Sortibitium Ices at KERB
Exciting news, Soribitum Ices will be serving a Limited Edition ‘Wilkes Flavour Ice Cream’ at KERB’s Ice Cream Adventure this Saturday!
Sorbitium Ices – Pedro and Zan
Formerly of the Petersham Nurseries glasshouse restaurant, Pedro Confessore and Suzanna (Zan) Austin are now well known to London street food fans for their experimental and gourmet ice creams. This creative couple develop, create and supply frozen treats to restaurants around London and in street food markets from their Citroen H Van. Popular flavours include Matcha Tea & Bronte Pistachio Ice Cream, Cherry Negroni Granita and the winter special Woodford Reserve Whisky and Candied Orange Ice Cream. They even created an eyebrow-raising burger flavoured ice cream for last year’s National Burger Day event at Street Feast Dalson. Yes – it contained real burger meat.
For those of you who are speculating that a “Wilkes Flavour” will be ‘generally agreeable but with an aggressive and bitter note’ I’m sorry to disappoint you. The flavour will be a “really fruity ice cream with a balsamic ripple”… so its kinda like me… as it’s ‘British with a twist’… or ‘fruity with formally acidic notes that have become sweeter with age’? Take your pick.
WHERE DID THIS FLAVOUR COME FROM?
This flavour is inspired by London bartender Danny Smith (who has now left the bar industry). He is credited for creating the The Fuego Manzana, (a chilli sugar and apple cocktail), but this ice cream flavour is inspired by two of his other serves, the Strawberry Mint Chill and La Mosaic.
Danny Smith at Ché, St James’s Street 2002
The Strawberry Mint Chill (Vodka, Crème de Fraise, Strawberry Puree, Fresh Chilli, Fresh Mint, Lemon Juice, served over crushed ice in a high ball) originated at Mint Leaf in The West End in the early 2000s and was last seen at Dion, Canary Wharf (now closed). The chilli bite nicely slices through the sweetness of the strawberry. However it was a time bomb of spice. If you didn’t drink it fast enough the chilli seeds would infuse to create an extra fiery kick.
If my memory serves me correctly, I first encountered Danny and La Mosaic at Ché, 23 St James’s Street, Mayfair on the site which became Shumi and is currently Sake No Hana). It was one of the first cocktails I encountered using expensive aged balsamic which had the viscosity of honey and a sweetness similar to concentrated blackcurrent.
Good luck Danny, whatever you’re doing now!
For all the latest on KERB’s Ice Cream Adventure at Kings Cross this Saturday, including all thirteen traders, see the KERB website and follow them on Twitter for updates.
KERB’s Ice Cream Adventure
11h00 – 18h00, Sat 16 Aug
Ad: Granary Square, 4 Stable St, Kings Cross, N1C (map)
Ww: www.kerbfood.com/kerb-saturdays/ | Fb: kerbfood | Tw: @KERB_
@wilkes888 - London based Food & Drink-o-phile 