While the United States is going through a health crisis due to the listeria outbreak in the past few weeks (which has mostly kept longtime ice cream makers Blue Bell in the country's headlines), the United Kingdom sets itself up for the summer ... with gin and tonic ice cream!
Besides the classic flavor of rum-raisins, a new desserts trend has seen the rise of other alcohol-related flavors besides the gin and tonic ice cream, including Starbucks' stout-flavored coffee from last year (as they worked with iconic brand Guinness) Ben & Jerry's highly controversial joint product with Colorado brewery New Belgium.
According to The Mirror, the new gin and tonic ice cream is a joint effort between award-winning (and 200 year-old) London gin distillery Sipsmith and ice cream makers Jude's in Hampshire, UK, as they worked to find an ice cream that tasted exactly like the fresh cocktail.
In its 120ml tubs presentation, the gin and tonic ice cream will be reaching shelves all over UK Selfridges later this month (on May 20), and fans will also be able to purchase it online only a few days later (at Ocado, starting on June 1), as both companies heavily advertise on the new product.
"[the gin and tonic ice cream ice cream combines] the delicately balanced botanicals of the Sipsmith London Dry Gin with Jude's creamy, award-winning crème anglaise base mix, and added a splash of tonic water and lemon," said Sipsmith's reps to Metro.
The Telegraph reports that the ice cream uses botanicals such juniper berries, citrus peel, liquorice root and ground almonds with tonic water and a bit of lemon to recreate the cocktail.
Gin and tonic, a highball cocktail that goes all the way back to the 19th century, has the simplicity of a classic: it's basically a mix of gin, tonic water and a lime wedge, keeping fresh during the hot days of summer all over the world - now, particularly London!
If you're in the UK for the summer, don't forget to give the gin and tonic ice cream a try!