The season is on the horizon for reaching for a cooling, flavoursome ice-cream (known as ‘o gelado’ in Portuguese), be it in a cone or a tub. When the heat of the summer is on high, nothing is better than an ice-cream for a quick cool down, and visions of one that is gently melting and dripping down your fingers has me wanting one, right now.

It's no wonder you often find yourself standing at the ice-cream counter or the fridge in the supermarket for a while, overawed by the selection and mulling over your choices. Should you stick with your comforting favourite? Or maybe branch out into something a little more adventurous, something new?

I am personally a vanilla only person

Maybe with the addition of a little chocolate or caramel sauce - but I know the race is on each year to find a new flavour. I read somewhere that the ice cream market is exploring more and more unique ideas and an interest is growing in floral and botanical flavours, such as lavender or elderflower, probably trying to entice those who are looking for more natural save-the-planet flavours, or maybe trying to hide the fact that milk is behind all ice-creams. Or is it?

Is milk the basic item in ice-cream?
Well, yes, ice cream and frozen dairy food desserts are usually made from cream or butterfat, milk, sugar, and flavourings. Frozen custard and French-type ice creams also contain eggs, which is important to know if you have an egg allergy. And guess what, some have a host of nasties in them too - GMOs. Corn Syrup. Colouring. Polysorbate 80. Mono and Diglycerides. Carregeenan. I was intrigued enough to look up Carrageenan – apparently, it’s an additive for thickening, emulsifying and preserving, and is a natural ingredient that comes from red seaweed (also called Irish moss). OK, so maybe that isn’t on the baddies’ list after all.

Credits: Supplied Image;

So what is ‘no milk’, milk?

Consumers are frequently focusing more on the advantages of plant-based foods, and naturally, ice cream is no exception. More and more are being based on plant-based options, and form the base of vegan ice creams. Popular choices include almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk, cashew milk, rice milk, and lentil milk. These milk alternatives provide the creamy texture and richness typically associated with traditional dairy ice cream, but they have added potential health benefits - when compared to dairy-based ice cream, the plant-based alternatives apparently have the advantage of lower saturated fat levels and zero cholesterol.

Outlandish Flavours!

Brands are targeting traditional and fruity ice cream lovers by creating new flavours with fresh, natural fruity options that differentiate with exotic flavours and unique tastes (grape, guava, even lychee, I think would be acceptable), but I read about some crazy tastes that may or may not catch on. Cheddar cheese? Wasabi? Bacon and eggs? Lobster? Whatever next – roast beef or bacalhau?

Credits: Unsplash;

Who invented it?

A likely candidate for the birthplace of ice cream is ancient Persia, in modern-day Iran. By 400 BCE, the Persians had developed sophisticated refrigeration techniques, including the yakhchāl, that were large underground chambers insulated against the desert heat. Being able to effectively store ice from the mountains meant that iced desserts flourished across the region, usually made from mixtures of ice, honey and fruits, together with spices like saffron and even delicacies like faludeh (slender strings of rice noodles). Modern copies are still sold in traditional Persian ice cream shops in Iran today - which could also mean that it could very well be one of the oldest surviving ice cream treats in the world.


Famous ice-cream-lover

This goes a long way back – Alexander the Great! Known for his military brilliance that helped him conquer his way from Greece to India in the 300s BCE, reports of his life described his love for mounds of packed snow and ice flavoured with honey and nectar. Perhaps his success came from the saying: ‘keep cool and carry on!’

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan