Zingerman's Delicatessen | www.zingermansdeli.com | You Really CAN Taste The Difference!

May-June 2009

Ari: Gelato wasn't a big thing back in our (mutual) hometown of Chicago so neither of us has a lifetime of experience with it. What got you going on it?
Josh: Well, I could make up a story about being in Turin or Sicily or Rome and experiencing love and heartbreak over cups of gelato. Or being taught the tricks of the trade from an ancient master of the frozen culinary arts on Lake Cuomo. But the truth is that I've gleaned most of my gelato making expertise from the next best thing: John Loomis, the managing partner here at the Creamery.

Ari: Every time I talk to you about it, you get excited. It's clearly something for which you've developed a great passion. What about it makes you so happy?
Josh: It might sound corny, or maybe an overly simple answer, but it is very satisfying to watch people enjoy something that you've created by hand. And the way that we make gelato at the Creamery, from scratch every week, makes it even more satisfying. We don't use pre-made mixes, and we don't buy typical commercial gelato flavorings.

We use the same Calder Dairy milk in the gelato that we use in our cream cheese (and in our other cow's milk cheeses), Guernsey cream, and Demerara natural brown sugar from Mauritius. It's pretty much all done by hand. I still burn the sugar that we use in the Burnt Sugar. I make the chocolate chips by tempering Callebaut and Valrhona chocolates. The peanut butter we use comes from Jeff Koeze in Grand Rapids. The fruit and berries we use come from the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market or from other farms in the state. With the help of Rodger Bowser, long time chef at the Deli, we've developed relationships with local producers that have provided us some unique opportunities, like the ability to make Paw Paw gelato. Where else have you seen that? And it's not just unique, it's delicious.

Ari: In Italy for sure, and even now in the US, there are tons of places selling gelato. While I have a few that I really like here in the US and in Italy, most look and sound better than they taste. And what you're doing at the Creamery is really, really good. What makes it so special?
Josh: I think that there are two reasons our gelato really stands out, and neither is more important than the other: Ingredients and methods. We use the best ingredients that we can source to make both the base mix as well as the flavoring. And we use the traditional methods we learned in Sicily. While it is more common (and more affordable) to buy pre-made mixes and flavorings and to use lots of coloring and toppings to doll up the gelato, it rarely translates to great flavor. The other part of the gelato eating experience that often suffers and that is almost as important as the flavor is the texture. By using less air and less fat and more sugar, good gelato has a very creamy texture. To me, this is as important to the gelato eating experience as the flavor.

Ari: What about the sorbets?
Josh: What I love about the sorbet we make is that we straddle the line between sorbet and granita. Growing up, I was a big fan of what we used to call Italian Ice. It was more watery and not as smooth as sorbet and always had chunks of fruit. What we make is traditional sorbet, but by including the fruit in the sorbet, it's reminiscent of Italian Ice in Chicago. Not to be repetitive, but I always like to focus on the fact that we use fresh, local fruit. Soon, I also hope to be offering some non-fruit flavors of sorbet. I've been in contact with Shawn Askinosie [maker of incredible bean-to-bar chocolates in Springfield, MO] and will be making some sorbet with his single-origin cocoa.

Ari: The Creamery hosts its Gelato Kickoff each spring. What's the special this year? Any big events?
Josh: We will be doing the kick-off again this year on June 13. Its been a great way to get people excited about gelato and sorbet, and to get people out to the Creamery on Plaza Drive. It is the one day of the year that the Creamery really feels like a gelataria. We have lines out the door for hours and I get to refill the gelato case with fresh product repeatedly throughout the day. I'll also be able to bring people to the back as I make the gelato and allow them to taste it directly out of the machine.

Ari: Do you get a lot of families coming out to the Creamery to get gelato?
Josh: We do get a lot of families out to the Creamery. We've got a very loyal following that show up every Wednesday to take advantage of our "buy two get one" special. I love "Gelato Wednesday." We also get a lot showing up each weekend. We do tours on Sundays during which I do a gelato making demonstration.

Ari: What are some of your favorite flavors?
Josh: Burnt Sugar is my all-time favorite. And the Dark Chocolate is always a great one. I also love the Chocolate Heat. But I need to tell you that I have discovered a whole new appreciation for vanilla since beginning this job. I no longer consider it to be simply white and sweet. And I think our Madagascar bourbon vanilla is second to none.