Of Course Ben & Jerry’s New Summer Flavor is Spelled with Two Z’s

If I’m being honest―and when you’re talking ice cream, is there any other way?―I’m almost never 100 percent sure Ben & Jerry (of the famous, funkadelic ice cream brand) are real people. On any given day, I might lump them in with Häagen-Dazs: a terrific ice cream built on a brand myth (and, in the case of Häagen-Dazs, the intimidating, authenticating power of the umlaut). 

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Other days, I actually look up Ben & Jerry and discover, much to my happy surprise, they were (and continue to be) real people―Vermont buddies with a dairy-based dream. It’s even better to be reminded of them in the summertime because that usually means the roll-out of a new flavor―in this case, Razz Up.

Everything About The New Flavor

Sure, “Razz Up” sounds like something a motivational nutritionist might shout at a bunch of dead-eyed kids in a middle school cafeteria, but the phrase belongs quite comfortably in the unofficial hall of names of Ben & Jerry’s. (Remember Phish Food, The Tonight Dough, Impretzibly Fudged, etc.?) It’s also a bit of a hint about an unexpected (but delightful) surprise ingredient.

But the Razz Up flavor isn’t entirely new. The flavor was initially debuted as Black Raspberry Fudge Chunk, along with Key Lime Pie, in Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shops. But something about the beautiful, sort of foxy chemistry between that fleshier black raspberry flavor and fudgy chocolate made the ice cream such a hit in shops―so Ben & Jerry’s decided to stock it in stores.

As usual, the ingredients are straightforward. On top of that silky, sacrosanct base of cream and skim milk, the real foundational flavor of Razz Up comes from natural black raspberry and raspberry purees, plus cocoa and vanilla extract and egg yolks. The ice cream is black raspberry, which is perfect because the creaminess sort of tames that black raspberry melodrama. Don’t worry, though―this pint does not lack raspberry tartness or surprise. Ribbons of red raspberry brighten up the emo black raspberry vibe, and, if you’re lucky, almost every bite should contain a “crackling” fudge chunk―so-called because they contain a zesty little popping candy surprise for your mouth.

Silly Name, Serious (Natural) Flavor

For a brand currently valued at somewhere in the (dazzling platinum mega-yacht) ballpark of $1.5 to $2 billion dollars, you can trust Ben & Jerry’s is serious about what’s inside the pint. So, even though fans of zany “razzberry” and (zanier yet) “blue razzberry” flavored candies know how frequently (and tragically) manufacturers take chemical liberties with the tender, natural flavor of raspberries, you’ll be glad to know, no berry of any kind was disrespected in the construction of this soon-to-be summer classic pint.

To be honest, based on their track record of delicious flavors, we’d probably eat a Ben & Jerry’s flavor with three, even four Z’s in the name.