Pass on pistachio and say no to strawberry; a Georgian favourite ice cream flavour has been re-created by English Heritage, the charity announced today (27 June) as it serves soft scoops of brown bread ice cream at Kenilworth Castle.

Created in partnership with family ice cream makers, Marshfield Farm, the new flavour is inspired by the Georgian obsession with 'icy cream', which included bizarre flavours such as cucumber, pineapple and parmesan.

Brown bread ice cream will be available throughout the summer at 13 sites including Dover Castle in Kent and Stonehenge in Wiltshire.

 Despite freezers not becoming a household staple until the 20th century, ice cream enjoyed a hey-day during the 1700s.

Some of today's favourite ice cream staples – such as chocolate and pistachio – were enjoyed during the Georgian period, however these appeared at ice cream parlours and confectionary shops alongside more unusual flavours including pineapple, jasmine, artichoke, rosewater, cucumber, orange-blossom, brown bread and even parmesan. 

English Heritage challenged Marshfield Farm, the award-winning ice cream manufacturer, to resurrect a popular Georgian flavour and give visitors to its historic sites a taste of the past.

After taste testing a variety of weird and wonderful Georgian flavours, including marmalade, black tea and pineapple, it was unanimously agreed that brown bread was the tastiest – with flavours reminiscent of biscotti or nougat.

Louise Cooling, Curator at English Heritage, said: "The Georgians certainly had a taste for the unusual, and this summer English Heritage have decided to indulge in that fact!

"Although parmesan and cucumber (thankfully) didn't make the cut for our Georgian ice-cream, we hope our traditional but new flavour will make visitors feel like they've stepped back in time when they enjoy a taste of our delicious concoction – though I imagine brown bread flavoured ice cream might not be for everyone!"

Dawn Hawking, Owner of Marshfield Farm, said: "We were super excited to work with English Heritage on such an unusual project.

"We love to be creative with our flavours and take inspiration from many different places, so why not from history? Brown bread ice cream is proving a divisive flavour, it's a real 'love it or hate it', but we're hoping it will get people talking and trying new flavours both from past and present!"

Georgian Brown Bread ice cream is available at 13 English Heritage sites this summer:

• Stonehenge, Wiltshire
• Osborne, Isle of Wight
• Audley End House and Gardens, Essex
• Scarborough Castle, North Yorkshire
• Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, South Yorkshire
• Witley Court and Gardens, Worcestershire
• Tintagel Castle, Cornwall
• Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Warwickshire
• Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland
• Dover Castle, Kent
• Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
• Kenwood, London
• Pendennis Castle, Cornwall (from July)