Interview with the Ice Cream maker

24. Jan, 2012

Greg Hall says he didn’t chose to make ice-cream, it chose him. While I’d like to say the same every time I eat a packet of Nacho Cheese Doritos for dinner, Hall’s pursuit of the perfect scoop means we’re all better off.

The Kiwi spent 15 years traveling across Europe and Asia sampling ice-creams along the way, and another three years in NZ developing recipes for Kohu Road, the ice-cream brand he launched in 2008. He says his favourite is the Dark Chocolate, which is made with 72% French chocolate and took four years of testing before he’d sign off on it. I respect that dedication.

Kohu Road doesn’t have a lot of varieties, and they’re based on simple, natural flavours without additives or preservatives. There’s stuff like Golden Syrup, Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Banana and Raspberry Sorbet. He wants people to start appreciating ice-cream like a good wine – though I don’t think anything would last that long in my freezer.

Hall reckons he gets inspiration for new flavours from just about anything. “Life, seasons, people mostly, requests, suggestions and our principles/philosophies are our inspiration.”

And what does he think is the appeal of ice-cream? “Happiness; pure joy and pleasure in each mouthful. Great ice cream… just for a moment… takes you to a whole new world.”

Poetically put. I like it ’cause it tastes good.

Kohu Road is available at Thomas Dux, Leo’s Fine Foods, Piedemonte’s and selected IGA’s.