Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour serves up a double scoop of glory at prestigious national awards ceremony
Success tasted doubly sweet for one Moray business at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour owner Sheila Gray’s stunning creative talents saw her scoop not only the Artistic Class mini but also the Artistic Class Large at the National Ice Cream Alliance awards held in the Belfry Hotel and Resort, Tamworth.
The awards aim to showcase the people behind the most loved ice cream flavours of the nation. However, beyond flavour, some visionaries are pushing the boundaries of what ice cream can be.
The Artistic Class category is where ice cream transforms into art. This competition challenges makers to craft stunning, edible masterpieces. The Artistic Class Mini is themed around florals while Artistic Class Large is inspired by weddings.
Multi-award winner Sheila has proved to be, a creative force with a passion for the food and beverage industry over the years. Her extraordinary designs wowed the judges, excelling against Ice Cream Alliance’s rigorous standards, refined over its 80-year history.
Speaking after the ceremony, Sheila said: “I am absolutely over the moon, 98 per cent of [my creations] are ice cream, so it was very challenging to make as the heat of your hand melts the ice cream.
“It was very stressful.”
Despite her modesty, ice cream decorating may actually be in her blood, as her mother was an ice cream decorator.
She added: “I didn’t take interest in [cake decorating] until I started my own ice cream shop.
“She will be delighted that I have taken her teaching on board.”
Her entry to the Artistic Class Mini was themed ‘Flowers’ and had to meet guidelines which demanded that it be no more than 10cm in size and made entirely of ice cream. Her second masterpiece, themed ‘Wedding Day’, had a maximum size limit of 25cm.
Founded in 2010, Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour is known for its inventive approach, serving everything from cakes and sundaes to coffees and sorbets. While classic flavours like chocolate, vanilla, and salted caramel are always on the menu, adventurous customers can indulge in more unexpected offerings such as Red Bull, haggis, and cornflake milk.
