by Ayanda Dlamini
I’m hoping there’s some rational or psychological explanation as to why I crave ice-cream more in the middle of winter. I’ve found myself on many occasions, questioning my actions on a cold winter's night, walking out of an ice cream shop and proudly enjoying my double scoop, on the coldest night of winter. It’s an awkward concept really, the idea that ice-cream can be both comforting and so cold all at once.
On that note, bringing together the two things that comfort me the most during winter: Coffee and Ice-cream; Summa is good at both of these things. Summa is a well known gourmet Sundae Bar in Rosebank Johannesburg, not only do they make all your cravings come true, they also serve good coffee and incorporate coffee in a few options on their dessert menu.
I was welcomed in by Cheryl, she is a qualified Chef and Summa’s operational Manager. Her passion is made evident when talking about unique flavour combinations, her energy delightfully radiated when convincing me to try their Pistachio and Mango ice-cream together (sounds crazy, but I highly suggest you try it) and even more so when she spoke about their ever evolving menu.
After we exchanged our appreciation for Summa’s interior design and incredible merch, Cheryl filled me in on what they typically have in their hopper - “a Ugandan and Brazilian blend”. My main aim was to get an ice-cream but inevitably I found myself getting a cup of coffee too to keep me warm. I found their beautiful yet simple mug design, a direct reflection of their coffee, mellow and well balanced.
Most importantly, Summa innovatively incorporates coffee in their ice-cream flavours and desserts, in the most delicious and artistic ways. A signature dessert on their menu is a “Tiramisu Cruffle” (a croissant baked in a waffle maker) - an ingenious twist on the traditional coffee flavoured dessert, but even more delicious. Cheryl was also most generous to reveal the coffee they use when making their coffee flavoured ice-creams, which intentionally is a Colombian (Arabica) coffee, to honour its typical smoothness and nutty flavours, that they want translated into their desserts.
Typical of my trips to Summa, my visit left me wanting to make more frequent visits and explore their entire menu. Its name is a perfect portrayal of how its people are so radiant and warm, and their ice cream desserts are so exciting, you can’t help but feel like Summa.
