When it comes to food and drink, each of the world’s many countries and cultures is likely to have its own interpretation of a universally recognised dish.
The rustic pizzas found in Naples, for example, differ greatly from the cheese-laden, deep-dish pies of Chicago.
And when it comes to wine, you can bet that a red from the vineyards of France will offer a stark contrast to one produced with grapes from say, Chile or New Zealand.
The same is true of ice cream, as Peacock’s founder Jennifer Clapp well knows.
“North American ice cream is made with more than double the amount of cream used for gelato,” she said of the scoops now available at her new shop in Glasgow’s Southside.
“That gives it a richer, more luxurious taste.
“Then there tend to be more inclusions in this style of ice cream like caramel twirls or cookie pieces, and while gelato shops can change their menu daily, we have signature flavours.
“Our most popular is the Canadian Campfire which is roasted marshmallow ice cream with homemade Graham Cracker and chocolate chunks, so kind of like a s’more.”
Hoping to recreate a taste of Canadian home in the Southside of Glasgow is what first motivated Clapp to launch Peacock’s Ice Cream from her home kitchen at the height of the pandemic.
“I feel kind of crazy to do it because I've never done anything like this,” she said at the time.
"On the other hand, it is unprecedented times so you think why not? Why not just go wild?"
And so, the budding entrepreneur set about creating all of her products from scratch, advertising them to online local community groups and personally delivering them to individual addresses in a fully hands-on, small-batch operation.
“It all started with the Honey Mango flavour which was made using the Pakistani Honey Mangoes which are sold in Pollokshields and really popular during summertime.
“I combined them with Scottish shortbread chunks for an ice cream and it all grew from there.
“I moved to a commercial kitchen in Govan for three years where the focus was solely on wholesale, and when the lease was up for that, I thought it was time to try adding in a customer-facing element with a shop.”
That’s how, four years later, the very first Peacock’s scoop shop came to open on Battlefield Road.
Painted in a striking royal blue hue to match the feathers of its namesake from the animal kingdom, inside you’ll find a chest freezer filled with equally colourful ice cream creations like lemon curd and blueberry, cherry blossom or orange with a liquorice swirl.
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If a classic cone or a cup is not your thing it’s no matter with a menu that also extends to root beer or cola floats and indulgent hot chocolate drinks for the chillier months ahead.
“There’s this sort of mini food scene here with so many independent shops and cafes like Big Bear Bakery or Punts Pots, but there’s never been any sense of competition because of that.
“When we were fitting out the shop, so many people stopped by to wish us good luck or introduce themselves and we’ve since had them telling others to come and stop by.
“I feel so lucky to have found the perfect location in the heart of such a supportive community.”
Happy to be surrounded by new neighbours which also include the likes of Frank’s Pizza, Grain and Grind, French Monkey and more, Clapp is carving out her own identity in one of the city’s most exciting foodie hotspots.
Underestimating demand for her scoops, the shop owner says she had to order a new freezer with three times the storage space within weeks of opening, while ice cream production has been non-stop to ensure that they avoid selling out over the weekends.
Looking back to where it all began with the Ode to Pollokshields ice cream in July 2020, she said: “I really thought that Peacock’s would be a sort of stop gap project until things went back to normal after lockdown and I could go back to my 9-5 job.
“I could never have imagined back then that one day I would be opening my own shop.
“Although it’s been busy, and overwhelming at times, the whole thing has grown so organically.
“Because there’s already an established customer base for Peacock’s, it’s been so nice to have people in requesting flavours we’ve sold previously.
“It’s so amazing to be able to meet the people who have been ordering for years face-to-face and we’re so happy to be a part of the Battlefield community.”
Peacock’s Ice Cream is located at 62 Battlefield Road in Glasgow.
For more information visit peacocksicecream.com.
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