Unique Philippine Ice Creams

CEBU, Philippines - The blazing heat of summer makes people crave for something frosty. But summer or not, Filipinos are known for their penchant for cold desserts. Like ice cream.

Chocolate, mango, ube, and strawberry are the usual favorites of Filipino ice cream lovers. Through the years, ice cream manufacturers have come up with various other flavors. Now, even ingredients that are hard to associate with the sweet cold treat are now part of the roster of ice cream flavors.

Unique ice creams have since emerged in the country, defying everyone's conventional concept of ice cream. And these "out of the ordinary" flavors are quite gaining a following, perhaps because of curiosity or because the taste is really habit forming.

Green Mango and Bagoong. This ice cream is made from unripe mango and topped with "bagoong," a unique Filipino salty-sweet fish paste. The tingling sourness of the green mango and the kick of sweet yet salty bagoong delight the taste buds of many people. The ice cream is available at Sebastian's branches at SM Mall of Asia, Podium and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Lechon Ice Cream. The famous Philippine lechon has its ice cream counterpart too. Lechon is roasted pig Philippine style.  The ice cream is made from vanilla and mocha ice cream mixed with lechon tidbits. The fatty texture blending with the chocolaty sweetness works very well to make a unique taste. This special ice cream is a standout delicacy of Azon's Restaurant in Davao.

Crocodile Ice Cream. Mixing crocodile eggs with milk and cream may be a disturbing thought to many.  But it's actually an ice cream flavor at the Sweet Spot, a restaurant in Davao City. Interestingly, many customers make the trip to the restaurant just to relish the unique taste of this exotic treat.

Tilapia Ice Cream. This one is really something fishy. The tilapia, a fresh-water fish, that is often served hot, either broiled or fried, is now enjoyed cold as well, as an ice cream variety. Chives Café, a restaurant at the Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija is gaining notoriety for serving this unique ice cream. Tilapia Ice-cream is also one of the A-list of the café and branded as bestseller. It is made from milk, nuts, cheese and steamed tilapia bits blended together to a smooth creamy texture.  It is then frozen and served - to the great delight of customers.

Sili Ice Cream. It's a strange ice cream variety which capitalizes on the bold taste preferred by some. The sili ice cream is available in Legazpi City, Albay, a province in Bicol, the region known for its chili-pepper-rich cuisine. It's no wonder that such unique ice cream crops up in the place - but this time as a cold dessert, a mixture of chili and sweet ingredients, like milk and cream. (FREEMAN)