It’s been a long, hot summer with one month to go. While residents of Bend often choose to take a dip in the river to cool off, some opt for a classic sweet treat: ice cream.

But where do you go?

Last week, The Bulletin compared four ice cream shops to help with the selection process.

Time and the heat were against us as we raced to each store to pick up pints of ice cream for our judges. Elly’s Ice Cream, Goody’s Chocolate and Ice Cream, Bontá Gelato and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream were selected as the four brands used to compare apples to oranges. While Bontá serves gelato, we would feel remiss not including it with our summer sweet treat comparison.

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Methods

Vanilla seemed to be the fairest flavor to go with knowing people had an expectation of what it tastes like. The ice cream is also diverse, being great on its own or as a creamy and cool addition to any dessert.

The four freshly scooped pints were divided into tasting cups labeled a, b, c, and d.

The judges were informed that the brands would not be revealed until after they filled out a short survey.

They were asked to rank their favorite texture, vanilla flavor, and which unidentified brand they would choose to go to again.

Each person tried one cup at a time and drank water as a palate cleanser in between.

Discussion

The experiment pitted classic vanilla ice cream against vanilla ice cream with a modern twist.

Reporters and editors included in the tasting were verbose with their thoughts throughout the process. Who knew that ice cream would be so divisive?

A clear dividing line appeared between vanilla ice cream purists and those with a preference for a frozen dessert with a more complex flavor profile.

Bontá ($9 a pint) rose to the top as the most controversial. Not only did it separate itself from the rest as gelato, which is generally made with more milk and less cream than traditional American ice cream, it was technically a different flavor.

Bontá doesn’t carry straight vanilla, but maple vanilla and salted vanilla with a touch of sea salt, the latter of which was selected for the experiment. In comparison, Elly’s ($9.50 a pint) was labeled “very vanilla” and the ice cream from both Goody’s and Handel’s were labeled simply, vanilla.

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While some disliked Bontá’s departure from the traditional, others embraced it.

“It tastes like condensed milk, but it’s good,” said Noemi Arellano-Summer, schools, youth and families reporter at The Bulletin.

Others complimented Bonta’s salted vanilla on its layers, pointing out lingering nutty notes.

Interestingly, it was unanimously voted best in texture. Reporters also voted Bontá the brand whose other flavors they would be most interested in sampling.

While Goody’s ($11.50 a pint) was the most visually appealing with flecks of pure vanilla bean evenly spread throughout the frozen treat, most felt the flavor fell flat. However, the group gave the contender the benefit of the doubt after they found out it was scooped from the bottom of the barrel, excusing the slight cardboard aftertaste.

Several samplers noted the flavor of the ice cream was evocative of the taste of a waffle cone. Anna Kaminski, government reporter, said a waffle cone would be the most appropriate method to enjoy Goody’s vanilla ice cream.

For Editorial Page Editor Richard Coe, it stood out as “the all-around best vanilla.”

Elly’s “very vanilla” was appreciated by the judges for its creamy flavor and thick texture. It was reminiscent of the small ice cream cups with wooden spoons usually given out in schools. It hit with nostalgia but with an elevated twist, presumably done with the use of higher-quality ingredients and care.

“This is what I would want in a vanilla ice cream,” Kaminski said.

Elly’s was voted best flavor, followed by Handel’s.

Handel’s vanilla ice cream ($7 a pint) was the sweetest of the four, with a lighter texture and subtly fruity flavor. Arellano-Summer and Coe noted it lacked in vanilla flavor, erring toward a mix of milk and sugar.

Conclusion

The quality of Bontá’s gelato is undeniable. Our newsroom experiment revealed it as having the most preferred texture, but at the same time some found it off-putting for its nontraditional flavor profile.

Bontá is unparalleled in its reputation in Bend with a line often out the door at its downtown location. It’s the perfect choice for complex and inventive flavors and it stands alone well for those in search of a frozen dessert to be enjoyed on its own.

Even though Bonta’s gelato was favored for quality, Elly’s ice cream was the standout for flavor and would be the perfect choice for a classic root beer float.

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The vanilla ice cream purist is likely to appreciate Elly’s “very vanilla” or Goody’s thick and creamy vanilla ice cream. Goody’s flavor and appearance is ideal for a cone with its visible flecks of vanilla bean.

While Handel’s got the short end of the stick with lackluster reviews, don’t let that stop you from trying it out. The muted flavor could be a great addition to a warm slice of pie or brownie square with a scoop on top of the desserts in a la mode fashion.

If you’re still looking for a way to spruce up your favorite type of vanilla ice cream, it can act as a great base for any additives. With access to fresh fruit from farmer’s markets and candy from local shops in downtown Bend, don’t overlook outlandish combinations like a drizzle of olive oil or eating it fearlessly with french fries.

In the end, even if you think vanilla is all the same, everyone has their own opinion on what a true vanilla ice cream tastes like. For the newsroom, it was an eye-opening experience to see the vast variety among the shops and their various takes on the classic flavor.