Unusual Frozen Treats

Off-the-wall ingredients (goat cheese and wine), original flavors (including seasonal citrus) and new options (dairy- and sugar-free treats) are driving customers to the freezer section as well as the ice cream shop.

By Nicole Potenza Denis

Diane Dean, Epicure Market, Miami Beach, FL

Citrus, ginger, pomegranate and unusual limited-edition flavor combinations are piquing everyone’s interest. Our picks:

• Ciao Bella’s Key Lime Graham Gelato Squares
• Daphne’s Thaw and Serve Tarts, Passionfruit
• The Gelato Shoppe Pear and Ginger Sorbet
• Jeni’s Ice Cream, Goat Cheese with Roasted Cherries
• Jeni’s Ice Cream, Influenza Sorbet
• Sheer Bliss Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Bliss Bites (right)

Fortino Godinez, Hubbell & Hudson Market and Bistro, The Woodlands, TX

One-ingredient sorbets, ice cream covered in a chewy rice confection and signature and seasonal flavor favorites are popular, along with dairy-free ice cream made with coconut and brown rice. Our top picks:

• Bubbies Mochi Raspberry White Chocolate (top right)
• Jeni’s Ice Cream, Goat Cheese with Cognac Figs
• Jolly Llama Sorbet SqueezUps Acai Berry Sorbet and Banana Coconut Sorbet (above right)
• NadaMoo Creamy Coconut

Steven Carse, King of Pops, Atlanta, GA

Our sales are driven by all kinds of stuff. We source locally when possible, and organic when local isn’t possible. Top popsicles flavor combos are:

• Banana Puddin’
• Chocolate Sea Salt
• Grapefruit Mint
• Raspberry Lime
• Tangerine Basil

Emily Atkinson, Humphry Slocombe, San Francisco, CA

We are a neighborhood ice cream shop known for being a little out there. People are curious and like that we use a lot of local ingredients, from fruits to coffee. Popular ice cream and sorbet flavors are:

• Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee
• Chocolate with Smoked Sea Salt;
• Jesus Juice Sorbet (red wine and Coca Cola) 
• Peanut Butter Curry
• The Secret Breakfast (bourbon and cornflakes)

Cross-Merchandising with Toppings

“Toppings that are not sweet cut through some of ice cream’s sweetness and allow you to experience the different flavor components of that topping. Putting Sriracha chili on cold ice cream, for example, mellows out its heat. Our customers are foodies and like to experiment with food and flavors. Our popular toppings are Nutella (we can go through three pounds a day), Bariani olive oil, Belberry Purple Fig sauce and The Ginger People’s ginger syrup. Our best seller is the Salty Pimp (vanilla soft serve in a cone, dulce de leche sauce, sea salt and chocolate dip)." —Doug Quint, The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, New York City

Nicole Potenza Denis is a contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine.

This article was featured in the May 2011 issue of Specialty Food Magazine. See other articles in this issue at: May 2011 Specialty Food Magazine.

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