What? A tasting of Sonia Booth’s new Marula Cheesecake Passion range of ice cream available in four different flavours — cafe latte, salted caramel, vanilla fudge and butterscotch. I met up with Booth at the Gourmet Grocer in Birdhaven, Johannesburg, with owner Larry Hodes, the first official stockist of the product.
Why? After a very public expose of an alleged cheating scandal with football player ex Matthew Booth, Booth is cleverly capitalising on the baked cheesecake saga which was central to the unfolding scandal. She reminded me that cheesecake trended on social media at the time not only in South Africa, but in Africa and around the globe for four days.
Booth has turned adversity on its head by creating an adult brand of ice cream — yes, the base is alcohol — which creatively features the words “cheesecake” and “passion” in the branding. It also offers a nod to South Africa’s favourite liqueur made from the marula fruit.
Well? Packed into fully recyclable 1-litre tubs, Booth is super proud of the product. The container has an earthy but quality feel to it. “I’m in charge of everything,” said the entrepreneur, “from the recipe, flavourants and making of it in my kitchen”. And the official taster of the product? Her 18-year-old son who she says can't get enough of it.
We didn’t need any encouragement to tuck in, long tasting spoons in hand. The Marula Cheesecake Passion Café Latte is a beautiful pearly white colour. The texture is impressively smooth, but not too soft. We both raved about the delectable creaminess and our only lament is we both felt it needed more coffee to give it a distinctive cafe latte taste.
What's next in the baked cheesecake saga? Sonia Booth’s new Marula Cheesecake Passion ice cream
Revenge can be very sweet, we discovered, after tucking into the frozen confection
Image: Christoph Hoffman
What? A tasting of Sonia Booth’s new Marula Cheesecake Passion range of ice cream available in four different flavours — cafe latte, salted caramel, vanilla fudge and butterscotch. I met up with Booth at the Gourmet Grocer in Birdhaven, Johannesburg, with owner Larry Hodes, the first official stockist of the product.
Why? After a very public expose of an alleged cheating scandal with football player ex Matthew Booth, Booth is cleverly capitalising on the baked cheesecake saga which was central to the unfolding scandal. She reminded me that cheesecake trended on social media at the time not only in South Africa, but in Africa and around the globe for four days.
Booth has turned adversity on its head by creating an adult brand of ice cream — yes, the base is alcohol — which creatively features the words “cheesecake” and “passion” in the branding. It also offers a nod to South Africa’s favourite liqueur made from the marula fruit.
Well? Packed into fully recyclable 1-litre tubs, Booth is super proud of the product. The container has an earthy but quality feel to it. “I’m in charge of everything,” said the entrepreneur, “from the recipe, flavourants and making of it in my kitchen”. And the official taster of the product? Her 18-year-old son who she says can't get enough of it.
We didn’t need any encouragement to tuck in, long tasting spoons in hand. The Marula Cheesecake Passion Café Latte is a beautiful pearly white colour. The texture is impressively smooth, but not too soft. We both raved about the delectable creaminess and our only lament is we both felt it needed more coffee to give it a distinctive cafe latte taste.
Matthew Booth cheating saga: a fairy tale poisoned by a cheesecake
Booth is not sharing her recipe or the ingredients but is emphatic about using only top quality ingredients in the making of her ice cream and frozen yoghurt.
And? A round of applause for the frozen confection. Sonia has added a frozen yoghurt to her collection for those looking for a 'healthier' option. The lady is making 25-50 tubs a day and can't keep up with the demand; she's been selling at different venues around Gauteng and information and orders can be made on Instagram via her handle @soniabooth.
“I had to turn adversity into something good,” she says. “I had to.” And she has.
Gourmet Grocer is selling the ice cream and frozen yoghurt @R79 for a 1-litre tub.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Mokgadi Itsweng and Zola Nene: Two chefs shaping what South Africans eat
RECIPES | Young chefs on the rise share secret to their popular dishes
RECIPES | Three easy, decadent treats using choc marshmallow eggs
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos