I Love Capogiro

Dogfish Head Black & Red plus Zucca

2011-10-14T20:17:00.001-04:00

Dogfish Head Black & Red plus Zucca, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Champagne Mango and Pesca con Southern Comfort

2011-07-18T18:17:00.001-04:00

Champagne Mango and Pesca con Southern Comfort, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Yes, we all know that Capogiro takes advantage of the season's best offerings, but I'd like to point out that this is one of my favorite times of year simply for mangos. I like my mangos perhaps a little too ripened. When I cut up a mango, I want the juice to drip off the blade and onto my fingers. I want my fingers to feel sticky as I bite into the flesh. I want the fibers to be thick and giving. I want to lick off my fingers and lips and think of candy.

That's what the Champagne Mango gelato captures... except cold (and therefore more refreshing) and *ahem* much more cleanly. *blush*

I decided to pair this lovely fruit with Peach with Southern Comfort because I wanted to continue the summery fruit flavor with something a bit more mature. While peach is also one of my favorite fruits, on its own, it cannot compare to the mago. So I was happy to see that it had Southern Comfort infused into it. The Southern Comfort gives the peach a more robust sensation. In this case it's as if i'm drinking a perfectly chilled summer cocktail that refreshes while it relaxes.

Overall, a perfect way to relax from a hard day of writing (I'm on staycation :D)

Four Visits to Capo’s in 3 days ….oh my :-D

2010-12-06T21:48:00.002-05:00

After over a year Philly hiatus this Bronx girl finally made it back to Capogiro’s for a visit. And of course not knowing how soon I’d be back I had to do things in a big way…. FOUR visits to capo’s in three days!! Indeed, this is one happy, full bellied sorbetto lover. The tasty journey started with a late night frolic with The Sniffer to 13th street for a small cup of ½ Asian pear and ½ lime. The Asian pear was so delightfully sweet and the fantastically lip puckering lime made for a perfect balance of sweet and sour. It had been so long since I had a fresh cup from capo’s that due to my oh so focused consumption I somehow didn’t pay attention to what the sniffer had. I should note that I have had pints in the last year but they’ve been delivery and nothing can beat the feeling of staring into a full Capogiro’s case, sampling and trying to figure the best flavor combinations that could fit into your cup. The next day, visits begun with AMAZING Steel cut oatmeal and a wonderful cup of coffee for breakfast. However, the best taste of capo’s came at the end of the wonderful Philadelphia chocolate walking tour founded by Valerie Beck(be sure to check them out at www.philadelphiachocolatetours.com). The tour consists of stops at many fantastic chocolate shops around Philadelphia; some that you might not even know are there and ends at the 20th street Capogiro’s shop. Normally I always go straight for the gelato case but as part of the tour we were offered a cup of the Italian hot chocolate with a fresh plate of whipped cream. I loved the rich thickness of the melted chocolate and the touch of sweetness that the fresh cream added. Once that was devoured, elegantly of course, I made my way over to the case to find APPLE CIDER WITH CLOVE. “EUREKA!!!!!,” I whispered to myself though I wanted to yell it loud enough so that people at 13th street could hear me. APPLES are my most favorite thing in the world, not only do I eat them daily but my day just doesn’t feel complete if I haven’t had one. At the sight of the apple cider, I thought to myself, “maybe I should just leave Philadelphia a day early so that I can take a few pints of this back to nyc b/c who knows if it will be available tomorrow.” After a small cup of the spiced goodness a somewhat cooler head prevailed and I walked back to my hotel leaving room for my fourth and final capo visit to pick up pints to take home the next day (lime with cilantro, grapefruit, apple with calvados, and Asian pear). With all four trips, as always the Capogiro’s staff was amazing and helpful, even with packing my cooler with ice to make sure all the pints made it back safe. This trip was just a reminder that I have to start making more frequent trips to visit my friends and also so that my freezer stays packed with greatness. Till next trip, Turnpike

OMFG...Bagels

2010-05-31T00:40:00.002-04:00

Omar's right. These bagels are amazing. I literally just finished a cinnamon-raisin and am fighting the strong desire to eat another. I'm already on my 2nd pack of day-olds (6/$2) and have been telling everyone about how delicious they are, even when not freshly baked. I'm so going to 13th for lunch one of these days in order to try a fresh, soft, delicious bagel sandwich. FYI here's their post announcing the bagels?!, which are from H&H.

