i
scream, you scream,
weall scream for
ice cream!
LOCATION:
a very busy evening in one of Dhaka's popular ice cream parlour. The
place is crammed with people of all ages: couples dating, friends
chatting, parents pampering their toddlers. It is a very common sight
in any ice cream parlour of the city on a Friday. All these people
who possess different views on life happen to share a common passion,
which brings them together. It is the passion for the scrumptious,
lip-smacking dessert we call ice cream.
In
the parlour we randomly approached some of the ice cream lovers with
only one question in mind: why do they love ice cream?
"It
is like a seduction", one of them answered while relishing her
scoop. In another table some one else replied, "It is the most
delicious food ever". A tiny tot of about 4 years of age, busy
filling in his mouth with something purple, tells us while trying
to gobble, "I don't know. I just love it".
Ice
cream. Just let one morsel in. The sweet, creamy, smooth, delectable
element first embraces the tongue, giving it a cold pleasant feeling
all over. The taste buds sends the sensation directly to the brain,
it then slowly stretches inwards, tempting other parts of the digestive
system, which of course wants more of it. This is a common experience
for those who share the passion for ice cream.
How
this passion evolved is the second question we have in mind. There
are several popular stories about the creation of ice cream. There
is a saying that roman emperor Nero and the ancient Chinese people
use to have a special "ice cream like dessert". Nero used
to send his slaves in to the mountains to bring back snow. He loved
the mixture of snow, nectar, fruit pulp and honey. Another theory
is that Marco Polo, the 13th century adventurer, brought back home
a Chinese recipe for water ice. These desserts are not like the ice
cream that we enjoy today and these stories are all unverified folklores,
some people however believe that these recipes gradually evolved in
to ice cream.
In
another popular tale it is said that King Charles 1 of England once
hosted a state banquet for many of his friends and royal kin. The
meal was simply superb with all sorts of delectable items. The dish
that pulled a "coup de grace" was ice cream. The king's
French chef delighted the guests with his new dish. The dish was cold
and resembled freshly fallen snow but was much creamier and sweeter.
The thrilled king summoned the royal chef and asked him not to reveal
the recipe to any one. He wanted the delicacy to be served only on
the royal table and he paid a handsome amount of money every year
to keep it that way.
People's
passion for ice cream has pioneered lots of ice cream parlours around
the world. In Dhaka, there are now several international and local
parlour chains catering to all the ice cream lovers. Lets move around
and savour their flavours.
Club
Gelato
As the name reveals Club
Gelato is offering Italian gelato. At the back of the parlour situated
at Banani 11, they have their own kitchen, where chefs remain busy
all day. The most popular flavour there, is the chocolatey Ferrero
Rocher. Among other flavours, their customers go wild for Chocolate
chip, Coffee Crunch, Cassata and Jungle Crunchy. A single scoop of
any flavour is Tk60. Their popular ice cream sundaes include the heavenly
Chocolate, Coppa classic, Merry mint, and Choco seduction, all priced
at around Tk175. They have a weekly special called Deep fried ice
cream.
Movenpick
This very popular ice cream parlour is situated at Gulshan Avenue.
It is a Swiss chain, which opened in Dhaka in the year 2000. Movenpick's
items are imported from Switzerland. Their specialty is they use "only
natural ingredients" to prepare the delicacy. Those who hang
out in the parlour love their Chocolate, Stracciatella, Caramelita,
Vanilla brownies, and Maple walnuts. For single scoop in cup they
charge Tk60 and Tk70 for cone.
Andersen's
Danish chain Andersen's is popular for their Strawberry, Chocolate,
and Belgian choco-chip. Their creamy rich Waffle Basket sundae, the
fruit blend with yoghurt or vanilla, or the ice creamy smoothie blended
with real fruit are also an allure for many. Their sundaes cost around
Tk200. Single scoop of any flavour cost Tk70. Their home pack single
cost Tk230 and double Tk450. Andersen's ingredients come directly
from Denmark. In their Tongi factory they prepare their specialty.
