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Herrell's stirs up new hot fudge flavors |
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Reminder Publications phto by Mike Briotta
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July 5, 2010
By Mike Briotta
PRIME Editor
NORTHAMPTON -- Herrell's Ice Cream of Northampton, which first gained national recognition for its gourmet ice cream and "smoosh-in" candy toppings, took another step forward last week with two new hot fudge flavors: chipotle and coconut.
The new flavors were launched at the 2010 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City on June 27.
While coconut hot fudge may sound palatable as an ice-cream topping -- Herrell's core business until now -- it's the chipotle flavor sauce that company owners believe will appeal to a broader base of culinary consumers.
"The chipotle flavor hot fudge has a creamy, smoky bite," explained Judy Herrell, president of Herrell's Development Corporation, via phone from the floor of the New York trade show.
"We're very excited about it," she continued. "Oddly enough, we've found that people enjoy this sauce with cantaloupe and prosciuotto. It's based on a mol sauce. It's not just for ice cream; that's the real point. It's more than just a dessert sauce."
The chipotle sauce is more complex than most hot fudge offerings, and she said that it also pairs nicely with chicken dishes and could be used for cooking. The smoky sauce could also pair well with churros or sopapillas. It combines a spicy blend of roasted Mexican chiles to offset the sweetness of the hot fudge.
Herrell's has been called a "Mecca for ice cream lovers" by Newsweek Magazine and is credited with starting an ice-cream revolution by the Washington Post for its innovative use of candy additions in the 1970s.
Its dense, low-air ice cream is another hallmark of the brand, and company representatives said that Herrell's continues to use the best ingredients available today.
"We make our hot fudge in small batches, and don't use corn syrup or preservatives in our sauces," said Judy. "We use all-natural, gluten-free ingredients and they are kosher."
She compared the chipotle flavor sauce to the ever-changing flavored gum featured in the film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Each dollop of hot fudge reveals another nuance of flavor on the tongue.
Of course, she also spoke highly of the coconut sauce that was unveiled at the show, which will take its place among the company's other flavorful hot fudge sauces: original, orange, almond and peppermint.
"We've been working on the coconut flavor for about a year," she said. "It has a smooth, silky texture and is nice on ice cream sundaes." The company is calling it a "perfect, buttery coconut blend."
Judy was joined at the show by "flavor master" and company founder Steve Herrell.
"Our customers are always asking for new and exotic flavors," he said in a press release. "I think people will really enjoy our new coconut flavor -- reminiscent of the Caribbean -- and chipotle inspired by the cuisine of Mexico. It's like a little vacation for your taste buds."
Herrell's suggests using the hot fudge sauces as toppings over ice cream, and additionally on brownies and cakes, with fresh fruit and cookies, or drizzled over cheese for a dessert or as an appetizer.
The company also took an opportunity at the food show to unveil new packaging for their hot fudge sauces as part of a corporate re-branding initiative, including a new Web site launched the same day.
"It's an exciting time at Herrell's with the additions to our hot fudge sauce line, national franchise expansion, and our new branding efforts," Judy added.
All of Herrell's hot fudge flavors are available for sale in 10-ounce jars at Herrell's locations, on the Herrells.com Web site, and in national grocery chains.
The company has locations across the Northeast offering its original ice cream flavors, "Chocolate Pudding" and "Malted Vanilla," as well as more than 200 new flavors and hot fudge sauces, which are now available in six grocery chains across the United States.
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