I dont remember when I had ice-cream for the first time[I wish I had written the date or my age when I had it for the first time], but I love ice-creams. Here again, I am choosy too about ice-cream too. I wud rather have simple vanilla ice-cream, but I would rather not have chocolate ice-cream!!!In Calcutta, specially in summer having ice-cream is a luxury & in occassions it is the must for the meal to be rounded off with something sweet. However, when I was 11-12 years old, I went to a party & I had butterscotch ice-cream[before this I didn't know what it was, as I was happy with vanilla ice-cream but equally hated strawberry ice-cream!!!] for the first time. It was like a Wow!! I kept on having it over & over again..n finally I fell in love with butterscotch ice-cream[A question..why people fall in love??why dont they rise in love???]. However, in between I was told not to have ice-creams since I was getting throat infection[in other words, used to catch cold]. So, I had to wait till the ice-cream melts & comes to room temperature, only then I could have it. Such a torture!!!
Back when I entered my teens [& now I am in my tweens!!], there were not much branded ice-creams. I could recollect "Kwality", "Vadilal's" & few more, which I can't recollect!!!However, when the market expanded, globalisation also affected the Indian Economy, we could see "Kwality" becoming "Kwality Walls", Baskin Robbins & few more....then having an ice-cream was like a simple thing..a necessity but not a luxury anymore. Sometimes, when I used to feel hungry & my body temperature is high, specially in summer, buying some chocobar or Cornettos[Oh..I love it so much!!!] & having it on the way back home or to my destination..
Sometimes, eating out with friends..the simple ice-cream used to be the dessert course or every Sundays to Indian Hobby Center in park street & selecting the scoops...[miss those days!!!]
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Once I joined the hospitality industry, my thoughts on ice-cream changed completely. I am always open to new foods now or new type of ice-cream. Any average Indian will acknowledge that he doesn't know what a gelato is, but he may say what "Mamma Mia" is all about[A popular chain, specialising on Gelato!!]. We were taught about gelato in our final year pastry classes[though I missed the practical classes!!!] but I never had it in Kolkata..not even anywhere else, but had it for the first time, made by me[Let me keep it a secret & keep on scrolling down, till you find the secret!!]. In my training days, my dinner used to end with an ice-cream often[1 scoop is good, 2 scoops are better!!!], whilst when I joined as a professional, I used to sneak into the italian kitchen & try the ice-creams by Movenpick!!Of course above the world experience, specially one with coffee & the other one with caramel. Again, when I was in Chennai, my late night dinner used to finish off with 3 scoops of butterscotch ice-creams. Also I had jackfruit ice-cream for the first time. It was marvellous!! But my mom told me not to have that ice-cream, since it will increase the purine level in my blood. Well..what to do!!!! :((
Coming to Dubai...I had the Pistachio ice-cream for the first time [Yes, really!!!] with a friend. It was delicious!!! Few days before I made gelato & had it too.It has got some odd combination of flavours & you will start frowning upon, if I tell you...
It has hints of galangal, a little of kaffir lime leaves & the wholesome coconut milk. What I wanted to do is that give the Italian Gelato a Thai touch!! The advantage of a gelato is that it is smoother than ice-cream & secondly it is less sweeter & less fat!!Yes, it was really good. It can team up well with some chocolate based desserts, specially chocolate souffle with a hint of orange or chocolate pot-de creme or banana based hot desserts...
I always wanted to buy an ice-cream maker, but I think if I buy it, my mother will dump it away[so many equipments are now lying around in Kolkata], but it is always a pleasure to have custom-made ice-cream!! Making my own ice-cream & having it too..with all sorts of odd & strange combinations & suprise people around!!! If I open a cafe or restaurant, perhaps my unique selling point will be ala minute ice-creams!!!Customers can choose their flavourings, nuts etc in their ice-cream & Voila....
But I will have to buy an ice-cream maker soon[I am looking for retailers ..let me know if you know any!!] & enjoy my own Gelato..may be with pineapple & rosemary!!!! :)
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