As for gelato/sorbetto, we've been enjoying all the amazing Fragola flavors this season. I also finally got a chance to try Rosa, which left us talking about it all night! It was so fragrant and sweet and creamy. The tag said that Rosa was made from flowers from the oldest rose garden in the country, Wyck. Floral flavors are very underused here and i'm glad Capogiro takes the opposite route. Lavender Stracciatella is still my top flavor ever but i would LOVE to see a Violet flavor one of these days.

Bagels

2010-04-12T17:41:00.002-04:00

Bagels, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

In case you didn't know, Capogiro is now selling delicious bagels. I had an everything bagel with cream cheese and it was divine. Next time, I'll remember to take a pic before gobbling it all down.

Quick Cup: Kiss Me, I'm Wicked Irish

2010-03-16T13:05:00.002-04:00

Quick Cup: Kiss Me, I'm Wicked Irish, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Today's Quick Cup was

Irish Eyes (Mint gelato blended with Jameson Irish Whiskey)

Nutty Irishman (Almond and Baileys Irish Cream)

Irish Potato (Coconut and cinnamon blended into a cream cheese gelato.)
Ok, this last one isn't really Irish...

Honey Cumin & Molasses

2010-02-15T14:22:00.002-05:00

Honey Cumin & Molasses, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Although Clove was excellent today, I felt that it would be lost against the Molasses. So I had a pairing of Honey Cumin and Molasses. Delicious as always even in the middle of winter.

The Honey Cumin was particularly good as it's one of those flavors you don't expect. However, like all the spices Capogiro has made into gelato, it's about looking at the flavor from a different perspective. We're used to tasting cumin as a component in many other foods such as Chai Tea. The sugar lover can even make Chai into a desert beverage.

When used in moderation, cumin has a strong earthy nut flavor with a hint of bitterness. Capogiro balanced it well against the milk and honey. Because Molasses is also strong and slightly bitter, it pairs well with Cumin. Together, it's a fine Wintery dessert.

Women at the top: 15 exec chefs reveal their ingredients for success | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/12/2009

2009-11-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

Women at the top: 15 exec chefs reveal their ingredients for success | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/12/2009

Roberta Adamo of Penne Restaurant & Wine Bar says, "GUILTY FOOD PLEASURE: ... Capogiro's Cioccolato Scuro (bitter chocolate) gelato."

Bad Idea: Did I ever tell you about the time--

2009-11-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

--I tried to make a tea version of an affogato? It was a pretty bad idea.

I ordered a cup of Cocomero Rosso (red watermelon) and a cup of tea. I like tea. I like watermelon. I like watermelon tea. Why not try it with a sorbetto? It didn't work out. Perhaps it's because I tried it with hot tea like an affogato. Maybe that's where I went wrong? Perhaps I should have tried it with iced tea. Why am I thinking of this now in November? When does watermelon come back into season?!

Bourbon Butterscotch Affogato - Before & After

2009-11-05T11:53:00.006-05:00

Bourbon Butterscotch Affogato - Before, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

I don't think I've ever had coffee and butterscotch at the same time before. I don't know that I'll opt for it again. While it is pretty, the butter flavor doesn't really match the coffee. That said, it didn't stop me from devouring it faster than I had intended. Individually they're both still good; together... not so much.

[I'm trying out a top down view of my latest Affogato. I've never been sold on it b/c you get no scale of the food's height.]

Quick Cup: Zucca & Basil

2009-11-04T14:26:00.004-05:00

Quick Cup: Zucca & Basil, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Before I went on the Edible World: @Foobooz Burger Cruise, I had a surprisingly well matched Zucca & Basil gelato... herbally cucurbity goodness...

Capogiro In The News: Hey, Queen Village, you might be getting a Capogiro just for you.

2009-10-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

Foobooz >> Blog Archive >> Breaking: Capogiro to South Street: "A tipster gives us a heads-up that a Capogiro is looking to open at 227-229 South Street in a portion of the old Chef’s Market. The information comes from the South Street Headhouse District meeting agenda which has a zoning variance for the gelateria on the agenda."

