By Neil Sowerby
AWARD-WINNING ice cream company Gingers Comfort Emporium is setting up shop in the Northern Quarter for the winter. A unit in the iconic on the second floor of Afflecks Palace has been given a glamorous makeover with an ice cream bar, softly illuminated with their name in lights.
It will sell hot and cold ice cream dishes, retail pots, copies of their ice cream book,MELT, and limited edition Gingers Comfort Emporium ice cream spoons.
Owners Claire Kelsey and Dan Manicolo told us: We want ice cream lovers to have a beautiful, sophisticated and cosy place to come and enjoy our flavours over winter. Most of our customers wont have been in Afflecks Palace since that time they got their belly button pierced, or were buying day-glo rave gear! So we need to show them Afflecks has grown up with them.
Popular classics like the Chorlton Crack (salted caramel and peanut butter) will sit alongside a new winter collection including white truffle & hazelnet, liquorice and orange, cranberry crumble, a Brewdog Beer collaboration, and the dish that scooped them Best Dessert for a third year at the British Street Food Awards 2013 Extra virgin olive oil ice cream with Hawaiian black salt, strawberry sauce, and black olive chocolate flake.
Hot options include affogatos with coffee or hot chocolate, and hot toasted brioche ice cream sandwiches.
Operating since 2010, Claire and Dan produce all their ice cream from the old Co-op Kitchens at New Century House on Corporation Street. Their original pink, gold and burgundy Ford ice cream van was joined by a second van Ginge-Air inside Manchester Airport Terminal One throughout the summer and their book of recipes was published by Simon & Schuster in April.
Gingers Comfort Emporium, 2nd floor, Afflecks Palace, Oldham Street, Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm, www.gingerscomfortemporium.com