Salt & Straw, the awesomely innovative ice cream makers from Portland, Oregon, are celebrating all that’s fermented, funky, and delicious at their three Los Angeles scoop shops this month. Spoiler alert: there’s fish sauce ice cream!

Dreamed up by Salt & Straw’s resident flavor guru Tyler Malek, the limited edition series includes “California Avocado & Cardamom with Fermented Carrot Custard,” “Sourdough with Chocolate & Strawberries,” “Cacao Nib & Red Miso,” and an oddly refreshing “Dill Pickle Sorbet.”

Given my passion and penchant for Vietnamese cuisine, the far-out flavor that piqued my interest most was the “Fish Sauce Caramel with Palm Sugar”—fermented anchovy sauce meets its lusciously sweet, candied destiny. 

The secret to the flavor’s success is balance. The subtly sweet backdrop of palm sugar and molasses made way for the forward and punchy fish sauce caramel. Fresh lime zest added brightness and depth, bringing the flavor together like a well-orchestrated nuoc cham.

Growing up on a steady diet of fish sauce, I never could have foreseen its frozen dessert destiny. I loved how this little pint made me rethink a beloved ingredient and its seemingly endless possibilities.

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One year ago: National Doughnut Day 2015: The 10 Best Doughnuts Ever
Two years ago: Slacker.
Three years ago: ICDC (Ice Cream, Doughnuts and Coffee) National Doughnut Day Preview at BLD – Los Angeles
Four years ago: America’s Test Kitchen: Where the Magic Happens
Five years ago: Lemon Ricotta Muffins
Six years ago: Bodegón Alejandro – San Sebastian
Seven years ago: Lemonade – Los Angeles (West Hollywood)
Eight years ago: Döner Kebab – Bánh Mì Gà Nướng
Nine years ago: Shake Shack – New York City