Gone are those innocent summer days when the only choice you had to make was Twist or Feast. London's ice cream game has cranked up a notch or seven in recent times, what with the liquid nitrogen concoctions of Chin Chin, and Persepolis' hot baklava sundaes.
And for the second year in a row, one outlet in particular is smashing its way out of the freezer box of normality, to bring us an avalanche of icy treats with an eccentric (and in places, potentially car crash) variety of flavours. Cue The Ice Cream Project by Anya Hindmarch, which returns to the designer's boutique 'The Village' in Belgravia on 29 June.
As with last year, the shop's silver freezers will be piled high with tubs of ice creams and sorbets flavoured with household brand sauces, cereals, seasonings etc. This year, Ambrosia rice pudding, Ribena and Tiptree lemon curd are among newbies on the menu. Them there are the flavours for the more adventurous ice cream licker. Anyway, here's the list in full (followed by our taste predictions):
- Ambrosia Rice Pudding (has the potential to be creamily divine)
- Birds Eye Petits Pois (has the potential to taste like a bag of frozen peas)
- Blue Dragon Original Sweet Chilli (sounds like a hard no, but chilli and ice cream is actually a bit of a winner)
- Branston (also has cheddar cheese in it apparently, and could really go either way)
- Heinz Tomato Ketchup (a return from last summer — obviously went down a treat, and why not when tomato sorbet is already a thing)
- Kellogg's Coco Pops (another fave from 2022, and possibly the least looney idea on the list)
- Kellogg's Rice Krispies (just sounds a bit bland tbh)
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce (er...)
- KP Original Salted Peanuts (would work well with a frozen pint of bitter)
- Maldon Salt (it's got chocolate in it, so not as kamikaze as it might sound)
- McVitie's Digestives (we've had 'em hot, so now to try them cold)
- Tiptree Lemon Curd (I mean, yeah!)
- Ribena (a perfectly serviceable idea that's already been done)
- Warburtons Crumpets (melt in the mouth butteriness. Is it wrong to take it home and spread it on a crumpet?)
We have noted that among those which haven't made a comeback from last year's lineup are Salad Cream and Baked Beans. Quelle surprise.
The Ice Cream Project is in situ from 29 June-27 August 2023. It's from £3.50 for a scoop, and a not insubstantial £15 for a 500ml tub.
