FOOD NEWS: Stay cool with the divine ices of Cambridge’s Jack’s Gelato

With innovative flavours in his culinary arsenal including Jordanian Orange Flower, White Miso & Borage Honey and Pumpkin Seed Brittle, Jack van Praag is something of a gelato wizard! Though his scrumptious flavours change with the seasons (and include about a dozen different kinds of vanilla) the quality is second to none, made by hand in small batches, 364 days a year.

Trading from his Jack’s Gelato stores in Bene’t Street and All Saints Passage, as well as from a custom-built tricycle around Cambridge, Jack says there’s so much he loves about being an artisan ice cream maker: “I love leading the most wonderful team of individuals, that every day is different and that I have endless scope for creativity.”

Revealing his current favourite flavours, Jack enthuses “Elderflowers are flowering now and that is always a very exciting time of the year; we will be out picking and churning one of my all-time absolute favourite sorbets.”

Speculaas is another hot pick. “We spent a long time getting this one right. Baking is a huge part of what we do and these little Dutch biscuits give the kitchen the most wonderful smell when they are coming out of the oven and when they are folded into ice cream they are even better,” he explains. “Though nothing beats a classicstracciatella (we make this with various different chocolates, my current favourite being Pump Street Ecuador 100%).”

As a cooling treat for summer, Jack recommends his granita. “I would say the most refreshing thing we serve are the granita. We only serve granita when it is 25c or hotter.”

Find out more at jacksgelato.com