Taste test: Panel says ice cream still the best.

Byline: The Register-Guard

So, what does it taste like? Three adults and three children sampled a quart of Organic Soy Delicious in the Chocolate Velvet flavor, plus some other soy-based frozen desserts.

According to the label, a serving of Organic Soy Delicious Chocolate Velvet contains just four grams of fat, and no saturated fat or cholesterol. The first listed ingredient is organic soy milk. Can it get any healthier? But the taste?

The ingredients include real cocoa, and the chocolate taste seems genuine, although some in the group likened it to a brownie mix.

The texture is remarkably ice cream-like, considering Soy Delicious contains no milk or cream. It's smooth in the mouth, not crunchy or prickly with ice crystals. It's definitely not a sorbet or frozen yogurt.

Did the samplers like it? Overall, sentiments were mixed, although the panel preferred Soy Delicious to chocolate flavored Tofutti Cuties, ice cream sandwiches made by Soy Delicious rival Tofutti.

However, Soy Delicious is not as slick and creamy as ice cream, and it doesn't have the same rich taste. At $2.99 a quart, the price is comparable to regular ice cream. Your taste buds will tell you that it's not exactly like ice cream. But it's a pleasant experience just the same. For those who want to avoid dairy, it ought to be a very satisfactory substitute.

The Purely Decadent line from Turtle Mountain is about twice as expensive and has twice as much fat per serving (from vegetable oils). It's denser, richer. It's organic and contains no dairy. Purely Decadent is a step up from regular Soy Delicious. But it doesn't quite recreate the magic of super-premium ice cream.

Bottom line: The tasting group felt that ice cream's reputation as the king of frozen desserts is still secure.

- Bill Neill