A Penny for the Van
At this time of year, many of us enjoy nothing more than a locally-made ice cream. Karen Messruther charts Scotland’s long term love of ice cream, which dates to the early days of Italian immigration.
What’s your favourite? A plain cone from the van, or something fancier, like a slider or an oyster? Or maybe you prefer to ‘sit in’ somewhere for a fruity sundae or a knickerbocker glory so tall you need a nine-inch spoon to reach the bottom of the glass. Even in these days of designer desserts, we still sigh at the thought of a good, locally-made, traditional ice cream, all the better for being served through the hatch of a van or at a table in a proper ice cream parlour. Scotland has a great ice cream tradition, thanks largely to the Italian families who brought their favourite gelato recipes with them when they came to the country in the late nineteenth century. The first time you stood on your tiptoes to drop a coin from your tightly-clenched fist onto the ice cream man’s counter, you were entering a world of delicious tradition that’s still there, if you know where to look.
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