It doesn’t matter if you’re 5, 25, or 95 – chances are you probably like ice-cream. Yes, some people can’t have it due to medical reasons, which is totally unfair for them, but hey, more ice-cream for the rest of us! Whenever you go by that freezer in the store, a little chubby devil inside your head pokes you on the shoulder and says “I want ice-cream!” And you know you’re gonna do it anyway, so why bother to resist? The question then becomes: which flavor of ice cold goodness should you pick? Vanilla, chocolate, caramel… or maybe something crazy like Lucuma or Kinako? What do you mean you don’t have those in your local store? You’re missing out!
Let me tell you about 7 popular ice cream flavors you’ve never tried or even heard of!
1. Lucuma (Peru)
This flavor comes straight from the Peruvian and Chilean Andes. Lucuma, sometimes called an “eggfruit”, is a weird fruit that tastes like maple or butterscotch. While it’s extremely popular in Peru, it’s not viable for export due to the unique qualities of its flesh and the tendency to lose water quickly.
2. Kinako (Japan)
Ah, Japan – mother of all that’s weird. This so-called “yellow flour” made out of roasted soy beans, is one of the most popular ingredients in Japanese desserts, so of course, it found its way to the ice cream vats. And the test subjects are loving this flavor!
3. Rosewater (Middle East)
Really, a floral flavor? Sure, rosewater used to be the king (queen?) of delicious flavors in XVIII century America, but vanilla dethroned it in a blink. What’s curious about this flavor is that it makes ice-cream more chewable. Who knew rosewater would be this good?
4. Ube (Philippines)
Imagine sweet potato flavored ice-cream, but good. Ube is one of the most versatile additive in the Philippines, and you can find it almost in every cake, cookie, and of course, ice cream. If you’re not into ice-cream for some odd reason, there’s always the Filipino shaved ice called Halo-Halo that hipster simply love to take pictures of. It does look quite exquisite!
5. Black Sesame (Asia)
People who’ve tried black sesame ice cream, often compare it to coffee or dark chocolate, and since it’s on every corner in Asia, it’s no wonder the people there rarely sleep. And if you’re into Dark Arts or you’re still in your goth phase, this flavor is perfect for you!
6. Brown Bread (Ireland, UK)
Now hold on, I know what you’re saying “Bread? Why bread?” It may sound weird, but Irish brown bread is nothing like that loaf in your kitchen. They use buttermilk instead of yeast to make the dough rise, and the bread itself is delicious. This is why Brown bread ice cream is the most widespread Irish treat, right after whiskey.
7. Salmonberry aka Akutaq (Alaska, US)
Its native name – akutaq – means “to stir”, so you can only guess what the native Alaskans make it from. Animal fats mixed with sea mammal oil, blood, meat, fish eggs… Ugh, that doesn’t sound like a great recipe for an ice cream, but kids love it! The natives usually add blueberries or salmonberries to add some flavor, but the outsiders don’t seem to fancy this strange dessert.