Capogiro Gelato In The News: Hey, West Philly, there's a new place to buy gelato!

2009-10-16T09:54:00.002-04:00

New restaurants are taking root in area around colleges - Philadelphia Business Journal:: "Along the same lines, a new gourmet market, Milk & Honey Market, opened at 4435 Baltimore Ave. It sells local foods from Capogiro Gelato, Four Worlds Bakery, Metropolitan Bakery and other purveyors."

Bronx Girl has Capogiro's!!!

2009-10-08T22:28:00.005-04:00

Oh Glorious Capogiros!!! I must say that this summer felt very incomplete and the more I think about it the more I believe that the missing puzzle piece was that for me it had no Capogiros. A summer without a Rockefeller Cart, no Whole Foods or Balducci's pints and unfortunately too busy for road trips. I must say it brought me down. I would walk by subpar Gelato shops here in New York City and stand outside the door wondering if I should enter but knowing that I would just be disappointed. As the fall began and my grandmother asked me if I thought it was too early to get decent sweet potatoes it reminded me of my contest win last year and made me start to wonder about my flavor contest prize win. After much inner turmoil of not wanting to bother the folks at Capo's I finally decided to e-mail and inquire. I have never before received a more heartfelt apology from a company and lucky for me as their way of apologizing for the delay in the pints they mailed me an assorted case until sweet potatoes come into season!! Now as The Sniffer wrote we do not usually receive any kind of freebies from Capogiro's but this was unrelated to this blog and just the incredible kindness of Capogiro's for a small oversight. How wonderful, amazing, fantastic, the receipt of the pints are just a sign of good months to come ahead! Of course as with every time I get anything from Capo's one pint must go to my Grandmother, another avid fan, so of course she got her favorite Peach Pint and in the next few days as I work my way through the Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla, Lemon Opal Basil, Stracciatella, Pompelmo Rosso con Campari and Pear with Bourbon I'll make sure to update you on all the flavors. So until then I'll just say thank you Capogiro's!!!!! Oh and of course I couldn't open the case without at least tasting the Peach I gave to my grandmother and it was such a wonderfully tasty way to say goodbye to summer.

The Myth Of Free Stuff

2009-10-05T12:35:00.004-04:00

So last weekend I went to the 215 Festival's Food Bloggers Brunch at National Mechanics. It was pretty alright.

There was one topic that I thought was particularly interesting. That topic was the idea (or myth) of free stuff for bloggers. For the most part, the bloggers aren't getting perks.

It occurred to me that we've never made it clear that we don't get gelato for free. Yup, you read correctly. We buy our gelato just like you. We're simply this into gelato.

There ya go. Transparency achieved.

[Author's Note: Watch Tiffany write about her gelato prize next...]

Burnt Sugar Affogato

2009-09-28T18:49:00.001-04:00

Burnt Sugar Affogato, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Ah to relax in a South Philly Gelateria sipping my Affogato...

Tiramisu

2009-08-31T15:13:00.003-04:00

Tiramisu, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Here sits a small cup of Tiramisu. To which I say, "Nom. Nom. Nom." Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts to begin with. By making it gelato, you are essentially making Tiramisu³. The cocoa powder and coffee ride the mascarpone like a wave into my mouth. Between the flavors already present, I felt that pairing it with anything else would disrupt their balance. My only regret was that I only got a small instead of a pint.

Orange Granita con Champagne Mango con Panna

2009-08-03T18:24:00.002-04:00

Orange Granita con Champagne Mango con Panna, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Oh, blessed accidents! Thai Coconut Milk Granita was sold out so I ended up going with Orange Granita. Let me tell you, I'm not unhappy. Everyone knows how much I love the Granita con Gelato. It is like Rita's for adults. But this Orange Granita is, as the kids say, bangin. This was the first time I've been given a straw with my Granita and it really helps. Capogiro has found the perfect blend of juice to water to freeze so the Granita is able to melt without making the flavor too watered down. Plus, somehow, the acidity is not that high. I suspect I have the fresh whipped cream to thank for that. Oh, and, I'd rather have a scoop of Champagne Mango on top than a preserved cherry any day of the week. A fantastic summer treat that is light and that doesn't weigh you down with fat. [Author's Note: The fat in Gelato slows me down, but I do understand that other people are weak--I mean healthy ;) ]

Mexican Coffee & Turkish Coffee

2009-08-02T00:14:00.002-04:00

Mexican Coffee & Turkish Coffee, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Coffee + coffee = yum! Sadly I didn't pay any attention to which coffee is which. So I will tell you that one coffee is a little less creamy but more bitter making it a more adult coffee (I'm guessing that the Turkish one). The one I think is Mexican is an elevated version of the frozen coffee dessert you're used to. With both, a higher level quality of ingredients changes everything.

