Childhood Memories Churned Into Memorable Flavours

Rose Shumba Huru is one of the chief ice cream makers at Gelato Crema, an innovative Zimbabwean company specialising in Italian style iced confections made from fresh, organic, local ingredients.

The company began experimenting with unusual ingredients in 2014, after getting inspired by their experience at the Good Food Festival to develop new local flavours. “We were amazed by the customers’ positive reaction,” says Rose. “Ever since we first launched it, customers have been calling for the rosella sorbet in particular and when there is none in the shop, I get special requests to make it.” Apart from the deep red colour, tangy flavour and velvety texture of the rosella sorbet, her customers love that it is made from a natural, local ingredient. “It is the rosella sorbet that people share most pictures of on our Instagram page!” laughs Rose. 

Rose has fond memories of the tastes and scents of traditional ingredients wafting from her grandmother’s kitchen in rural Rusape. “As kids we used to have baobab powder mixed into our porridge. My grandmother would pick makoni leaves to brew for tea for us to drink,” Rose reminisces. Rose says she feels lucky to have grown up with these wonderful local ingredients, since so many young people these days do not. Her dream is to start a cooking school to teach people about the wonders of Zimbabwe’s traditional cooking heritage as well as healthy ways of cooking. “Traditional food is my special food. It is part of me,” she says.

Rose wants to carry on experimenting with traditional ingredients served in exciting modern ways to attract the younger generations of Zimbabwean consumers. “I often drink zumbani tea with lemon so I thought – what about a zumbani and lemon sorbet? I think that would be really refreshing,” she says. Customers will surely be delighted with Rose’s new creations, inspired by the tastes of her childhood.