German ice cream shop's new flavour - topped with curry powder

An ice cream maker from the German city of Saarbruecken has come up with an unconventional new variety of ice cream: Maggi flavour.

The creamy cold treat is served in a cup with salt crackers. But the real innovation is the garnishes on offer: curry powder, salt, pepper and, of course, Maggi. Uwe Hoffmann (54) dreamed up the iced dairy homage to the famous seasoning brand.

"[Locals in the German state of Saarland] eat Maggi with almost everything," explains the trained chef. He says they sprinkle the packets of powder on everything from pasta to salad, from soups and to pizza. They even add it to their eggs at breakfast.

A spokesperson for Frankfurt-based Maggi confirmed Hoffmann's assertion: residents of Saarland do consume an above-average quantity of its products.

Hoffmann knows that his concoction will likely be divisive. "Loads of people love it, others can't stand it."

According to the Italian ice cream makers' association Uniteis, Maggi ice cream is unlikely to become a sustainable hit. Novelty varieties tend not to stick around, explains the body's general secretary Giorgio Cendron. Apparently customers try it once, but will then go back to classic choices such as nut or chocolate next time round.