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Affogato

2009-07-17T20:29:00.002-04:00

Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Affogato, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Another short post...

I do love me an affogato. The vanilla gives it a nice light taste which was perfect for this oppressively humid night.

(Note to self: Take pictures of the new South Philly and University City locations...)

Mango and Peach gelato

2009-07-16T21:14:00.002-04:00

Mango and Peach gelato, originally uploaded by fomartelan.

Sorry, I'm not so verbose today. I am trying to get back in the swing of posting. Regardless, this is the best time for mango. I highly recommend getting to one of the stores before it's gone.

Spring's First Gelato

2009-03-30T13:52:00.005-04:00

20090327 Irish Potato Stracciatella, originally uploaded by subfab.

Sorry I've been away from the blog. Winter and the economy got me down. Here's my first gelato of the Spring. Irish Potato and Stracciatella.

For the uninitiated Irish Potato is coconut and cinnamon "and CREAM CHEESE dude!!". :)

Gelato News Watch - Philadelphia City Paper

2009-01-29T12:34:00.001-05:00

Meal Ticket :: Blog Archive :: SUPPER: Slow-cooked seitan & veggie stew :: Philadelphia City Paper :: Philadelphia Arts, Restaurants, Music, Movies, Jobs, Classifieds, Blogs: "gelato"

Gelato News Watch - Jaunted

2009-01-28T12:33:00.002-05:00

Philly's Anti-Cheesesteak: Capogiro Gelato || Jaunted

In this new series of posts, I'll be posting links to other sites that have pertinent Gelato information.

65 in December

2008-12-30T15:24:00.010-05:00

(Foreword: This post was written in December, and I'm a lazy blogger... Forgive me for sitting on this post for a while!)

When warm weather hits, I crave milkshakes. So, when it was 65 on Sunday (thanks Global Warming!) I headed on over to the 13th street location, where they made me this awesome nutella frappe.

I've been thinking about getting one for over a year now, but there are usually so many flavors I haven't had yet that the nutella frappe takes a backseat to something new and shiny.

When it gets hot again, this is going to be the first thing that I get!

Whole Foods Saddness

2008-12-10T23:39:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in what seems like forever but mostly because I haven't had Capogiro's since the summer. Finally yesterday the craving overtook me and I went to the White Plains Whole Foods store only to find that it almost seems as if they are slowly taking away from the Capogiro inventory. The pints were hidden behind the bar that separates the freezer section doors and there was only 1 Flavor, Cilantro Lime. Don't get me wrong I like the cilantro lime but I feel like that's more for the summer. I went into Whole Foods with dreams of Heirloom Cider with clove, Pear with Bourbon, Sweet Potato with Pecan Praline (or even better possibly my Baked Sweet Potato with Pineapple though I know its a far stretch to think it could be in a store) instead I came out sad and empty handed. Ugh

Weekend Road Trip, Anyone?

2008-11-07T13:40:00.003-05:00

I thought we were nuts. Then I discovered the newly launched whygelato.com site. It's a site dedicated to just gelato. History, recipes, gelateria listings. This site is quite comprehensive.

The part that gets me is that this table of what your favorite flavors say about your personality. I think I fall into the "loyal, honest" category. I realize they're trying to promote gelato, but I wish there was at least one negative category. Eggplant = foul beast of the Apocalypse. Beef = unnatural, affront to the heavens. Huitlacoche = wtf is wrong with you?! But maybe I'm just a little biased...

I'm digging into this site a little more and it seems to be a clever marketing ploy to buy all your supplies from this supplier. I guess that's ok. I don't know. They probably recommend using water in their gelato. Pfft. Honestly, though, if I were going to make a food company of any kind, I would not name it PreGel. It makes me think of the bit of hair gel at the opening that dries and is pushed out first when you try to squirt out some more. Ew.