Andersen's have two parlours in Dhaka, one in Gulshan and another
one is in Uttara.
Gelateria
Igloo
Gelateria Igloo is a local company famous for their inexpensive options.
They have three outlets in Dhaka and one in Chittagong. In their Kemal
Ataturk outlet they have cosy sitting arrangement outdoors. Young
couples love to visit this place during the evening. The most-sold
flavour of the parlour is Vanilla, priced at Tk40. Their Destiny (to
please the customers of course), Twinkling Stars, Royal Salute, Fruit
Valley are also a craze among many.
Sweetmax
Sweetmax is basically a food mart also catering ice cream. In their
spacious outlet situated at Kemal Ataturk Avenue, they have a huge
parlour. Around 11am to 12 noon they have a rush of students coming
in from the North South University, chatting and enjoying their favourite
flavours. Sweetmax serve Italian ice cream in cone and cup. One scoop
of any flavour would cost Tk50 in this parlour, while the cup costs
Tk45. The good old vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and soft green pistachio
ice cream mixed with real pistachio nuts, the perfect combination
for any nut lover is their best sellers. Soon they will open another
outlet in Dhanmondi 8. This chain hails from Chittagong City. They
have three more outlets in there, pleasing the ice cream lovers of
the port city.
Baskin
Robbins
One of
the oldest international ice cream chain, Baskin Robbins shot to fame
with their 31 flavours - one for every day of the month. Till date,
they've come up with more than 1000 different flavours and sherbets,
and their outlets are found all over the world. The first Baskin Robbins
in Dhaka was located in front of Shaheen Collage. They have since
opened up chains in Gulshan, Dhanmondi and Uttora. The Rocky Road
and Oreo Cookies 'n Cream are their most popular flavours. Prices
are comparable to other parlours.
Rainbow
Rainbow rocked Chittagong before arriving in Dhaka in the early 90's.
Opening first in Gulshan they recently moved to Dhanmondi Rd 28. Once
they were famous for their Rocky Road and Faluda, but since then have
brought out new flavours like Aloha Mongo.
Dolce
Vita
This parlour is one of Dhaka's oldest, and could arguably be called
the pioneer amongst ice cream parlours in Dhaka. With one branch in
Kemal Ataturk and one in Dhanmondi, they specialise in Italian ice-cream,
with their Vanilla Butter Brittle still enjoying popularity amongst
loyal patrons.
In
all these parlours, prices are still a little too high for the middle
class people. Igloo, Polar and Milk Vita are brands that are more
wallet-friendly. Ice cream from these companies, mostly of vanilla,
chocolate and strawberry flavours are available in all the confectionaries,
bakeries, general stores and fast food shops all over Bangladesh.
The Chocobar, priced only at Tk10 is a rage among both kids and adults.
The list of name goes on and so is the passion for the great dairy
delight.
Once
the delicacy that was served only in the royal tables is now the craving
of the entire world. All the craze and people's addiction towards
ice cream makes us wonder whether king Charles's chef was faithful
to his master at all.
By
Shahnaz Parveen
Photo: Zahedul I Khan
Special
thanks to:
Sheraton Hotel, Club Gelato and Gelateria Igloo
Igloo
the oldest local Ice-cream wonder
PRODUCING
more than a staggering 20,000 litres of ice-cream everyday, Igloo
definitely sets the highest standards in the Ice-cream industry here
in Dhaka. Although there have been numerous ice-cream boutiques springing
up in the city, this local ice-cream company has, without a doubt,
kept up to all the competition, offering great tastes at affordable
prices.
Igloo
started up in 1964 in Chittagong under the central Pakistan government.
However, Abdul Momen Ltd. took up the brand name and all operations
in 1984, paving Igloo's way into being the most widespread and popular
ice-cream brand in the country. In those days, all the flavours one
could enjoy was the cup, chocbar and the lolly. They shifted the factory
to Shampur from Chittagong. The factory at Shampur is fully automated
and the machinery is all purchased from different European countries.
