FOOD SPECIAL... ICE CREAM Summer scoop

ICE CREAM Summer scoop 

Give your summer a refreshing makeover with high-fibre froyos, herb-based and dairy-free ice creams. 

    HOW about an ice cream sandwich to beat the heat? Or better still, an ice cream cupcake? If that’s still boring, try a red wine scoop, an olive oil and herbinfused cone or an iced tea stick. Ice cream lovers are in for a super summer with gelatos, sorbets, parfaits and pastries getting a hearty and low-cal makeover.
Seasonal slurp
Fresh seasonal produce dots most hotel menus, but desserts, especially ice creams still lack imagination. Breaking away from the routine vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours, Chef Maurizio Raselli of La Piazza, Hyatt Regency, Delhi, is not only serving risotto with orange chunks, but also dishing out mind-boggling ice cream variations with Parma ham, fig compote and red wine! A salty, sweet and slightly savoury ice cream will be the flavour this season. Already a rage all over Europe and the Middle East, olive oil ice cream is the cool concoction this summer. “Olive oil cuts greasiness in the desserts and fresh ingredients like basil and zucchini make it more summery,” says Raselli. He has given signature Italian puff pastry Millefoglie a spin by using balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream and sesame seeds.
Sans sweets and dairy
A lot of times, we shun ice creams because they are either too sweet or too milky. This season, however, you have the option of enjoying ice creams low on sweet and dairy. Chef Amit Dash of Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, is busy rustling up herbs, spices, ham and fresh fruit-infused ice cream sandwiches for banquet bashes. “Natural and healthy ingredients are replacing cream, cheese, butter and sweet syrups to let people gorge without guilt,” he says.
    Chef Neerul Tomar of Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon, predicts ‘sweet and dairy free’ a cool trend in ice creams this season. “An ice cream need not be very sweet. Our recipes like caviar, smoked salmon and bacon sorbets, soy sauce sorbet and sweet corn and chilli gelatos allow customers to enjoy a dairy-free indulgence,” comments Tomar. He has also prepared beer and champagne sorbets to give diners a different high.
Muesli magic
How about a power-packed froyo sundae for breakfast? With oats and muesli toppings and layers of fresh fruit, frozen yoghurts could be the next morning meals. Rahul Kumar of Red Mango suggests, “An ice cream sends the calorie count haywire. But a non-sugary parfait with frozen yoghurt, cereals, crushed muesli and fresh fruit can actually be a great meal in itself.”
    Kumar further adds that using natural fruit fillings in place of artificially sweetened jelly balls and vanilla seeds rather than artificial powder, along with the known health benefits of probiotic yoghurt, are making froyos a popular non-fat and natural dessert. With choices of newer flavours like cinnamon and spicy mango to try, this summer promises to be a delectable affair.
amin.ali TL130428