Regardless, the gelateria listings could potentially be useful. I'm plotting the ones that are relatively near me on a map. Maybe a road trip is in order.

Note: it's interesting timing for them to release this site. Maybe it'll help defray some of the bad press gelato is getting from Australia. Double ew.

Gelato-less in New York?

2008-10-29T12:24:00.004-04:00

According to New York Magazine, "Capogiro... has been making recent inroads onto the dessert menus of some of New York’s most popular restaurants, from Williamsburg’s Aurora to the West Village’s Dell’anima—and into some of our favorite affogatos..." In a separate article they write that I Sodi uses Capogiro for their affogatos.

No Brioche Mondays

2008-10-28T11:01:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, I was delighted to see peanut and marshmallow on the 13th street flavor list. I texted a friend of mine, and told her to meet me for the awesomeness of gelato on a brioche. There were so many great things to pair up and slap on that sweet little pastry.

I got to 13th street, and was told that there are no brioches on Mondays... ever.

How sad.

So, here's my non-brioche mix of marshmallow, peanut, and snicker doodle cookie. I already dug in a little bit by the time this pic was taken... It was so much neater when it was handed to me.

The peanut gelato was quite excellent, and had nice peanut butter swirls mixed into it. The marshmallow was a little weak, to be honest. It couldn't hold it's own in a fight with the mighty peanut.

And for that snicker doodle cookie, it was good... but i should have asked for another one and made a little gelato sandwich instead!

The Midtown Village - University City Connection

2008-10-28T08:45:00.004-04:00

The Daily Pennsylvanian, the University of Pennsylvania's independent student newspaper reports that Capogiro and Naked Chocolate are opening locations at 39th & Walnut and 34th & Walnut respectively.

Anyone have any pictures?

Breakfast and Lunch!

2008-10-27T13:55:00.003-04:00

I totally missed this post from the Citypaper earlier this month!

Capogiro’s Stephanie Reitano wants to make you breakfast. No, not pork roll-flavored gelato (ooh): She and husband John are in the very early stages of opening a small restaurant that’ll serve hot food ... (The kitchen should be ready by the end of 2008.) On the grounds, there’s a free-standing structure that was originally used as a stable; it once housed a café. This’ll be the home of the Reitanos’ as-yet-unnamed breakfast and lunch spot. “It will definitely serve Capogiro gelato, but will [also] have a hot kitchen serving fresh, simple, delicious food,” Stephanie says. “The concept is not completely baked."

Yikes! We're so there when it opens.

Paw Paw at last

2008-10-26T22:44:00.004-04:00

So after so many time that PawPaw was mistakenly put on the menu when it should have read Papaya, this time I saw it on the menu and called to verify. "Yeah we have it, we have plenty left." We ran over, not literally, but we didn't daudle. They had a lot left so I got a small of just pawpaw. I would have normally gotten a pint but money isn't going as far as it used to so I have to be satisfied with a small. The flavor was really delicious and interesting. The description of it being a cross between a mango and a banana is pretty accurate. The taste was so smooth and fatty on the tongue like a banana but it also had the tang of a good mango. The taste reminds me of a fruit that I had in El Salvador whose name I can't remember. I have to say PawPaw was definitely worth the wait. I don't know if it makes my top five or not since there are so many Capogiro flavors that I love that a top five would only be the beginning but it is definitley something I will keep my eye out for. I tend to get tired of the same old flavors and this one definitely was out of the ordinary. Try it if you want to try a real american native fruit. I think that PA is one of the few places that still grow this rare find.

Moro Granita con Fior di Latte Gelato con Panna

2008-10-25T22:00:00.007-04:00

Can you think of a better way to make a bad day at work go away?

Pitango: Chocolate and Hazelnut

2008-10-20T13:12:00.008-04:00

Pitango Chocolate and Hazelnut, originally uploaded by subfab.

Whenever I'm somewhere away from Philly, I always check out the gelato. It's important to see what the rest of the world is eating. It's educational. I do it to broaden my mind. I also do it to appreciate what I already have.

Pictured above we have Baltimore's Pitango gelato. Chocolate and Hazelnut. They are the two flavors, I feel, every gelato place should have.

