WHEN the sun shines and the temperature soars in this true British summer what better way to keep cool than with a Madras Curry ice cream.

Pardon?

Yes, the red-hot spicy dish meets the cold creamy one in a new flavour from one of Bolton’s oldest family firms.

Holden’s Ice Cream was first made in the village of Edgworth in the 1930s by shopkeepers Mary and John Holden.

This was before the days of refrigeration and the ice cream had to be packed in sawdust to stop it from thawing.

The Holdens’ son, Jack, continued the business opposite the village post office in Blackburn Road for many more years. Then two years ago, his sister’s godson — businessman Richard Cort — was invited to add the well-known brand to his own portfolio.

Fortunately, Holden’s was in safe hands — Mr Cort had fond and vivid memories of being taken as a child to the Edgworth shop to sample the iconic ice cream.

“For all those years, the only flavour was vanilla,” he said. “And when we started adding some new ones there were certainly local people who really didn’t agree with it.

“Now, though, they do seem to have come around to the idea. We’ve not changed the secret recipe — using local ingredients like milk from Mercer’s Farm at Broadhead Road — but we have added a few new ingredients.”

A mixture of special requests, ideas from Italy — the home of ice cream — and good, old-fashioned brainwork from Mr Cort and his business and wholesale development manager Laura Splaine have resulted in 55 new flavours.

Some of these incorporate old-fashioned favourites like Vimto as well as traditional ones like strawberry, chocolate and raspberry sorbet.

The result of the extended range is the discovery of some real corkers — Oreo ice cream, Ferrero Rocher, Salted Caramel After Dinner mints, Dissarono and Jaffa Cake ice cream.

The latest two flavours are Bounty ice cream and the Madras Curry, which is surprisingly pleasant with a curry kick that gets you in the back of the throat.

“We can actually replicate anything you find on the sweet shelf,” added Mr Cort.

“Although the Madras Curry was something I tasted in Italy and thought it would go well here — which it does.”

Holden’s responds to special times of the year as well, with Brandy Butter and Mince Pie ice creams at Christmas and even a Mulled Wine Sorbet for warming the cockles of your heart.

And though opinion in The Bolton News office was very divided on the Madras Curry ice cream, the proof of this very special pudding range was in the empty pots — and the contented staff.

As for the overall popularity of the new flavours, while they are winning new fans all the time, Laura explained that one flavour remains No.1 at Holden’s.

“The original vanilla ice cream is still the favourite,” she said. “Nothing beats that.”