RAWALPINDI: When the weather warms, ice cream is the first thing on everyone’s mind when it comes to dessert, or even a midday snack.

In order to meet this demand, the city offers a plethora of options, from traditional ice creams to frozen yoghurt, ice cream cones and traditional kulfi.

In Saddar, various shops have opened and are doing well selling traditional scoops of ice cream garnished with chocolate and nuts.

“We have been making ice cream for the last 16 years, and it attracts people in all seasons, whether January or June,” Mohammad Hadis, a manager at Tehzeeb Bakers, said.

He said most people come to the bakery in search of a cool and light dessert.

“It is important to us that the ingredients are fresh, and because of that we do not use any preservatives. We have to make the ice cream fresh every day. People can judge to quality and freshness of the food, and you cannot compromise on ingredients,” he added.

“I always prefer a scoop of ice cream that is neat and clean and served fresh, rather than stored for months in freezers. Ice cream can be eaten at home and outdoors, but I mostly enjoy it while shopping,” Israr Raja, a customer at Saddar, said.

Also in Saddar is Softo Ice Cream, a favourite among Rawalpindi residents.

The ice cream machine at the shop runs nonstop from morning to night, no matter the season.

“Ice cream is not a seasonal item at our shop. In the winter, the demand of ice cream does decrease, but it increases in the summer,” shop owner Sheikh Shoaib said.

Amjad Hussain, a customer, said there is nothing like a cone of ice cream to cool you down in the afternoon. He added that ice cream was also good for children as a source of dairy.

Then, of course, are the roadside ice cream kiosks that offer soft-serve ice cream in biscuit or paper cups covered in chocolate.

Meanwhile in Jinnah Park, the frozen yoghurt outlet Tutti Frutti has a self-service system where customers, particularly children, can take advantage of the flavours and toppings on offer. Junaid Riaz said the eatery was his childrens’ favourite.

“My children came shopping with the family just for ice cream. I have to bring them every weekend,” he said. He said his children loved adding toppings to their frozen yoghurt, adding that although the frozen yoghurt itself can be a little tart, the children enjoyed playing with different toppings.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2018