Finally, a fun way to fight the flu.
A small-batch ice-cream company claims to have scooped up a cure for the worst epidemic in years — a bold new flavor called “Influenza Sorbet.”
The virus-soothing treat — made by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams — blends Maker’s Mark bourbon, lemon and cayenne pepper to mimic an old family flu remedy.
The dessert, which sells for $12 a pint, includes ginger and honey.
Owner Jeni Britton Bauer, who operates Manhattan ice-cream trucks, says it eases sore throats and clears up nasal passages.
“I’ve had people tell me it’s the only thing that makes them feel better. It actually does have a physical effect,” she said.
That’s likely due to a secret ingredient: a small dose of pectin, which is found in cough drops, Bauer said. “It coats your throat. It’s just what some people need,” she said.
The snack might be medicinal — but it sure doesn’t taste like meds. The flavor is like a whiskey sour with a spicy kick, Bauer said.
The new treat comes after the state last week declared a health emergency, noting that the number of flu cases had more than quadrupled — from 4,404 to 19,128 — in the past year.
Cases this week have since spiked to more than 23,500 — and many elderly New Yorkers have been hospitalized. That’s exactly why some flu experts say we should be lining up for shots — not scoops.
“It’s cute but I’d like to see the science behind it,” said Doris Bucher, who helped develop this year’s flu vaccine with a team of scientists at New York Medical College. She added, “It might spice you up or knock you out — but it’s no vaccine,” she said.
But others say it’s hitting New York just in time.
“It’s seasonal brilliance [for anyone] with an itchy throat,” wrote a reviewer with the food-and-drink blog thekitchn.com.
New Yorkers can buy the sorbet online. The Ohio-based company delivers in packs with dry ice.
Jeni’s began producing the flu-fighting sorbet in 2004 — but kept it a secret, stashed on the bottom shelf for sick regulars for years.
“We didn’t really tell anyone about it — we didn’t think it was marketable,” Bauer said.
But after this year’s flu crisis hit, she opted to share it nationally — and start a marketing effort.
Orders have spiked dramatically in the past two weeks, she said.
“It’s not a miracle. It’s an at-home remedy — like chicken soup,” she said.
A ‘cold’ treat to eat
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A ‘cold’ treat to eat
