Flavour Riot – Ice Cream

 

Flavour Riot – Ice Cream

I scream, you scream and we all scream for Ice Cream; a famous song by Howard Johnson in the late 1920’s captures beautifully the man’s admiration for this marvellous frozen dessert and how he can’t get enough of it. A simple preparation brought together by combining milk/cream with cocoa/vanilla or fruits with loads of sugar has captivated both children and adult alike since its inception.

Nowadays, the variety of ice creams essentially served are simply extraordinary and our ancestors would really be dazzled by the extent to which this little legacy of theirs has impacted our palate. Whether it is being served in conjunction to a dish or being offered on a stick/cone, it is treasured and uncomplainingly guzzled in all possible manner.

Surprisingly, we are not running out of options of new ways of having it. For those of us who are lactose intolerant and health conscious, alternatives in the form of milk substitutes made up using coconut, cashew, almond etc. are used and remarkably helps lay rest to our cravings.

The history of ice cream is as interesting as the flavours that are on offer today, that is, numerous, colourful, and competitive. It is said that all major human settlements dating back to some 300 BC and forward had their secret encounter with this curious dish and made it their own, giving it their culture and geographical uniqueness, of which some were recorded and the others were lost in the pages of past. Cookbooks emerging from the cauldrons of great empires of Rome, Persia, Imperial China, Japan etc. unfalteringly register their mastery of ice cream in their own inimitable way.

Sundaes, milkshakes, cakes, frozen yoghurts, sorbets, faludahs, and custards, the list goes on. Ice cream seems to gel well with all and brings out not only its own unique flavor but gives new purpose to the food that it is paired with. It has become a food of all seasons and for all reasons. Whether you are sad, happy or have company at home, there’s nothing better than an ice cream to share it with.

Nestled between the vast Arabian sea and the tall western ghats lies the quiet town of Mangalore in the southern state of Karnataka of India. It is known as the ice cream capital of India thanks to its ice cream parlours which draws more crowds than any restaurant. From their frozen depths comes a recipe of success and is quite fondly called as ‘Gadbad’. While not getting much into the debate of who coined the term, what it means or even when was it first served, the ingredients and its preparation will interest us more due to its sheer practicality and overdose of flavor. Its preparation not limited to one’s confectioners’ skills requires the following ingredients:

·       Scoops of vanilla, mango and strawberry.

·       Chopped apple, mango and grapes.

·       Strawberry jelly.

·       Tutti Frutti.

·       Cashews, almonds and pistachios.

·       Cherries.

·       Long glass and a spoon.

 

1.      To begin with, fill the long glass with a scoop of vanilla.

2.      Add chopped apples, mangos and grapes.

3.      Put a layer of strawberry scoop.

4.      Place a layer of strawberry jelly.

5.      Add cashews, almonds and pistachios with Tutti Frutti.

6.      Place the last layer of mango scoop and top it with a cherry.

7.      Enjoy your personal preparation of the famous ‘Gadbad’ ice cream.

With so many innovators creating one of a kind recipe to freeze our brains off, we haven’t made our way back to ice ages yet. The demand still grows strong. There’s another ice cream parlour which has come up just across the corner and is offering real natural fruit flavoured ice creams. Currently, heading there for their fruit bursts. Care to join?