Bangsar called TMC, BnJ ice cream is selling for RM19.90, RM3 less than the going price at JJ! Dah la dengar they're having some freaky midnite sale for Merdeka night. Hehe. Just passing along the word to all you BnJ lovers here in Klang Valley area.
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 30-Aug-2001, 10:29 MYT

#18. apo apo eskrem pun sodap.. heh
Posted by lutfi on 27-Aug-2001, 21:55 MYT

#17. Well I think Breyer's is more reasonably priced than BnJ. Quite a big container for about 5 dollars. It's sinful ice cream minus some sin...

Doritos? Nah... takdelah minat gile.
Posted by Fairy on 27-Aug-2001, 13:26 MYT

#16. Wall's kat France namanya Miko.
Posted by Jae Bot on 26-Aug-2001, 01:25 MYT

#15. Local American brands ler. Malaysia kecik sangat tak ada variety dalam aiskrim. Wall's dah monopoli aiskrim kat sini.

ha'ah... b&j tu memang local brand kat Vermont, but it's available nationwide, jadi kira national brand la tu.

Breyers memng sodap, tapi mahal.. container kecik $4.99.

yarnell's as far as i'm concerned, is halal but then aku very slack about this, janji tak obvious aku makan benda katok/najis aku telan jer.

isetan klcc tengah sale doritos, farah nak beli borong?
Posted by aslan on 25-Aug-2001, 18:40 MYT

#14. Siapa nak tau apa itu kosher, read the article.

Jae ouww... ice cream cone berkepala dua tu, I know! Hehe, pernah gak beli masa kecik2 hehe... a ah ada sikit2 BLUE kan ice cream tuh! Heheh. Hmm ais krim sposen asam boy tu ok ahhh. but I love grape the most *slurp* Tapi tension lah kalau ais krim tu dah mula hilang color... rasa manis dah hilang!

Epigo, hati2 makan ice cream tuh. Jangan sampai pusing deh!


Posted by Fairy - Website   on 25-Aug-2001, 00:02 MYT

#13. btw makan es krim tuh enak, but gue headache sih jika makan every ice. Berkunang-kunang gitu..mending minum milk shake enak.. gue punya pengalaman waktu kecil ada tukang es di depan sekolah. Esnya enak sekali cuma es batu di serut dan dicetak memakai bekas batok kelapa (wah jorok deh).. (FiBi nggak pernah beli ya?) terus dipakein sirup merah dibaliknya hijau..tetapi habis makan es lalu headache rasanya mau pingsan.. ditambah pilek..lalu my mom got so angry with me..kuping gue dijewer wah sakit deh.. kapok deh makan es..and until right now i can't eat ice cream/every ice..hidup es krim..
Posted by epigo on 24-Aug-2001, 18:59 MYT

#12. Ape itu KOSHER?
Posted by The throat on 24-Aug-2001, 17:48 MYT

#11. Fai lukis aiskrem 10sen tu cun sehh..

Ehskrem 10sen yang paling sedap perisa asam-ko (atau asam boi orang lain kata), pastu my nanny salu buat kat kampung dulu nak jual tapi lom sempat orang lain beli separuh dah habis kener korban dengan cucu dia, *tehehe*.

Ok. Dekat pasar malam kat umah ni plak, ada jual eskrem dalam kon tapi kepala kon tu double. Macam ni, satu tangkai [or batang some ppl say *cheh*]tapi dua bekas tempat letak aiskrim. Mom cakap jgn beli aa cam lucah je, huhuhuh, tapi best apa sebab ada 2 tempat nak isi icecream. Korang penah jumpa aiskrim 'lucah' ni tak?
Posted by Jae Bot - Website   on 24-Aug-2001, 14:26 MYT

#10. Oh i know what ice cream you're talking about lutfi. hehe. sikit punya susah nak pulas kan. plastic depa ya rabbi.. maha kuat. kalau you lemah pulas lah.

and yes ice cream ben and jerry's tu halal. on their site it says KOSHER.
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 24-Aug-2001, 11:19 MYT

#9. Eskrem-eskrem tuh semua halal ke, ke?
Posted by The throat on 24-Aug-2001, 11:00 MYT

#8. hari ni kat library yg kite gi hari tu ade buat kasi ice cream free.. he he.. bukan ice cream seposen tu.. ice cream seposen yg baru.. yg ade dua bahagian.. kalau nak makan kene gigit pastu pulas pulas nanti terbelah due.. ha ha.. <--description.. description..
Posted by lutfi on 24-Aug-2001, 02:09 MYT

#7. asked my mum what did we call air batu seposen tuh last time and she told me "air batu malaysia" and i remember thats what we call it then hehehee. and i told her what i think just like what i wrote here and she says "nasib baik ingat!" heheheee


Posted by rafthah on 23-Aug-2001, 20:22 MYT

#6. Looks like I have made MK into a convert *grin*

aslan, you mean local AMERICAN brands or local MALAYSIAN brands? Well if you're from Vermont, Ben and Jerry's is considered local. Local Malaysian ice cream in the stores could use less of water and sugar. Another ice cream I loved in the states was Breyers. All natural and no preservatives. Memang yum. The neopolitan had real strawberries included in their strawberry flavor.

Udie, you're most welcome. I am honored that my talking about "ais krim sposen" reminded you of something really special from your past.

Fibi, rasa2nya BnJ itu better sih hehe. Better than Baskin Robbins.

Zack cakap pasal Baskin Robbins, kat Msia ada ke that new ice cream flavor during Shrek punya promotion? It was like "mud" chocolate ice cream and gummy worms! Hehe. Tried it kat Florida, konon2nya nak buat gross macam Shrek's food lah. Kan shrek makan macam2.
Posted by Fairy - Website   on 23-Aug-2001, 10:13 MYT

#5. hekeleehhh... makan ais krim tak ajak... cheh... tak per die.. hahaha... ice cream... werked once at sect 14's baskin robbins (now dah jadi guardian)
as they'd say.. 30 flavors for the 30 days in one month plus 1 flavor of the month.. 31...
Posted by zack on 23-Aug-2001, 02:26 MYT

#4. Di Indonesia nggak ada tuh es krim Ben & Jerry's (sounds like Tom & Jerry), yang terkenal disini Baskin & Robbins dan Haagen Dasz (nggak tau deh nulis benernya gimana). Enakan mana es krim Ben sama Haagen Dasz?
Posted by Fibi on 22-Aug-2001, 22:10 MYT

#3. ais krim sposen
when u mention that it reminds me when my late aunt use to sell it at her old place. where id see all this cute boys come over to her place just to buy 'airbatu'. then my mum start selling it after my aunt pass away. u remind me of something fai. u remind me of the sacrifices they made for me.

thanx

Posted by rafthah on 22-Aug-2001, 21:06 MYT

#2. Local brands taste better, and are cheaper than national ones. My opinion.

What's your favourite local ice-cream brand? Mine is Yarnells from Arkansas and Blue Bell from Texas. Tapi takleh dicari kat Malaysia. Sob.
Posted by aslan on 22-Aug-2001, 19:00 MYT

#1. I have to agree, Ben and Jerry's is gooood.
Posted by MK84 - Website   on 22-Aug-2001, 18:05 MYT

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