One of the cooler aspects of the holidays is that "seasonal" flavors get released. I know people who crave a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and I myself am a huge fan of sweet potato pie.
But one of my true delights this time of year is Häagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark. I love it and it's only available from November to the end of December. So when it's out not only do a gorge myself, but I tend to stock up as well.
My love for Häagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark can be traced back to my childhood. I've got fond memories of going to the Häagen-Dazs shop in the Foothills Mall with Ma Serpico and tasting various flavors. It'd certainly one of those quintessential "childhood" moments.
Ma Serpico was also the first to introduce me to peppermint ice cream. I couldn't tell you the brand name, but I can vividly remember the joy of eating ice cream and crunching the pieces of peppermint it contained.
As I got older I became seduced by Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's with their variety of flavors and unique flavor profiles. But I never forgot the childhood delight of peppermint ice cream.
So, a couple years back when I felt like recapturing my youth I stumbled across Häagen-Dazs's Peppermint Bark. It seemed like a match made in heaven; a brand I trusted with a flavor I'd seemingly been craving.
I quickly found out that it wasn't quite perfect. I'd never encountered "peppermint bark" before so the ice cream made for a powerful introduction. I wasn't prepared for the white chocolate nor the sweetness it added to the affair. But I did get the peppermint ice cream and peppermint pieces I'd been searching for, so it was pretty much a success.
Given that it's part of Häagen-Dazs' "Limited Edition", when it was in season I'd usually keep two pints in the fridge at all times and do my best to stock up before it went away. Honestly, you never know when Peppermint Bark might be just the ice cream to hit the spot.
Imagine it's a sweltering day in July, you've just had a hellacious day at work and the only thing that can even out your day is Peppermint Bark ice cream. Unfortunately, that flavor hasn't been in stores for seven months. You're totally screwed.
Well, I never wanted that to be me.
But I can't find Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark anywhere this year. I've been to two of my regular ice cream destinations and neither of them have shown any signs of Peppermint Bark. Whole Foods is usually quite good at stocking current flavors and I've been coming up short for weeks. As for my Safeway...it's not there either.
It sucks because not only does Peppermint Bark take me back to my childhood and help me get into the festive feel of things, but it's also just a good flavor.
I miss it dearly.
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