The Junction Icecreamery

Post

Subscribe

When I was young lad I used eagerly to anticipate visits from my grandparents because at the end, no matter how long or short the visit, Granddad would press a half-crown into my grubby hand with the injunction 'Buy yourself some hokey-pokey, boy'.

'Hokey-pokey' was what it was called in Edinburgh before the First World War when he was growing up - delicious Italian Ice Cream sold on the streets in scoops at 'a penny a lump, that's the stuff to make you jump'.



Ice cream is one of those foods that is universally popular and which appeals to all ages. And if you doubt the truth of that statement, stand for a while outside the Junction Icecreamery in Midland, cone in hand, and observe the variety of people wandering in and out to sample the delights on offer.

is the brainchild of the McKay family who opened it in 1987, co-incidentally the year I published my first restaurant review, so we are professionally speaking, as old as each other.



But, and here's the point, finally, I had never ever tried their goods until last Saturday when Angela and I dropped in for some hokey-pokey.

The most immediate observation is that Junction Icecreamery is not only a vendor of ice cream, but a cafe offering light meals, cakes, sandwiches and a wide range of ice creams, ice cream cakes, pies, genuine Cornish pasties and lots more.



Saving the actual frozen goodness we started with a cup of coffee for me and a capucchino for Angela as well as a slice of lemon cheesecake and an individual baked raspberry cheesecake.

We sat out on the small verandah under an umbrella and looking out over the park with families sitting out under the shady trees and people-watched for a few minutes until the server brought us our goodies.



The coffee was excellent as was my baked cheesecake, the acidity of the raspberries nicely cutting the sweetness of the filling, making a rather elegant dish altogether. But, the real hero was Angela's outstanding Lemon Cheesecake, which was superb, smooth and delicious, crisp and clean with a lovely citrus flavour over-all.



While we sat and ate in the sunshine with a light sea-breeze keeping the heat down we watched the endless array of passers-by and diners - old, young, happy families, young couples on bicycles and at least one family with a large and lovely bull mastiff who thoroughly enjoyed her ice cream served in a floor container.

She licked it up snufflingly with every appearance of enjoyment while the family sat round with their waffle cones and watched her with affection.

Obviously dogs can't go inside, but they're welcome on the verandah and there's a large bowl of water by the door for them - a nice touch, I thought. Any one who's nice to dogs gets my vote, any day.

Once we'd digested our sweets we went to have a browse among the frozen desserts.



And it could have been a longish browse, because, boy, do they have range. As well as what we might call standard ice creams, for which the Junction Icecreamery has won more than a hundred medals at various shows, they offer Italian Gelato, Soy, Sorbet, Yoghurt and Sorbet, making gluten free and vegan options.

As for flavours there is no fixed list, as new and seasonal flavours come and go, but the range the day we were there included: Apple Pie, Bubblegum, Banana, Black Forest, Boysenberry, Caffee Latte, Caramel Twist, Chai Latte, Chocolate, Choc Cookie Biscotto, Choc Nougat Heaven, Choc Rasperry, etc etc etc. A total of over forty, including the Christmas flavours of Plum Pudding, Christmas Cassata and more.

My idea was to try a selection before settling, but unfortunately the first I tried was the prize-winning English Toffee Supreme and Pecans and with a mouth full I said 'I'll have this one'.



Once you choose you can have a traditional cone, waffle cone, one scoop, two scoops, the same, contrasting flavours and extras - sprinkles, nuts and so on.

My icecream was just soooo good. The flavour was subtle, nostalgic and smoothly delicious. Angela had a light lemon sorbet deeply reminiscent of one she used to eat as a girl in Germany.

So, although I can't give you a comprehensive breakdown of the range, I can tell you that what I tried was absolutely first rate and that I shall be back to sample the rest on a regular basis.

Pop in and find out what truly great, prize-winning ice cream tastes like.

Very Highly Recommended Indeed.

#cafes
#cake_shops
#ice_cream
#kids
#lunch
#midland
#swan_valley
%wnperth