The SNL-Inspired Ben & Jerry's Flavor You Probably Forgot About
The satirical sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" has introduced a grand crew of memorable characters and classic one-liners in its decades-long run. One skit from 1998, featuring guest host Alec Baldwin in the role of a bakery owner named Pete Schweddy, stands out: "Schweddy Balls" has become one of the most iconic SNL skits in history — likely due to its suggestive yet subdued subject matter and all-around awkward naivete of the softspoken characters (via YouTube). It's so popular, in fact, that one of the top ice cream brands in the world paid homage to the skit with its own flavor in 2011, reports NPR.
Vermont-based ice cream company Ben & Jerry's is famous for its unique flavor combinations, as well as its tongue-in-cheek brand voice and progressive founders. Over the years, the brand has partnered with pop culture icons from comedians to late-night talk show hosts. For example, Jimmy Fallon has his own flavor called The Tonight Dough, which includes chocolate and caramel ice creams, chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough, and a crunchy chocolate cookie swirl, according to Ben & Jerry's. So, what exactly went inside the Schweddy Balls ice cream?
What did Schweddy Balls ice cream taste like?
Warning: The following description will make your mouth water just thinking about it. Schweddy Balls was a blend of vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum, loaded with fudge-covered rum and malt balls to add a crunchy surprise in each spoonful. Unfortunately, the 2011 holiday flavor did not last very long in the freezer aisle; some angry members of One Million Moms, a conservative parents organization, even called for a boycott of the "vulgar" flavor upon its rollout, Today reported.
The limited-edition pint now resides in the Flavor Graveyard, a webpage dedicated to retired Ben & Jerry's flavors. Each discontinued treat has its own illustrated tombstone with a humorous epitaph. Schweddy Balls' reads, "Born of the classic SNL sketch / The masses rejoiced while others kvetched. Fudge-covered rum balls & malt balls galore! The double entendre — too fun to ignore! This holiday favorite — with love from Pete Schweddy, vanished from store shelves before we were ready." Mmm... balls!