Food has an incredible potential to expand our perspectives and connect us across cultures. If that food happens to be ice cream from Milkjam Creamery? Even better.
Each month, Milkjam creates four limited run flavors focused on a specific theme. April’s flavors commemorate National Arab American Heritage Month, a grassroots effort launched in 2017 to honor the achievements, contributions, and heritage of the United States’ Arab American community.
In an Instagram reel, Milkjam founder Chef Sameh Wadi explains that he drew inspiration from his childhood in the Middle East. “I have very vivid memories of going to the ice cream shop with my parents as a young kid,” he says. “What we wanted is to hit some of that nostalgia with these flavors, and [to] try to remind myself of how much joy there is in being Palestinian American.”
Halawa (upper left)
Chocolate and tahini fudge ice cream with sesame crunch
This vegan flavor has a much lighter texture than the dairy-based scoops, more akin to an extra-smooth sorbet than an ice cream. The sesame flavor is quite pronounced, to the point where I couldn’t detect much if any chocolate. If you like sesame, you’ll find this pleasantly refreshing; if tahini-forward treats aren’t your jam, this probably won’t click for you.
Zaytoon (upper right)
Olive oil ice cream with sundried apricot swirl
Wadi notes in the Instagram reel that this flavor is an homage to the Palestinian people—olive trees play a central economic role in Palestinian culture and are also a symbol of resilience and connection to the land. The olive oil creates a texture that’s downright luxurious, evoking the rich, supple smoothness of satin. Flavorwise, it’s wonderfully balanced, the fruity, floral notes of the olive oil drawing out similar nuances of the apricot.
Kahwa (lower right)
Cardamom coffee ice cream with crunchy baklava
This flavor skews much harder towards cardamom than coffee, although the coffee undertones became more pronounced as my taste buds adjusted. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the nuts and honey of the baklava bits came through. Unfortunately, the baklava became unpleasantly soggy as the ice cream warmed—you need to eat quickly to get a truly crunchy texture.
Shosho (lower left)
Mango ice cream with pistachio swirl and rose petal toffee
In the Instagram reel, Wadi explains that this flavor is inspired by his mother and her love for flavors celebrating spring: mangoes, pistachios, and rose petals. The mango ice cream is remarkably fruity, and it’s a marvelous pairing for the brilliantly green, nutty pistachio swirl. The rose petal toffee gets a bit lost in the shuffle—I could detect a hint of caramelization, but no rose flavor. Regardless, this flavor captures the joy of spring, and it was my favorite of the bunch.