Budget airline launches ice cream range with some seriously bizarre flavours - we test it out with VERY surprising results
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Snails are a famous delicacy in France – and, if you’re heading there with easyJet, you can now try it in ice cream form first.
To celebrate the opening of a new base at London Southend Airport earlier this week, the airline offered holidaymakers travelling through the airport the chance to whet their appetite with a variety of gelatos in bonkers flavours, including Escargot, sangria and spicy tagine.
The frozen desserts were served on the first easyJet flights departing to new destinations now operating from the airport, including France, Morocco, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Eager to find out if the ice creams taste as weird as they sound, MailOnline Travel tried them out to share their verdicts.
‘Escargot’ (France – Paris)
The snail-infused garlic ice cream was green coloured and largely met with disgust from our taste-testers - not least from Jack Pusey, our TV Editor (pictured)
EasyJet has offered holidaymakers travelling through the airport the chance to whet their appetite with a variety of gelatos in bonkers flavour
The snail-infused garlic ice cream was green coloured and largely met with disgust from our taste-testers.
Jada Bas, a Trainee Reporter for Mail Online, was overwhelmed by the pungent and sickly smell of garlic. ‘Oh my god, it’s so strong.’
With heavy caution, she had just a tiny scoop of the ice-cream - which was still enough to make her gag.
To her, there was not a hint of snail, just a vomit-infused garlic bomb in her mouth.
Jack Pusey, TV Editor, had a similar reaction and said he felt sick at the incredibly strong flavour.
The smell alone was enough to send him running out the room, still, he persevered and took a generous scoop.
As soon as the flavour entered his palate he grimaced. ‘Oh my god! I can’t swallow that!’
Both Jack and Jada instinctively hurled over at the truly revolting taste and rated it one star.
Both Jack and Jada (pictured) instinctively hurled over at the truly revolting taste and rated it one star
But Ayaat Yassin-Kasaab, another Trainee Reporter, had a very surprising reaction and was pleasantly surprised to find she enjoyed the controversial dessert.
‘I don’t like ice cream, but I would have this again.’
The trainee has some robust taste busts - she took a hefty spoonful and even went in for seconds!
‘Spicy Tagine’ (Morocco – Marrakech)
Ayaat described the Moroccan ice cream as ‘like a spicy cinnamon mulled wine rather than cayenne pepper'
This ice-cream incorporated Moroccan spices to mimic the African dish, but was underwhelming for some.
Jada thought it resembled a spicy hummus and called it 'inoffensive' in comparison to the others she tried.
She rated it one star, ‘just because I don’t think ice cream should taste like this - it should be sweet.’
Jack Pusey managed to at least swallow this flavour, but admitted ‘it’s not going to be replacing my Ben and Jerry’s or Haagen-Daas fixation any time soon.’
Ayaat, however, found the ‘vaguely spicy smell’ rather nice.
‘It’s like a spicy cinnamon mulled wine rather than cayenne pepper.
‘I actually do like the flavour of this, I think they’ve done very well.’
‘Cacio e pepe’ (Italy - Pisa)
Our taste testers were put off from the get go by the unappetising black bits in the Cacio e pepe, which meant the ice cream largely tasted of pepper
For Jada, the ice cream failed to mimic well the cheesy creaminess of one of her favourite Italian dishes
Inspired by the iconic pasta dish, this sundae had notes of lemon zest, parmesan and cracked black pepper.
But our taste testers were put off from the get go by the unappetising black bits in it, which meant the ice cream largely tasted of pepper.
Ayaat rated it a ‘zero out of ten’ after noting sceptically ‘this looks like cream with black pepper in it.’
For Jada, it failed to mimic well the cheesy creaminess of one of her favourite Italian dishes.
After a try, she simply said ‘it has a very strong pepper flavour.’
Jack found it tolerable: ‘It’s not too bad. It’s peppery. I don’t know why anyone would order this [though].’
‘Sangria and Chocolate’ (Spain - Alicante, Almeria, Gran Caria, Malaga, Palma, Reus, Tenerife)
This flavour was likened by the team to a refreshing sorbet or slushy and came close to the top for favourites.
Ayaat, peering at the bottom of the container, also noted that all of the ingredients were Sangria ingredients - whatever they are!
Jack was the most complementary, as he noticed ‘[It’s] definitely a little bit boozy.’
He concluded: ‘It’s quite refreshing actually.’
Ayaat, peering at the bottom of the container, also noted that all of the ingredients were Sangria ingredients - whatever they are!
She thought ‘It looks like a slushie rather than an ice cream and it’s got some sort of weirdly coloured bits in it.’
But overall our trainee did rate the flavour combination: ‘I actually really like this one.’
But Jada was thrown off by the mixture of chocolate with the popular, cheap Spanish beverage.
‘At first it’s quite refreshing, a bit like a sorbet, but the chocolate is just really throwing me off. [It] doesn’t go well together.’
‘Pastel de Nata’ (Portugal – Faro)
From mildly pleasant to vomit-inducing, we wouldn't pick any of these from an ice-cream van - unless you have super-human taste
The frozen desserts were served on the first easyJet flights departing to new destinations now operating from the airport, including France, Morocco, Italy, Spain and Portugal
A rich custard tart-flavoured ice cream to mimic the traditional Portuguese desert, this was the chart topper for most of our MailOnline reviewers.
Jada seemed relieved to find a relatively normal dessert flavour. ‘I’d easily give that five stars!’
Jack was less impressed with the presentation, arguing that the bits of puff pastry looked like there had been ‘croutons stuffed into it’.
But he eventually relented: ‘Okay, this is actually quite nice’.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our team of brave testers thought these classic dishes were just completely wrong in ice-cream form.
From mildly pleasant to vomit-inducing, we wouldn't pick any of these from an ice-cream van - unless you're Ayaat of course, and have super-human taste.
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