Cooking in Firenze...GELATO DAY!!

Ciao mei amici!! The day that I was so, so excited for at school has finally arrived, gelato day!! Yes, a full class devoted to my favorite frozen treat. I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for me. For one thing, we made different bases (cream, milk and ice for sorbetto), made some sweet gelato, some unexpectedly sweet gelato (mint) and some savory gelato (parmigiana). It was a very, very fun day. Another dessert that I’m sharing with you all is one we made last week..wait for it….an Eggplant Mousse with Chocolate Ganache and Mint Syrup. I know what you’re thinking, but let me tell you, it was AMAZING!! The eggplant mousse was so light and creamy, you would never guess it was eggplant. Let me know what you think of all of these beautiful sweet treats! Buon Appetito!! Oh and for more pictures from my Italian adventure, be sure to follow me on facebook, pinterest and twitter. Grazie mille!

Parmigiana Gelato with Balsamic Vinegar and Toasted Walnuts

This “gelato” was not a traditional gelato at all, as it is not made without an ice cream machine. It is a base of cream and parmigiana with a clove of garlic and nutmeg to just flavor it. It is then mixed until completely smooth and put in the refrigerator to set. It’s a wonderful savory dessert or appetizer for something to really impress your guests. The texture of the gelato is a perfect balance between a soft cheese and a hard cheese.

             
Strawberry Sorbet

This sorbet was made with a classic sorbet base in the ice cream machine and then an Italian meringue mix was added in the middle of the process. It made for an incredibly light and fluffy sorbet.

Basil Gelato

The basil gelato was made with a mix of milk, cream and sugar. I would be curious to try making this with the basil without any sugar for a more savory version.

Fiori di latte Gelato

 

A classic made with a milk, cream and vanilla. So light and creamy, this is the perfect base for any flavors of gelato that you want to make!

Vanilla Gelato

This gelato was made with milk and cream but had the addition of a few egg yolks and glucose. It was a richer taste and texture then the fiori di latte but would also be a great base.

Chocolate Gelato

This was made using the fiori di latte gelato base. We then made a chocolate ganache and added it the base. We used a dark chocolate bar, which I love, as I like my chocolate gelato very rich, as this was.

Eggplant Mousse with Chocolate Ganache and Mint Syrup

Yes, again, eggplant mousse!! The eggplant was cubed and seeped in milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, strained and then pureed. It was topped with a chocolate ganache and mint syrup. This was amazingly delicious, I can’t wait to make it for friends!

BUON APPETITO!!

Chef Chat: Kimberly Zanni, President of Gelato di Babbo

Ciao a tutti!! I love gelato, but then again who doesn’t? I mean, on a hot summer day, is there anything better than that first lick of cold, creamy gelato. Heck, I eat it year round. It doesn’t have to be cold. In fact, I’ve been known to put a scoop of gelato in my cioccolata calda. So, when I heard about Kimberly Zanni, President of Zanni Foods Inc, DBA Gelato Di Babbo, I just had to try her gelato. Afterall, there aren’t a whole lot of gelato sold in supermarkets and when I get outside and I need my fix, this seems like the perfect choice!! Her gelato is delicious, creamy and made with pure, natural ingredients, as is evident in the taste. I had a chance to sample all of the flavors (while they were all INCREDIBLE, I have to say I just feel in love with the White Chocolate Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel!!) I had the opportunity to ask Kim some questions about her company and her delicious gelato! Enjoy!

 What do you think makes your gelato stand out from other products on the market? 

It’s healthy; I gave all of the gelato Italian names and the fact that I import my nut pastes under my own company. I don’t use gelato supply companies. I have my own recipes made into pastes for my gelato in Italy and then labeled under Zanni Foods Inc and I sell to other gelato makers and chefs. The fact that I went to Italy and walked on volcanic rock of the farms in Bronte, Sicily to bring back the best pistachio in the world. My competitors don’t do that. They buy from a company that tells them it is "Sicilian pistachio". I know how a pistachio plant is grown; the region and so on. I am that crazy about my products. My products are made from scratch and I worked hard on designing authentic quality gelato that is healthy too. People on weight watchers eat my products. It’s a number 3 on the point value system.

Your gelato is all natural and low in fat, how can it possibly taste so good?!? 

I am the pickiest person you will ever meet when it comes to food. So I would never put my name on something if it wasn’t great!

I'm sure this is a difficult question because they're all delicious, but what is your favorite flavor?

Of course they are all my babies so I love them all. But I can make anything you can think of into gelato or sorbetto. My current favorites are... pistachio, chocolate chip caramel sea salt,and banana and my organic lemon sorbetto. (Not sold in pints)

You started selling your gelato from a customized trike on Main Street in Lititz, Pennsylvania, what was the initial reaction from people? And what inspired you to take your gelato all the way? 

People loved it. I had a line and people started to look for my bike on the streets. It’s the classic American business story. I hope I can keep growing. It will be the most humble beginning to remember.

For more information on Kim and Gelato Di Babbo, be sure to pop by Zanni Foods  and her facebook page to say ciao!

