By Tsion Hawkins (video by Sophia Deiters)
In case you missed it, March 10 was National Ranch Day, a day to celebrate perhaps one of the most versatile dressings in America. Serving as a dipping sauce for nuggets fries, a complimentary sauce for pizza, or acting as a chip dip, ranch brings flavor to the table for many.
However, Hidden Valley Ranch and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream have made ranch history with their newest collaboration. Their new limited flavor, Hidden Valley Ranch Ice Cream, is now available in over 3,500 Walmart stores nationwide until May 28.
After testing this new ice cream out on our reporters, The Collegiate staff set up our own mobile ice cream stand and traveled to various locations around campus to get feedback from Grand Rapids Community College students willing to try the dessert. Participants were given a small sample of Ranch Ice Cream and an optional potato chip to dip as recommended by the makers.
“Top your scoops with crushed pretzels or potato chips for a perfect salty crunch,” stated Rachel Garrison, associate director at Hidden Valley Ranch in a press release.
After several rejections, we found our first brave GRCC student, Olivia Ettinger. Ettinger took on the challenge curiously and confidently.
“I feel like everyone loves ranch!” Ettinger said when asked if she liked ranch. “It does smell like ranch”
Ettinger would soon find out that she did not love ranch ice cream much at all.
Luke Ainsworth, on the other hand, seemed to like the ice cream a lot. Ainsworth piled a large scoop onto his potato chip and chomped down fearlessly.
“It’s actually so good!” said Ainsworth. “That’s crazy! That’s a lot better than I thought it would be. That’s really good!”
When asked to elaborate, Ainsworth explained that the ice cream tasted like vanilla ice cream with a little ranch that did not overpower the sweet ice cream taste.
Friends Victoria Fuller and Carlie Nobker agreed that the ice cream was too sweet for a ranch ice cream.
“It’s not what I was expecting,” said Fuller. “I think it’s a no from me,” said Nobker. They both laughed uncontrollably after tasting the ice cream, perhaps a Hidden Valley side effect.
The entire spring lineup consists of flavors Sweet Maple Cornbread, Blood Orange Chocolate Chip, Carrot Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Honey Graham Cracker, and Limoncello Cake. All the new flavors will be available nationwide for $4.98.
