From Oyster to Olive-Flavoured: New Frontiers for Ice Cream

Various flavors of ice cream balls in New York City on July 27, 2022. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for YouTube and Catch'n Ice Cream

There was always something faintly absurd about ice cream.

Think about it.

Milk whipped into frozen submission, puckered up with sugar, and childishly paraded about in audacious shades of pink, yellow, or pistachio green. It sits atop its cone like a pageant queen.

But the world has decided it’s time to unshackle ice cream from its saccharine chains. No longer is our beloved frozen treat content with simply being sweet and cheeky. It’s gone full-blown avant-garde, with ingredients that range from olive oil to oysters.

Let’s dive into this strange, creamy universe where dessert meets experimentation.

Olive Oil and Ice Cream

In the olive groves of Italy and Spain, locals have been drizzling the golden nectar over ice cream for centuries, their culinary genius unbothered by our initial scepticism.

Why does it work? Because the oil’s earthy, fruity bitterness cuts through the richness of the ice cream, creating a bite so balanced it might just convert your taste buds into art critics.

Add a sprinkle of sea salt, and you’ve got a dessert that even Dua Lipa endorses. Seriously, it’s a TikTok sensation.

And yes, I’ve tried it. At a winery in Orange, I encountered olive oil and ice cream served as if it were the Holy Grail.

A child plays with giant ice cream statues during the 39th International trade Show of Artisan Gelato (ice cream), Pastry, Bakery and Coffe World (SIGEP) in Rimini, Italy, on Jan. 20, 2018. Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images

One taste, and I was reborn, spoon in hand, ready to shout from the rooftops, “Why didn’t I know about this sooner?”

The Dirty Martini Sundae

Speaking of sophistication, let’s discuss the Dirty Martini Sundae.

A creation from New York’s Copinette, it features Madagascan vanilla bean gelato infused with gin and olive brine, drizzled with honey sauce, and topped with crumbled blue cheese and Castelvetrano olives.

British Eccentricity in a Cone

Meanwhile, the Brits are busy raiding their past for ice cream inspiration.

English Heritage is scooping up brown bread ice cream, inspired by an 18th-century recipe. Caramel nuttiness meets nostalgia like eating dessert while flipping through an antique cookbook.

An employee serves ice cream in Milan on June 21, 2012. TIZIANA FABI/AFP/GettyImages

They’ve also toyed with other Georgian curiosities, like Parmesan and cucumber flavours, proving the British have never shied away from edible oddities.

Fish and Chips? No, Fish and Ice Cream

At Fitzrovia’s two-star Kitchen Table in London, James Knappett takes daring to a new level with fish eggs on walnut ice cream.

Why, you ask? Because the salty umami of caviar paired with creamy sweetness creates an explosion of flavours. Think of it as the culinary equivalent of jazz, chaotic but somehow genius.

Not to be outdone, Wilson’s in Bristol serves oyster-flavoured ice cream, because apparently, we’ve all been eating oysters wrong this whole time.

Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project

For those who prefer their ice cream experiences with a side of trauma, head to Belgravia and check out The Ice Cream Project.

A young boy enjoys ice cream in Mich., on Sept. 28, 2024. Scott Legato/Getty Images for MoveOn

Anya Hindmarch offers flavours like vinegar, baked beans, or soy sauce. There’s even a blind-tasting option.

Garlic, Truffles, and Gold Leaf

Let’s talk decadence. Japanese luxury brand Cellato holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s most expensive ice cream: a $6,700 concoction featuring Parmigiano cheese, white truffle, and gold leaf.

It’s served with a hand-crafted spoon made by artisans in Kyoto. Imagine licking that and wondering how your life took such a bougie turn.

And in California’s garlic capital, Gilroy, you can indulge in garlic ice cream, because why stop at just making your breath unforgettable?

A Call for Vegemite Ice Cream

A jar of Vegemite during a picnic breakfast on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2009. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Now, here in Australia, we’ve got our fair share of weird and wonderful food experiments. But I’ve yet to see anyone brave enough to scoop Vegemite ice cream onto a cone.

Sweet and salty is a match made in culinary heaven, so why not? Somebody call Anya Hindmarch. Let’s make this happen.