I could scarcely contain my emotions when the invitation arrived.

I had been waiting over 20 years for this, since first arriving in Hawke’s Bay in 2005.

An invitation to the ‘private’ opening of a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop in Havelock North! I immediately blocked out the date on my calendar – 11am on Thursday, December 11.

I already had a Zoom with our online paywall developer in Spain booked for 9am, but there was no way I was going to let this drag out and interfere. It turned out to be one of my most efficient Zoom calls.

However, although joyful beyond words, apprehension did weigh on me as I counted the days to the opening.

Would they in fact be selling the Holy Grail of B&J ice creams, my all-time favourite that’s never found in NZ grocery store freezers … Cherry Garcia?!

I emailed that question to the B&J PR team, and received a sympathetic but non-committal response. “Hi Tom, If it’s in stock for us to have in store Cherry Garcia is on our list!”

So the suspense heightened as the days to the opening counted down. More nerve-racking than awaiting returns in my previous regional council election campaigns.

Then, at last, there I was on Thursday morning eagerly on location. Even a bit early to be safe.

I was part of a small gaggle of well-wishers awaiting outside the door, adorned with an blue ribbon to be cut. Surely, knowing my deep emotional connection to the brand, they would ask me to cut it. But alas no, that honour went to two cute youngsters, who could not possibly comprehend the immensity of my commitment to this enterprise.

Ribbon cut, the moment of truth arrived as we shuttled in for our free samples.

With enormous trepidation I eyed the labels through the freezer glass on the flavours waiting to be scooped out … chocolate this, caramel that. I had a sinking feeling.

But then, there it was … Cherry Garcia! Fist pumps!

My ice cream dream come true.

IMHO, there are only two ice creams on the planet deserving of serious savouring – Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs. But with Cherry Garcia, B&J’s gets the top nod. It’s the Te Mata Colereine, the First Light Wagyu, the Hōhepa Vintage Danbo of ice creams.

With Cherry Garcia now in the neighbourhood, I have just two food cravings remaining on my NZ/HB wish list – fresh trout on a restaurant menu and ‘giant prawns’ (what a joke) bigger than my pinky finger!

Can anyone help me with those?