Move over, French vanilla and goody goody gum drops, there’s a new flavour and it’s made from - wait for it - potatoes!
What started as a polytech project has turned into a proper business, with Culinary Art student Emily Gilbert having created spud-based ice cream.
She’s serving the agria alternative at Patti’s and Cream, where they’re scooping the dairy-free option made from potatoes soaked in water, mixed with dairy-free dark chocolate and sugar.
Now, for a dairy-free girly who has eaten more than my body weight in mashed potatoes in my lifetime - this is something I am absolutely here for.
Though Gilbert told 1 News, people can’t even tell it’s not made from dairy.
The project started as a second-year assignment at Otago Polytechnic, focused on reusing food factory waste.
Gilbert’s now got a supply chain sorted, bringing spuds from Heartland Chips in Timaru straight into her ice cream.
While potato ice cream isn’t a totally new concept - fun fact: mash is sometimes used to replicate ice cream in TV ads - it’s definitely leading the way when it comes to being able to buy it by the scoop in Aotearoa.
Her first flavour, Chocolate “Chip” Crunch, is currently only available at Patti's and Cream Diner and the Mornington Scoop Shop in Dunedin.
Gilbert’s already got big plans on the way, telling the news she’s keen to try more flavours, and maybe even potato-based milkshakes.
I don’t think it will be long before she’s taking over the rest of the country with this genius alternative.