Capogiro Gelato: Chef Chat with owner Stephanie Reitano

Cioccolata Scurro and Burnt Sugar

Ciao a tutti!! I think I have made my love for gelato pretty clear, so when I first heard about Capogiro Gelato in Philadelphia, I knew I had to get there someday and lucky for me, this past week I got there!! Not only did I get to have the best gelato I’ve had since Italy, I also had the chance to interview Stephanie Reitano (co owner, along with her husband John Reitano)



The lovely Stephanie Reitano

I have to tell you…this was real deal gelato. Smooth, creamy, rich, velvety and pure. One of the signs to tell if gelato (or ice cream for that matter) is better quality is how quickly it melts. When it melts quickly, that means it is made with a lot of air. I had my gelato each time for a good 25 minutes and there was no sign of melting.

I was in Philadelphia for a week, so I took the opportunity to try as many flavors as possible. One of the things that will strike you about Capogiro are the unusual flavors that they offer, like Cranberry and Heirloom Apple, Thai Coconut Milk, Chestnut and so much more. 

One day I went with a double scoop of Cioccolata Scuro. The Cioccolata Scurro tasted exactly like a flavor I had in Ischia that I have been on the lookout for, but alas, no one in the states seemed to offer a flavor like this….until Capogiro. It’s an intense, deep, chocolate gelato. It’s practically black. It was incredible. Over the next few days I also tried the Burnt Sugar, Pecan, Cashew, Sea Salt, Pistachio Siciliano and Cappuccino Stracciatella. All of these flavors were exceptional, I mean it. One of my favorite flavors is Pistachio but a big pet peeve of mine is that half the time pistachio flavors are made with almond extract, not the one at Capogiro. This gelato is made with the best pistachios for Sicily and you can taste it. So please….take a look at my interview with the lovely Stephanie Reitano and get to Capogiro as quickly as possible to experience bliss!

What inspired you to start Capogiro?



Cashew and Sea Salt

In September 2001, John and I went to Italy, our first vacation minus our three children. Needless to say, we were dizzy with possibilities due o all this sudden free time. After landing in Rome, we immediately hopped a train to Naples, then a boat to the island of Capri. While on our way to the hotel, we crossed La Pizzetta, the square at the heart of Capri and stumbled upon Buonocuore, a little gelato shop with a walk up window. In a warm handrolled cone made to order, I chose nocciola (hazelnut) and gianduia (chocolate hazelnut). In a way, that very cone led us to the next part of our marriage. Right then and there, John and I began our business by wondering why we could not find this flavor and this quality in the USA. After all, Cappuccino is here, so why not gelato? Creating that possibility became our mission. 

Did you have a favorite gelato flavor as a child and has it since changed? 

Gelato was not around when I was a child. My favorite ice cream flavor was Toasted Almond from a place called Hoffmann's. I have not changed much, as nut flavors are my favorite. Nocciola, Bacio and Pistacchio are my favorite gelato flours. I love sour sorbetto flavors. 

What makes your gelato stand out from the rest? 

Our ingredients. I am not a professionally trained chef, so when I started making gelato I used the same attention to quality ingredients as though I were cooking for my children. We are lucky to live in Philadelphia with access to some of the country's finest growing land. Not only is the soil fertile, the traditions are rich with much of the farming done by Amish and Mennonite families who have worked the same way for generations. Certified organic will never beat traditional organic when farmers livelihoods are a result of the way they choose to live. We use milk from a closed herd of grass-fed Scottish Ayrshire cows located 50 minutes outside of Philadelphia. Adhering to the rules of "artigianale", as defined by Italians, dictates that everything must be made in-house, the base as well as flavorings. There are no allowable shortcuts. If you want almond gelato, you have to roast and grind quality almonds to create the paste necessary for flavoring. Nor can anything be outsourced. Even if it is a Capogiro recipe, it sill must be made with Capogiro hands to qualify. 

Any favorite or special memories that involve gelato?

My first gelato in Capri. 

What are some of your more unique flavors and where do you get the inspiration for them?

I get inspiration from traveling, my kids, farmers, specialty cocktails...everywhere. Unique flavors are Rosemary Goat's Milk, Honey Cumin, Lime Cilantro, Mangosteen, Mamey Sapote, Salted Bitter Almond....

Pistachio Siciliano and Cappuccino Stracciatella

Where did you learn to make gelato?

I trained in Italy, with Italians here in the states, and with a French pastry chef. 

After going to Capogiro a few days in a row and seeing that you offer different flavors everyday, how do you decide which flavors to serve daily?

We make certain flavors every day at every cafe. Pistacchio, Nocciola, Thai Coconut  Milk, Scuro, Fior di Latte..etc. These are our core flavors that must be made and are available year round. Everything else depends on what is available seasonally and how ripe it happens to be. Additionally, certain stores have favorites.  Our employees drink the Capo Kool Aid, so if they request chocolate peanut butter (a staff fave), the kitchen obliges. This applies to certain regulars.  We like to keep our peeps happy. 

Any plans to open a Capogiro in the New York City area?

We would love to open in the New York City area. We ship a lot of gelato to NYC and we got a ton of compliments from that geographic area, as well as requests to open. It is definitely on our radar once we open up out of our current market.