By Anastasia Katsoupa,
Part of some people’s winter ritual is to say goodbye to ice cream, one of summertime’s best desserts. But as a true lover of ice cream I am here to tell you that there is no wrong time to indulge in the icy treat.
Chocolate peanut butter swirl in front of the fireplace while it is snowing out? Yes please. Nothing says cozy like seasonal favourites. I am talking pumpkin spice, cinnamon crunch, and yes, the ever-controversial chocolate peppermint stick. But with so many options to choose from, how do I know which flavour to get?
The answer comes from the way a flavour makes me feel.
When I am stressed and unhappy, fruity flavours just do not cut it. During lockdown, there was nothing I wanted more than to hide into a little ball and indulge in sweet treats. I turned to coconut and almond bases. I brought out the chocolate, fudge, and all types of cookie and brownie toppings. I let my taste buds sing, indulged until I felt just a little happier, and then lay on the couch for a nap. I deserved it.
And what about those days where I woke up with a smile? I already felt great, so the uplift of chocolate was not required. This is where sorbets had their moment to shine. Their water base made them refreshing and the addition of real fruit evoked memories of warm summers. I bit into lemon sorbet and was transported to beachside towns filled with orange and lemon trees, and the tangy sweetness of citrus in the air.
Then, I had evenings where I just wanted to dance. It was more than simple happiness -I felt like adventure and I missed the joys of going out with friends. This was the time for passion fruit sorbet that gave me the perfect zing to get my feet moving. And for mango, for those smooth songs with just a hint of sweet in them. And when I roamed the city at night, discovering new streets, lamenting the days where everything was open? I could not go wrong with a classic combo: a water-based dark chocolate with any flavour fruit sorbet. The sweetness of the fruit balanced out nicely by the bitterness of the chocolate and gave me the boost I needed without the sugar coma of a milk base.
Then there were also those moments where I just did not know what I wanted and everything I thought was exciting just seemed boring. I had filled up on all the classic flavours and I wanted to surprise myself. On my more curious days, I experimented with different milk bases, paired with a flavour I knew I loved.
For me, that was anything coffee. I gave mungbean mocha ice cream a go. What better way to transform one of my favourite flavours into a new and incredible textured experience? Mungbean made the ice cream nuttier, dryer and bolder in taste than other bases. My tastebuds went on an adventure even when I was unable to do so.
As we go through this challenging roller coaster of a year, do yourself a favour and take a page out of my coping book: let ice cream be your emotional companion. Whatever your mood -sad, joyful, or just plain confuse- know that the perfect ice cream pairing is out there, just waiting for you to find it.
