FILMS X JENI’S: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
I sat down to watch this and did not expect to be utterly wrecked.
I had a feeling I was going to love this short film within about the first ten seconds. The falling snow and tranquil score were already making me feel nostalgic in the same way old christmas movies or a Winnie the Pooh episode do, and the whole thing is paced very similarly. There is thoughtful space between dialogue and it never feels like you’re rushing to get anywhere; instead, it invites the feeling that you’re taking the journey with them.
As soon as I saw this boy walking alone, I was worried this was going to tear at my heart strings in really cruel ways. While it did in fact tear my heart strings, it continually did so in what I can only describe to be the most loving and comforting ways possible. The perspectives that each of these four little characters brought to the journey and the words they had to share in trying situations never failed to take me aback with how profound they were for a piece I assumed was for children. While this is certainly something I would raise my kids on and it has endless amounts of wisdom that can be instilled in young minds, I kept thinking about how this was exactly the kind of thing I needed to watch when I was in the throes of depression. Especially as we got closer to the end, it was as if every little moment was another piece of advice that felt tailored to my experience. If you’ve ever been through mental health issues or even just faced the existential questions of where you belong and what your purpose is, it feels as though these little animals (and small boy) are talking to you. They’re the voices we all need in our heads instead of the one constantly making us doubt ourselves; they’re the ones our friendships and circles should sound like.
The absolute only critique I would even slightly consider having is that none of them ever eat or go to the bathroom, although we know food exists because the mole is obsessed with cake (a relatable king). The only reason I even bring this up is that in the case anyone actually considers this a weakness in the piece, I have come up with a fool-proof defense: suspension of disbelief. If all the animals can talk, then you can also believe they don’t require sustenance.
I went into this looking for a light-hearted watch and came out of it with an enriched soul and endless amounts of wisdom to draw upon. This is something I will go back to every time I’m going through a rough patch or need a reminder of how simple the things that really matter in life can be. I hope everyone watches this (or reads the book) at least once to see how it speaks to them.
Would I watch it again? Yes; I had to stop myself from doing so immediately.
Tear level: Floods were happening at the end.
Watch when: you need inspiration or to feel like your struggles won’t last forever or to feel safe; also if your mental health is suffering
Soundtrack/score: beautiful and being added to my “Anxiety Scores” playlist as I write this; also a female composer !
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The Jeni’s Pairing
Since our four characters perfectly lend themselves to each essentiating a flavor of their own, we’re continuing the narrative of the quadruple scoop today. Naturally, we’ll be having this in a waffle bowl because this is both a classy and contemplative experience. The Boy starts us off with Wildberry Lavender because there’s something gentle and trustworthy about it - it’s also one of the flavors that started it all. We’ll scoop Honey Vanilla Bean for the Mole because it’s a flavor that cares about making everyone happy and can always be depended on to be there. Salty Caramel is obviously chosen for the Fox, representing the duality of a salty and sweet nature. Finally, the Horse rounds us out with Darkest Chocolate, bringing depth, richness, and a firm foundation. Altogether, we have a combination reminiscent of Neapolitan with a little flair - something that makes you feel safe, healing your inner child with flavors you can always count on to be there when you need them.
MORE ON THE FLAVORS:
The combination of steam-distilled lavender buds, cold-pressed orange zest, and a tangle of blackcurrants is iconic. Jeni has been making this flavor for more than two decades, and it has endured because everyone who tries it finds their own unique memory within it.
To some, it tastes like fruit cereal milk. To others, it’s the flavor of springtime. To us, it’s the color lavender incarnate and the perfect pairing to a slice of buttery pound cake. Whatever this flavor means to you, it has been our greatest pleasure to make it all these years.
We have never thought of vanilla as boring. Our version is rich and complex, with notes of amber, dried fruit, and butter cake. Meticulously grown and cured Fair Trade vanilla beans complement the incredible grass-grazed milk we’ve sourced for years from small Ohio dairies. A touch of golden honey—from our friends at Deer Creek Honey in Ohio—adds a featherweight note of nectar. Best enjoyed straight from a cone or alongside your favorite cake or pie.
When she began making ice cream a few years later, in 1996, Jeni made a burnt sugar ice cream with vanilla and a heavy pinch of sea salt. What she imagined this salty French caramel tastes like. It was an instant hit. Now considered Jeni’s signature, we still make it the same way we always have—by caramelizing sugar in a kettle over fire. It’s a dangerous method that requires a lot of precision, but it’s worth it. This is why our caramel has such a beautiful, nutty quality. Adding cream and grass-grazed milk enhances the butteriness of the caramel.
Making real chocolate ice cream isn’t easy. We’re talking real chocolate ice cream crafted with top-tier Fair Trade cocoa and not a pre-fab chocolate mix. That’s why it took Jeni over five years to get our Darkest Chocolate ice cream right.
It’s packed with so much real chocolate—the most possible, in fact, to still legally call it ice cream—that it is overflowing with rich, bittersweet chocolate flavor, and is dense but still creamy, like the inside of a dark chocolate truffle. This is the chocolate ice cream to ruin all other chocolate ice creams.
