Loblolly’s new tiny batch series has featured a variety of fun and unique flavors like Smoked Old Fashioned, Sparkles and Cream with edible confetti, GALAXY with galaxy-colored fruit sherbet and popping candy moon rocks and Pepper Jelly with pepper jelly swirl and house-made cheddar crackers. Now Loblolly has teamed up with local food blogger Kevin Shalin of The Mighty Rib blog for a collaborative effort, churned out yesterday with Shalin assisting in the production kitchen.
“That might’ve been the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my 12 years of covering food. I’m serious. I was like a little kid,” Shalin said on a phone call yesterday.
The Mighty RibShalin said he couldn’t have said yes fast enough when Loblolly’s owner Sally Mengel asked him if he wanted to collaborate on a flavor. He took some time to bounce some ideas around with his family but said he knew he wanted to use seasonal produce Arkansas is known for.
“We’re past strawberries and I love Arkansas peaches, so I started with the peach and bounced that idea off her and she loved it,” Shalin said. The Mighty Peach features peaches from Barnhill Orchards, North Little Rock’s Fischer Honey and Rock Town Distillery’s Rock Town Bourbon.
“Honestly, I was nervous because I’m collaborating with this, I’m going to post about it, if people don’t like it you know they’re going to let me know about it,” Shalin said. “It tasted good when I tried it today, so I’m excited about it,” he said. The ice cream has a sweet cream base with bourbon caramel and brown sugar peach compote. It will be available in Loblolly’s downtown shop as well as its Benton location on Sept. 5. Shalin said a portion of the proceeds will go to the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.
Loblolly’s current tiny batch flavor is Honey Butter with caramelized and browned butter with house-made honeycomb candies.
