On this beautifully sunny and warm day my thoughts turned to summer. They didn't go as far as picturing myself on a beach in my bikini, which is lucky as it may have deterred me from treating myself to the best ice cream known to man. For those of you that haven't heard of Joe's Ice Cream (and there'll probably be a lot of you as they only sell it in Swansea!) this is without doubt the nicest, creamiest, most delectable ice cream in the world. It is the creme de la creme of the dessert world, the pinnacle of all things sweet, the.... Okay I'll stop there, you get my drift.

Joe's ice cream was first invented in 1922 by Joe Cascarini, the son of Luigi Cascarini, who had emmigrated to Wales from Italy in 1898. Joe created this vanilla ice cream which was so special it had people flocking to the shop he opened in Mumbles, Swansea, to experience this phenomenal taste for themselves. Almost 90 years later, the business is still going strong and Joe's Ice Cream is still a must have for the many thousands of visitors that come to the city each year. Even people who do not live in Swansea (like myself) will travel to Mumbles just to indulge in this dreamlike dessert. (Nearly put desert then!)

The ice cream is made fresh throughout the day and is served straight from the churner, as opposed to being refrigerated in tubs or plastic containers. This allows the ice cream to remain soft and creamy and it's consistency is slightly softer than packaged ice cream as it doesn't have the ice crystals that you find in shop bought desserts. In recent years they have started packaging the ice cream so that it can be sold in local shops and restaurants but for me it just isn't quite the same.

There are a variety of different types and flavours on sale with a good selection of toppings such as nuts, fruit, chocolate or marshmallows. However, for me, creature of habit that I am, I always go for the same thing; a 3 scoop tub with 2 wafers and a flake. My literary prowess is not in such a league that I can convey to you, my dear reader, just how good this stuff tastes. It is simply divine! It is sweet, yet not overly so and as creamy as ice cream can be without being cream. (Think I'm stretching it a bit there!) It has a smooth consistency which means it glides effortlessly over your tongue and down your throat and it's cool richness will leave you extremely satisfied.

Joe's Ice Cream Parlour in Mumbles does serve other food and snacks but it is for this ice cream that people flock there in droves. It can be bought as part of a sundae, in a cornet or in a small tub and prices fluctuate according to what you have. The three scoop serving I had today was approximately £3.00 (I was so excited to have it I wasn't focusing on the cost, sorry) which many people may consider to be expensive. However, once you have tasted this, you will never let such foolish thoughts enter your head again! It's worth every single penny!!!

Nutritionally it's probably a nightmare which could be why I like it so much. As there is no information displayed I have no set facts to give you but come on. Who cares? It tastes superb! If you're on a diet maybe go for a smaller one. There, compromise.

To conclude, I hope I have made all of you living in the far reaches of Britain jealous, that on this beautiful sunny day I have been devouring some of Wales' finest. If you should ever venture into this neck of the woods don't miss out on this little treat. If you don't like it, I'll refund your money myself! (Or perhaps I could just read lots of your reviews and let Dooyoo do the paying!) Simply stunning!