Brown sl-ice cream of the crop

Traditional ice cream favourites like raspberry ripple and mint choc chip are melting away after hot competition from a new variety – made with brown bread.

Mandy Willis was stunned when people started visiting her Chocolatessence shop in Chenavare Mews, Kinver, from far and wide for a taste of the new flavour. She decided to stock the variety to provide an alternative to the usual well-known flavours. Response to the ice cream, made by Ledbury-firm Just Rachel, has exceeded expectations.

The variety is often sold out because it has proved such a hit with villagers and visitors.

But ice-cream devotees need not worry, although the variety is made with brown bread it is no less naughty-but-nice than any other flavour.

Breadcrumbs are added to the mixture to give it a distinctive taste.

Mrs Willis has been running the store for nearly a year after leaving her job as a music teacher with Dudley Performing Arts.

"When I first started selling the ice cream I thought it might arouse a little interest but nothing on the scale it has been doing," she said.

"Other than us the only place you can get this flavour is in Malvern so we now have people coming in from all over the region because they can get the flavour a little closer to home.

"The response has been extraordinary and most often we sell out.

"I only decided to stock it as something a little different."

Mrs Willis said the store had done very well in its first year and was hoping for more success over the next 12 months.

"The roadworks earlier this year were a bit of a blip, like they were for all the traders, but the shop has been well received and I am very pleased."

During her teaching career, Mrs Willis also worked at the Bishop Milner School, in Dudley.

l Do you make or have a favourite ice cream with an unusual flavour? Email your choice to newsdesk@expressand star.co.uk