Would you eat coconut ash ice-cream?

🍦like my soul #coconutashicecream #nyfoodsharings 📷 @thisishandoff

A post shared by New York Food Sharings📍🗽 (@nyfoodsharings) on Apr 27, 2017 at 3:31pm PDT

It's summer in the Northern Hemisphere and that means many people are trying out new food and new food trends that will probaby make it down to South Africa during our summer, in a few months time. There's already talk of how storing gin in the fridge (or even the freezer) is actually not a bad thing; savoury yoghurt is a thing and tacos have taken over many of our Instagram feeds. But this one particular trend is one that has taken me for a loop- coconut ash ice-cream.

It started growing during summer 2016, but it was too late in the season for it to make any impact. However, it's now become a big thing, with many foodie Instagrammers posting pictures of them about to indulge in the ice-cream.

I love making coconut ash gelato it is just so beautiful. #dolcegelato #dolcegelatolb #blackgelato #blackicecream #coconutash #coconutash🍦 #coconutashicecream #gothicgelato #gothicicecream #darthvader #darthvadericecream #darthvadergelato #starwarsicecream #handmadegelato #handmadeicecream

A post shared by Lindsey Cameron Nelsen (@lindseycameronnelsen) on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:02pm PDT

Would you like some ash with that? Sure , why not! #coconutashicecream #morgensternsnyc #icecream #dirtymouthcleanitupwithorbit

A post shared by Thryn Saxon (@thryn_saxon_) on Mar 12, 2017 at 6:49am PDT

Finally visited Moregenstern’s Finest Ice Cream and had their renown black ice cream. Yes this ice cream—Coconut Ash is dark and delicious. The flavor is made with the charred and processed remains of a coconut shell and is a form of activated charcoal, the trendy ingredient made popular by health and wellness publications @goop and @wellandgoodnyc . - - Be aware that this treat does temporarily make your teeth and tongue black…..not the best look for shopping the swanky boutiques of Nolita. - - So is this the antithesis of all things unicorn permeating food, beauty, and accessories right now? Eh, not really. It's just part of the [black] magic.

A post shared by Michelle (@rotbotkohd) on May 5, 2017 at 3:27pm PDT

Morgenstern's, an ice-cream shop in New York, started the trend and it's become a must try for enthusiasts. Like the name states, coconut ash ice-cream is made coconut ash, which is, according to the store's owner, Nick Morgenstern: "a form of activated charcoal that most recently became a go-to ingredient in everything from juices, toothpaste, pizza and cocktails." 

He told Mic.com that he had been experimenting with coconut ash (made from burning the shell of a young coconut) and it was after having a fancy chocolate bar that used coconut ash, that he thought of using it in ice-cream.

“I knew I had to use it. We wanted to put a coconut ice cream on the menu and it all came together.”

It will be interesting to see which ice-cream shop will have the first coconut ash ice-cream in South Africa in a few months time. We can't wait to taste it.

@Buhlebonga