Ice creams are for summer: enjoying one, whether it’s in a tub or a cone, while strolling in the sun, is one of Ibiza’s little luxuries. In recent years, the options have multiplied. New flavours have been born that expand the traditional ones to infinity and beyond. And ice-cream makers are beginning to adapt to consumers who want gluten, lactoseand animal-free versions. “Having vegan or gluten-free options makes them accessible to a lot more consumers,” says Zen Ong, who runs AWAN ice-cream shop in Los Angeles and is considered one of the best ice-cream makers in the world.
BEETROOT ICE CREAM, PIQUILLO PEPPER, TOMATO…
Ong believes that the most important trend today is “challenging flavours that surprise the consumer, from sliced cheese to ranch dip, to give just two examples.” This explosion of new ice creams is also happening in Ibiza, where you can order varieties such as roasted onion, blueberries and beet, piquillo pepper, almond and bergamot, rocket, vine-ripened tomato and chocolate from Cuzco and fleur de sel… The hardest thing is choosing which one to try (and with some of them, being daring enough!).
Numbers to knock you cold
Spaniards consume 149 MILLION LITRES of ice cream per year.
Each Spaniard consumes an average of 3.23 LITRES of ice cream per year.
THE BALEARIC ISLANDS is the region that consumes the most ice cream: 5 litres per inhabitant per year.
CHOCOLATE ice cream is the biggest seller.
The country with the biggest ice-cream habit is Italy, where each person spends 67.47 EUROS a year on ice cream.
Data: MAPA and Constanza Business & Protocol School
Beyond the invention of new flavours, the ice-cream laboratory never stops coming up with new ideas. Prestigious pastry chef Jordi Roca has even managed to mix hot and cold temperatures, turning a universe that always used to be below-zero upside down. “Variations in textures and temperatures are always welcome,” says Ong, who sees the pastry industry (and ice cream in particular) as one of the most innovative.
Working with fats also allows for variations that add a distinctive Mediterranean touch to ice cream. An example of this is the introduction of extra-virgin olive oil, which gives ice cream a seductive creamy texture. It’s a perfect way to get a different, healthier and tastier ice cream.
