Dear iberry,

Isn't it time you got out a bit? You know, did a little traveling?

Bangkok's a perfectly wonderful place, and I know you have lots of fans there. But isn't it a wee bit stifling, limiting yourself to one city? It's been more than eight years, after all.

Kuala Lumpur, for instance, is a fantastic town. It's hotter than Bangkok, and you know what sticky weather does for ice cream sales. You might not be aware of this, but Malaysians have a real sweet tooth. They're crazy for tiramisu and cheesecake - your frozen versions would go over big, I think. I'm betting most KL-ites have never tasted anything the likes of your mangosteen sorbet. Is it fair to share all your goodness with Thais and leave the rest of us out in the cold?

OK, I'll admit it. This message is purely self-serving. After my Thai teacher introduced us five years ago we had a kind of thing going, if you remember. Thai iced tea ice cream one afternoon, tamarind sorbet the next, Horlick's the following evening. I balked at bananas and cheese, but you proved yourself. I never doubted you again.

Then, suddenly, it ended. I begged you to follow me to Saigon, but nothing doing. You've cruelly held out all these years. You know what I think of Swensen's, you know I can't bring myself to pay ten dollars for a pint of Haagen Dazs. You won't come to me, and you know I can't stay away from you. Especially during gooseberry and mango seasons.

It's time, iberry, for you to give something back. I've put way more into this relationship than you have. I'm putting my foot down. Set up a Malaysian franchise, now, or we're through!

Until my next trip up north.

Tearfully yours,

EatingAsia

Iberry ice cream shops, various locations around Bangkok.

Comments

[renato]

WOW !!! They got a mangosteen sorbet ? Well, I hope after they conquer SE Asia, there's enough to make it here to California.....

[unkaleong]

Laughed so hard and loud that my colleagues were wondering what was wrong with me :P

Good one! Maybe I can but franchise rights and bring it back home with me...

[Franco]

Hello Robyn and David,

My wife and I are planning a food trip to Bangkok next month. And since, we are such ice cream fanatics, iberry will definitely be on the list. Do you have any other places to suggest?

[joey]

What a coincidence! I am planning a trip to Bangkok and a friend of mine highly recommended iberry. Then I come across a link to your site from Market Manila and you are raving about it too! Like you, she also mentioned the Horlick's flavor! Well, fate is fate and this is most definitely going on the itinerary! Thanks :)

[Nate 2.0]

You got me at mangosteen sorbet. Oh, baby!

[juls]

the philippines needs one too!!!!

[RST]

Harrump. Could it be possible that there is excellent ice cream being made somewhere else in SEAsia outside the Philippines? The Philippines has always been the leader, has always had the richest culture of ice cream in the region, having not just a tradition of artisanal ice cream (made in a "garapinyera" and perhaps using incredibly rich high-fat carabao-milk) but also a long history of high-quality commercial ice cream in such favorite flavors as ube, makapuno, pandan, jackfruit, halo-halo etc.

I assume that Iberry uses the anthocyan/polyphenol rich "shell" (exocarp), and not the seeds of the mangosteen for its sorbet. I have never seen Filipino mangosteen ice cream; but Filipinos famously serve coffee ice cream with mangosteen jam from Davao spooned on top. It sounds strange, but the combination is one of those Proustian taste sensations that could bring a tear to a Filipino eye.

In Chicago, try Filipino ice cream made by Village Creamery, with locations in the northern suburbs of Niles and Skokie. Village Creamery ice cream is also available in many local Thai restaurants and food shops.

Richard

[Robyn]

Renato - there's no indication that iberry is expanding beyond Thailand, to Malaysia or anywhere else. :-(

unkaleong - if you do I promise daily patronage at your shop.

Franco - I'll send you an email.

joey - I've never had Horlick's as a beverage but it makes a wonderful ice cream!

Nate - yeah, definately one of my fave flavors.

juls - get in line behind Malaysia!

Richard - well, what can I say. This is pretty damn good stuff. But your description of coffee ice cream with mangosteen jam has got me salivating. Can it be found in Manila?
I think they use the mangosteen flesh. Whatever. It's wonderful ice cream.

[renato]

actually Magnolia ice cream in the Philippines had a seasonal product called Coffee mangosteen in the late 70's to maybe the early 80's (it was both seasonal and more expensive - part of their "Gold Label" line)...unfortunately they no longer make these....probably why people now just put mangosteen jam on their coffee ice cream...

[MegaMom]

I remember a trip to Bangkok 10 years ago, and at a Thai candy shoppe, the businessman owner asked me if I was Filipino. I said yes, and then all he could do was rave on and on and on about ice cream from the Philippines. He even showed me his freezer and there were two gallons of Magnolia ice cream (durian flavor) and he told me it was the best he's ever had. He picks them up from the airport every time he flies out of MNL. (They pack it there for you in dry ice, apparently, and it is good enough to fly in cargo on a short trip.) I've never had iberry, not having visited Bangkok in a few years, but I would say Manila selection is pretty darn good and expansive. I guess I don't feel that deprived, although I will try iberry on my next trip to BKK.

[riya]

interesting...

will get a scoop tomorrow.

[RST]

Manila today is not lacking in yuppie ice cream shops like this either. (Yuppie ice cream = minimalist chic, internationally acceptable range of flavors-exotic but not TOO exotic i.e. Thai iced tea ice cream etc)

Here's one random example from Lori's dessertcomesfirst.com

http://www.dessertcomesfirst.com/?p=579

[RST]

According to Gene Gonzalez (Cocina Sulipen~a: Culinary Gems from Old Pampanga, 1993), as early as "the mid-1800s people already had recipes for ice cream and knew about the existence of the garapin~era." He provides a recipe for helado mantecado, described as "rich ice cream made smooth and creamy with carabao's milk known for its high butterfat content and tangy flavor". It includes the ff ingredients:

6 liters fresh carabao's milk (this is simmered to reduce to half the quantity)

grated rind of 4 small dayap (Philippine lime)

12 egg yolks

1 kilo powdered sugar

1 tbsp rum or brandy

Large commercial ice cream producers in Manila appeared during the American period, perhaps as early as the 20s (?) and must have expanded as a result of the increasing popularity of American-style soda fountains and the emergence of modern groceries with their new systems of food storage, distribution etc

[Rasa Malaysia]

Such a fun post...you should open the first one in KL. Do they have franchise? :P

[ليبيا]

Great Point Thank you Man ... i Like Your Blog !

[Nick]

I am a big fan with Iberry but lately the service getting poorer and poorer. It maybe that Iberry expand and khun Pla not have time to focus.

[Kavey]

Heh, love it!

[tina]

This post is so funny!:-)

[jessie]

what about china? don't we deserve some affordable scoop ice-cream too?!

[lynx]

iberry icecream is yummy. until you meet one of their servers who's got an attitude. He's a gay serving in the Piyarom branch on Sukhumvit 101/1. He made a mistake in taking the customer's order and when the customer tried to correct the mistake by giving back some darn chocolate cake which wasn't ordered at all, this gay server grumbled and displayed his attitude. He must have thought that because the customer spoke English, the customer could not understand Thai.

His attitude is as rotten as the icecream is yummy. I would suggest you avoid this gay server in the Piyarom branch or you lose your appetite.