Summertime calls for fun gatherings over the BBQ and some friends recently hosted a BBQ party at their place. It was quite a gathering of 10 adults and 10 kids and our hosts graciously covered the burgers, salad, beverages, and snacks. I noticed that dessert was not on the list so I seized the opportunity to bring the perfect dessert to a BBQ: ice cream! I proposed Rain or Shine Ice Cream since I had never tried them before. After reviewing the flavours, I learned that the hosts would enjoy salted caramel and honey lavender the most. So before the party, we went to the Rain or Shine Ice Cream in Kitsilano to pick up some pints.
A line up at Rain or Shine Ice Cream is pretty much expected, but fortunately people looking to purchase pints ($9 each) have an express line. I was quickly attended to at the counter and bought the ice cream in no time.
As I was leaving, I stopped to admire the group of happy ice cream goers relaxing on the patio outside the store.
In the past, I have purchased pints from Earnest and Amato Gelato so I was eager to try Rain or Shine’s Ice Cream. I was actually shocked at how strong the flavours are from Rain or Shine – you definitely could tell what flavours they were. Other salted caramel ice cream I have tried are more subtle in flavour; Rain or Shine’s version was very bold and perhaps a bit too salty but still good. The honey lavender was definitely “lavendery” and not too sweet. A good flavour but I would have to say I prefer Amato’s honey lavender which was more on the honey sweet side rather than lavender.
Texture-wise, I was impressed with how smooth and creamy the ice cream was. Whenever I buy a pint from Earnest Ice Cream, they advise you to let it thaw out for a bit if you are eating it soon since the pints are deeply frozen. The pints I bought from Rain or Shine were transported in our cooler for 10 minutes and then put into the freezer for about an hour. The texture was just perfect and ready-to-eat from the freezer compared to the Earnest Ice Cream which would be in need of thawing.
Overall Impression of Rain or Shine
All in all, if you are needing to bring a dessert to a party, Rain or Shine Ice Cream works. From the two flavours I tried, texture and flavours were all on point. From the looks of it, adults and kids alike seemed to really enjoy them. Rating: 4/5
Website: http://rainorshineicecream.com/