“Ice cream, is anything more delectable than ice cream? It’s marvelous and mysterious, ice cream ...” The Prince Edward Islanders singing ice cream’s praises in Anne of Green Gables, the musical, wouldn’t get an argument from anyone – certainly not those of us in central Alberta. Who doesn’t love the most-favoured of all summertime treats?
In these dog days of summer, and as the kids nab a last long weekend before school and autumn take hold, why not scoop up a local favourite, or even something a little different up the road? There’s ice cream all around town, of course, from frozen yogurt shops and slab-type premium creamery product with mix-ins, to the old-fashioned options at the pharmacy and soda shoppe in downtown St. Albert, a great choice on a sunny Saturday while strolling the farmers’ market. Here are a couple of other options:
Not everyone knows that St. Albert’s Geppetto’s Gelato (tucked in just off St. Albert Trail on Muir Drive) is one of the only places in the capital region to get Edmonton-made Pinocchio Gelato, a fan favourite. Like all quality gelato, the eight varied vats filling the freezer at Geppetto’s are natural, gluten-free and creamier than regular ice cream, as Italian gelato is a denser product than ice cream. Owner Victor Garcia said car clubs and those who discover their product line online come looking for their gelato fix at this Mission-area mom-and-pop ice cream shop.
“We want people to know good quality European ice cream. We’ve been here six years so we’re either the best or worst-kept secret in town,” said Garcia, who owns the small shop with his wife Debra. Outdoor benches, tables and chairs make an enticing spot to linger on a warm summer evening, but Garcia said this year’s rainy evenings have taken a toll on business.
“We’re usually busiest just after supper, and it’s rained right at that time a lot this summer – it’s been a rough year,” he said.
Still, families come in search of unique offerings, like Belgian chocolate, salted caramel and amaretto gelato, or kid favourites: superhero (a blueberry, banana, cherry mix), cotton candy or bubble gum ice cream.
“Many people – especially those of us over 50, it seems – have to get their classic favorites, like rum ’n’ raisin, maple walnut or tiger tiger, and they do come from all over, because this is the real thing,” Garcia said.
While some have tried-and-true favourites, others want to try the latest thing. For the latter such ice cream seekers, there’s Scoop n Roll, a mobile food truck serving up Thai-style rolled ice cream to those who can find it. Scoop n Roll Creamery feels almost like a secret club, where those in the know (via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) find out when and where the truck will be, and then hurry over before the day’s lineups get too long.
It doesn’t hurt business that it’s recently been featured on Buzzfeed as one of the top places in Canada to find “crazy cool” ice cream (the only Alberta spot mentioned), and as one of the “most mind-blowing” ice creams as judged by Food Network Canada.
“People do say it’s worth the drive and the wait,” said Andrew Rafeh, who plans to open a second truck on the city’s south side later this month. The current spot – and where it’s been all of this summer – is in a parking lot south of St. Albert, near Staples on 137 Avenue and 131 Street. Rafeh said while he’s had franchising inquiries and invitations to join other food trucks in the city core, he’s got enough business right where he is.
Rafeh and his busy staffers create orders quickly at one of the truck’s three stations/marble-topped freezers. A liquid base flavour (chocolate, vanilla, coffee, pistachio and more) is poured onto the frozen board, and worked with two mix-ins (chocolate candies, fruit, nuts) until it solidifies into a thin rectangle, then sliced and rolled into four ‘scoops.’ The cost is $7 and equals about four scoops of traditional ice cream.
Stephanie Paches, who drove in from St. Albert to try the ice cream, said “it sounded intriguing when I saw it on Facebook. It seems fresh and natural, made right in front of you. It’s worth a try.”
Wherever you get your frosty fix, enjoy these last carefree weekends and warm evenings. Winter will be here soon enough.
FACT BOX
Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. It’s made with a base of milk, cream and sugar, and flavoured with fruit and nut purees and other flavourings. Gelato has little air incorporated into the blend, so it’s a heavier, richer product than North American-type ice cream.<br />Thai-style rolled ice cream is a cooled custard (usually soy or dairy-based) that is poured onto a -20 degree surface, for a near-immediate freeze. A paint scraper-type tool is used to chop in mix-ins or leave it as is, and then the cold custard sheets are rolled into several small tubes.
