What is it about ice cream?

Why does it hold so many of us in its thrall?

Come summer and the siren's call of something on a stick or in a cone becomes as loud as the screeching of seagulls over a chip.

In winter, what is a rhubarb crumble, deep-fried banana or apple pie without a big scoop of vanilla ice cream? Go through a messy break-up and that litre tub of double chocolate chip ice creambecomes a serve for one. In short, ice cream is our treat and it's our solace.

In fact, frozen desserts like sorbets and ice cream have been prized for centuries. Roman emperor Nero would send messengers to the mountains to bring back snow to turn into icy sherbets like a sort of BC-slushie.

It wasn't until the 1600s that water ices became common in Europe, and in 1671, Charles II of England was served strawberries with "ice cream" at a banquet at Windsor Castle the first mention of those magic two words together.

Best of all around here, it is also a vehicle for any number of culinary failures.

We have a joke that pretty much any sweet leftovers or kitchen disasters can be saved by stirring through slightly softened vanilla ice cream. Popped back in the freezer, this then reappears frozen as your own unique yummy ice-cream flavour.