Igloo
has come a long way since those three flavours, with upto fifty-five
different varieties available in the market presently. The chocobar,
shell and core, and the lolly are old items but are still ever so
popular in the local market. However, maintaining quality is the important
part. Maintenance of quality at Igloo is assured mainly because their
products don't have any human touch to it; from processing of raw
materials to packaging, everything is automated. In fact the rigorous
quality control and well-planned company policy has led to Igloo being
presented the acclaimed HACCP (1) (given for quality control) and
the ISO 9001/2000. Igloo even has interest in its products from other
South-Asian countries and plans to export.
The
story behind the newest range
The newest range from Igloo has definitely taken the ice-cream market
by storm. Single Scoop Sundaes and Double Sundaes have definitely
won over the children, and not to mention people of all ages in the
city. The 'Chocolate Cheers' has especially been very popular, and
it went out of market because Igloo didn't expect sales to skyrocket
in the way it did. Igloo ran out of the chocolate chips, which are
imported from Europe, however a new shipment is on its way to serve
the chocolate fans in the country. School-going children have especially
expressed their interest regarding the new line. "After a hot
day at school, children run to my van for Single Sundaes. The single
sundaes have become very popular even for the parents," says
Maksud, an Igloo road-vendor.
Interesting
tidbits about Igloo
The most selling and widely popular ice cream made by Igloo in Bangladesh
is the Chocbar.
The packaging material or plastic covers for individual ice-cream
sticks are imported from Italy.
Believe it or not, the stick at the centre of the ice cream is imported
from Dubai!
The core of the Ego ice cream is completely made from chocolate imported
from Europe.
The main ingredient of an ice cream is SMP and Igloo imports it from
Australia.
Igloo offers its dealers Danish refrigerators for storing their ice
cream.
It
takes around 7-10 days for the ice cream to reach a shop in the city
from the factory, so it is pretty fresh.
Prices of Igloo products are affordable and this definitely gives
the manufacturer an edge. With great flavours already available, and
a widespread market spanning the whole of Bangladesh, Igloo certainly
looks to dominate. However, do look out for new and interesting flavours
coming out soon in September and October.
By
Mishel Ali Khan
fun
facts about ice cream
HERE
are hundreds of facts about the wonder treat ice cream. Here's some
interesting trivia you can share with friends.
Top
ten flavours
All over the world Vanilla is the most favoured ice cream flavour.
Then follows Chocolate and Butter pecan. Strawberry, Neapolitan, Chocolate
chip comes next. French vanilla, Cookies and cream, Vanilla fudge
ripple and Praline pecan these are some other most favoured and sold
ice cream flavours of the world.
Top
five ice cream eaters
Americans are the greatest eaters of ice cream in the world. In 1924,
when the savouring was quite new the average American ate eight pints
a year. By 1997, the International Dairy Foods Association reported
that the figure had jumped to 48 pints a year. After USA, Australians
are second in this category.
First
ice cream cone
Who invented the cone ice cream is a matter of debate. There are several
stories behind it. One story is that a vendor named Italo Marchiony
used to sell his home-made ice cream from a pushcart on Wall Street.
Customers breaking or stealing his serving glasses became a major
nuisance for him and costly too. He reduced his overhead by baking
edible waffle cups with sloping sides and a flat bottom, which we
now know as ice cream cone. He patented his idea in 1903. Others link
the ice cream cone's invention to the 1904 World Fair in St. Louis.
An ice cream vendor there reportedly did not have enough dishes to
keep up with the demand. He teamed up with a waffle vendor and began
serving ice cream in cones.
Did
you know…
that a very important ingredient in ice cream is air? Bizarre as it
sounds, without it, the stuff would be as hard as a rock.
The
biggest
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest ice cream
sundae in the world was made in Alberta, Canada, in 1988. It weighed
nearly 55,000 pounds. The same year, a baking company and a sheet-metal
firm in Dubuque, Iowa, teamed up to produce the world's largest ice
cream sandwich, which tipped the scales at nearly 2,500 pounds. And,
in 1999, Baskin Robbins created an ice cream cake at a beach hotel
in the United Arab Emirates that weighed just less than 9,000 pounds.
