Fruit sticks
At Fruit Sticks, cherished memories come to life with classics like semiya ice, ball ice, and paal ice. Established by Nagendra Kumar and his brother in Madurai, Fruit Sticks began its journey in an ice cream cart in 2001, offering delectable ice creams made from fresh fruits, milk, and sugar, without additives or preservatives.
Fruit Sticks offers a range of flavours that cater to every palate. From the fiery kick of spicy raw mango to the tropical sweetness of jackfruit, each ice stick is a burst of natural flavours.
Fruit Sticks offers a range of flavours that cater to every palate. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Among their signature creations are the spicy guava, spicy pineapple, 90s special paal ice, semiya ice, and ball ice. Fruit Sticks also offers comforting classics like milk ice cream, gulkand, and fig with honey.
The brand has over 50 outlets across Tamil Nadu, according to S Mohamed Imthiyas, the owner of the franchise. “Our ice creams are all priced at ₹20 regardless of the flavours, and to preserve authenticity, they are prepared in a central facility at Madurai and distributed to all outlets,” he adds.
At 30, Ramamurthy Road, Selvapuram North. For details, call 8248711187.
Oswald
Oswald, the shy, blue octopus who gets himself entangled in all kinds of situations for ice cream is reminiscent of good old summer vacations. Oswald is nostalgia, and Anadraj, the founder of the ice cream brand, wants to give a taste of the same to customers. “We wanted to introduce international flavours in Coimbatore,” said Anandraj, whose family has been in the business of manufacturing dairy equipment for 30 years. He took the step to expand their business to producing ice creams as well.
Oswald’s offers not only dairy-based ice creams, but also Italian gelato and Persian sorbets. “Most of our flavours have no artificial added flavours,” states the founder, adding that their sorbets are water based and are made from products sourced from local farmers.
Oswald’s offers not only dairy-based ice creams, but also Italian gelato and Persian sorbets. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The red guava and mango sorbet is testament to this. The freshness of guava and the aroma of alphonso mango go well together. The Spanish orange is a refreshing delight that reminds us of chilled orange squash on a hot summer afternoon.
Anadraj explains that their ice creams are affordable, ranging from ₹30 for a cone to ₹140 for a scoop. They also have sugar-free jamun flavoured gelato, that tastes just like the berry.
Among their best sellers is the nutty hazelnut ice cream served with a cup of hot chocolate. The hot chocolate affogato is a customer favourite. When steaming hot chocolate is poured over ice cream, it results in a perfect molten delight.
Oswald’s is a fusion of classic local flavours such as coconut burfi, jackfruit and tropical fruits that are transformed into a soft serve of gelato. Beating the summer is easy with Oswald around.
Located at E Periasamy Road, RS Puram. Call 9786485787.
Peni Ice Candy
The moment the ice cream man opens his push cart’s freezer and cold vapours come gushing out: 90s summer can be summed up with this singular image. He will extract popsicles in grape, mango, or orange and hand them over to eager children standing with their arms outstretched. Walking into Peni is reminiscent of summers past. Only, here, instead of an a push cart, one can enjoy popsicles from inside a sprightly ice-cream parlour.
Peni Ice Candy, a popular name in Kerala, has arrived in the city with a bang. With five outlets – Ramanathapuram, RS Puram, Saibaba Colony, Ram Nagar, and Kuniamuthur – in the city, the ice candy brand was started in Kottayam in Kerala in 1997 with seven flavours. Today, it has over 20 outlets in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Before its ice plant was established, Peni’s popsicles were sold on push carts in Kerala.
We seek refuge in their popsicles on a sweltering summer afternoon. Peni has water, cream, and milk-based offerings, with prices starting from ₹5, and we start off with tropical grape and tender coconut, both priced at ₹30. They are refreshing and have the perfect amount of sweetness. The Ramanathpuram outlet soon fills up with a barrage of chatty boys – this branch has a steady stream of customers walking in for ice cream through the day – who order almost every variation on the menu.
The staff though recommend the milk and cream-based variations. This includes rosemilk, semiya, fruit salad, coffee, strawberry, jack fruit, chikku, among others. The coffee one is among the best of the cream varieties; chocolate and butterscotch are must-tries are well. Peni’s fruit-flavoured popsicles is its USP. The jackfruit flavoured one, although a tad too sweet, tastes of the actual fruit, leaving behind a sticky texture in the palate. While the water-based popsicles tend to lose their flavour after the first few bites, the cream and milk offerings retain their flavours and textures till the very end.
By the time we have tried almost eight different flavours – we are a team of four – we are quite full. But then, we almost forget the semiya and rosemilk, and grab them to be had on the go. At Peni, no one stops with just one.
For details, visit www.peniicecandy.com.
Rotolo Ice Cream
Select your flavours, choose your mix-ins, take your scrapers in hand: get ready to roll your ice cream! Experience a first at Rotolo Ice Cream, where customers can indulge in the art of making rolled ice cream themselves. “The process of making pan ice cream is fascinating to customers, often drawing their attention as they watch. Many are inspired to try it themselves, adding to the enjoyment,” shares N Balamanickam, who started the brand with his friend V Shanjiev.
At Rotolo, discover exquisitely rolled ice cream featuring popular flavors like Kit Kat, Nutella, marshmallows, fresh fruits, mint, Oreo, hazelnut, accompanied by nibbles of nata de coco and bursting boba.
Experiencing Rotolo’s Planto ice cream is a visual and flavorful delight that captivates both eyes and taste buds. Served in a charming ceramic pot with a real rose cutting, it is a treat for the senses. Layers of brownie, chocolate ice cream, red velvet cake, and vanilla ice cream, topped with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, resemble a potted plant.
At Rotolo, discover exquisitely rolled ice cream featuring popular flavors | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
“During my college days, I worked part-time for caterers at wedding ceremonies, where conventional ice cream stalls were the norm. It was then that I had an idea: why not introduce something unique? That’s how I began making rolled ice creams,” shares Balamanikam.
Apart from their ice creams, their bubble teas and bubble coffees are best sellers. Try one from the exotic tea series; Japanese matcha tea, presented in cute-little bulb shaped containers. This one is fun to drink: the tapioca pearls provide a chewy burst of texture, making each sip fun.
“We manufacture every ingredient locally. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I had ample time to research the process of making bobas and nata de cocas, which were initially imported. Now, I supply every ingredient for many bubble tea makers across the country,” Balamanikam explains.
The next time your sweet tooth beckons, remember to roll on over to Rotolo and experience the enchantment for yourself.
Located at 105, Ramachandra Road, RS Puram. The ice cream range starts from ₹159 to ₹300 and bubble tea series is priced at ₹199 each. Call 9080537623.
Published - May 15, 2024 02:18 pm IST
