With the exception of today, it’s been really hot in Canberra lately. Apart from making most of us swelter and seek shade, the heat also diminishes my desire to eat (which was particularly distressing at the Multicultural Festival last weekend). But there is one exception: ice cream! And it’s even better when consumed at a speciality ice cream parlour like Stripey Sundae in Gold Creek.

I’d actually gone past the shop a number of times during my outings to Gold Creek Village, but unfortunately always at times I’d either just eaten or was about to go and eat (I didn’t realise back then that you could buy take home tubs). But the heat last weekend meant all I wanted to eat was ice cream (ok, and a chanchito from Mr.PAPA), so off I finally trotted off to try it out.

The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived was a list of flavours on a blackboard outside. While there was the more familiar vanilla bean and dark chocolate, I was intrigued by the more unusual offerings, which included pina colada (which I later found out actually contained alcohol), Tim Tam, cardamom, salted butter caramel and blood plum.

You can’t see the interior from the outside, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I stepped inside. What I found was a lovely, light, airy space with a friendly vintage feel. I particularly liked the stripes on the wall, the sofas next to a fireplace and the bunting (I have a thing for pretty bunting, I don’t know why)!

I also found the owner of Stripey Sundae, Yvette McKay, who started the business back in October 2012. “I was on maternity leave and I didn’t really have a job to go back to,” she told me. “I knew I wanted to start my own business, but I didn’t have a particular idea in mind.”

So how then did she end up deciding to open an ice cream parlour?

“I was looking around Gold Creek, which seemed like it would suit an ice creamery, and there wasn’t one there,” she explained. “I’d also noticed the Frugii ice cream stand at the EPIC markets and thought it would be a good idea to have my shop have a local focus with local produce.”

The result of course was Stripey Sundae, which, true to Yvette’s vision, offers not just the locally produced Frugii ice cream (and sorbet and gelato) but also Adore Tea and Wagonga coffee. Even some of the prints on the walls are accompanied by a little sign saying they were framed by local Gold Creek company The Framers.

But of course the most important thing in an ice cream parlour is the ice cream. While I’d heard of Frugii, I’d never tried it. As I was pondering my options, Yvette explained that the colours were more muted than other brands because the ice creams were all natural, with no added colours or preservatives and that John, Frugii’s ice cream ‘alchemist’, makes his flavours from scratch. For example, he makes his own vanilla extract for the vanilla bean ice cream, makes his own chocolate to flavour the dark chocolate ice cream, and crushes up macadamias to make the macadamia ice cream.

I found this pretty impressive, but wasn’t convinced that this would make Frugii taste that different to other ice creams I’d had. But, as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating (I love a good food phrase), so I tucked into my ice cream—one scoop each of Tim Tam and salted butter caramel—with gusto.

This is going to sound bizarre, but even though the flavours I’d picked were not what you would call healthy, the ice cream seemed healthy! It was a lot creamier than others I’d had, and there was a lightness and freshness to it as well; it didn’t have that stodgy feeling that some ice creams do. The flavours were strong enough to be distinguishable as to what they were (not always the case with some ice creams) but not so strong that you felt like you were eating ice cream that wished it was something else (this is probably sounding ridiculous but hopefully some of you know what I mean). I was really pleasantly surprised.

Yvette gave me a taste of all of the other flavours on offer that day, and they all had that same sweet and satisfying yet bizarrely healthy for ice cream taste and feel. I asked her how she picked what flavours to sell, and she said it was either just what she felt like having in the shop, or it might be themed. She’d originally only planned to have the Tim Tam ice cream for the Australia Day weekend, but it sold so well she decided to keep it on the menu a bit longer.

In honour of Valentine’s Day, the menu this weekend will feature strawberries and cream, Cherry Ripe, peach sorbet, Turkish delight, dark chocolate and blood plum (I love Cherry Ripes so I’ll definitely be going in for some of that). Other more unusual flavours that have been featured on the menu include black truffle, champagne, bacon, Earl Grey and lemon, Anzac biscuit, rosemary and lemon lime and bitters.

For those with a dairy intolerance, Yvette makes sure that there are always at least two sorbets on offer, and for those who want something a bit more solid, you can also get Devonshire tea and gluten and dairy-free brownies. I was also excited to learn that Stripey Sundae does party packages—it’s usually hot around my birthday, so I’m thinking an ice cream party might be a perfect way to celebrate my next one.

So never again will I venture to Gold Creek without stopping at Stripey Sundae, either to enjoy some ice cream there, or take some home. If you haven’t been out to Gold Creek, you really, really should. It’s one of my favourite places to go in Canberra, with a fun range of shops (including Tendance etc. which I absolutely love) and some great eateries in a lovely outdoor setting. Plus a dinosaur museum!

the essentials

The place: Stripey Sundae
Where: 11 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls (Gold Creek)
When:  Thursday to Sunday and public holidays, 10am-5pm
Food: Great range of Frugii ice creams, sorbets and gelato, plus devonshire tea, gluten and dairy free brownies, and
Drinks: Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, chocolate affogato
Contact: Call 0403 521 958, visit the website at www.stripeysundae.com.au or check out their Facebook page