Pitango is located in the Fells Point neighborhood. Pitango has a simple, clean design. Think West Elm. The barista who served me seemed like he was brand spankin' new. He asked if I'd had gelato before... Honestly, I wasn't trying to be a smart ass... I replied very plainly that I've had a lot of gelato just not here. He told me that they have a lot of exotic flavors. He pointed out Crème Fraîche. I said it tastes like yogurt. He said that he felt it was more like cheesecake. And then he pointed to their sorbettos and said they're made from fresh produce from Pennsylvania... I wondered to myself, "Why am I, a Philadelphian, in Baltimore eating food grown in Pennsylvania?" Whatever. I am trying to keep an open mind. I tried their Chocolate Noir which was ok. It had dark chocolate flecks in it which was a nice, but the flakes did not elevate the Chocolate Noir. I also tried their Concord Grape. If they had Peanut, I would have gone with the PB&J combo. But in the end, defaulted to Chocolate and Hazelnut.

I should mention now that I like that Pitango has their own water. It's a nice touch. Gelato, ice cream, and any other type of cold dessert needs a glass of room temperature water to help warm the tounge and restore your tastebud's sensitivity. Oddly, all the water they had up front was cold water. Cold water is useless when you need it to cleanse and warm the palate. At least they had some in the back.

When Pitango's gelato started to melt, it has a watery quality. This has happened in San Diego, New York, and, now, Baltimore. I don't get it. Are they adding water? Is it a bi-product of their process? Perhaps. Some recipes do call for water.

The Hazelnut was okay. Because of the watery factor, it wasn't rich. The flavor didn't blow me away.

Then, there was the Chocolate. Now, I'm not a huge fan of Capogiro's regular Chocolate. I think I don't enjoy Capogiro's because it seems to be more of a gateway flavor that is more accessible to people who don't normally have, say, Cioccolato Scuro. But Pitango's chocolate tasted like Yoo-Hoo. Now, don't get it twisted I love Yoo-Hoo, but it seems to me that if I'm going to pay $4.50 for a small, it should taste a little more refined than a chocolate flavored beverage.

All in all, I'd say Pitango is a 3 out of 5. I prefer Philly, San Diego, and New York to Baltimore. I prefer Baltimore to Los Angeles.

We Missed This Too

2008-10-20T12:12:00.002-04:00

The Hungry Detective: Philadelphia: Episode DC0101

Highly Recommended With Fior di Latte

2008-10-15T12:38:00.002-04:00

Highly Recommended With Fior di Latte, originally uploaded by subfab.

Are you frakking kidding me?! When did this happen?! Why didn't I get the memo?!

Everyone, go order this now!

Sugar Plums Dancing in My Head

2008-09-24T15:53:00.002-04:00

Sugar Plums Dancing in My Head, originally uploaded by subfab.

Have you ever gotten slapped in the face repeatedly... in a good way? Welcome to Sugar Plum land.

Toasted Prosciutto Mozzarellla Tomato Sandwich with a Dulce De LecheAffogato

2008-09-22T12:04:00.003-04:00

Toasted Prosciutto Mozzarellla Tomato with a Dulce De Leche Affogato, originally uploaded by subfab.
Lunch of Champions

Chocolate Cookies, Almond Gelato... I think? I don't remember it was solong ago... back in the dark ages... my memory is a cloudy mistyatmospheric blah blah.

2008-09-19T12:31:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Cookies, Almond Gelato... I think? I don't remember it was so long ago... back in the dark ages... my memory is a cloudy misty atmospheric blah blah., originally uploaded by subfab.

PB&J Brioche II The Revenge!

2008-09-12T12:20:00.008-04:00

PB&J Brioche II The Revenge!, originally uploaded by subfab.

Despite not liking PB&J, the PB&J Brioche remains one of my favorite combos. Uva Concord works the best of all the grape flavors.

Fans of Peanut / Peanut Butter, please note, this is different that the flavor I've seen in the past. Instead of it being a solid peanut flavor, this version had a peanut butter ribbon. Perhaps, then, a solid peanut flavor is Peanut; and a peanut butter ribbon is Peanut Butter. Both are excellent.

You can find the OG here.

"Tags"! Flavors! Definitions! Oh my!

2008-08-01T17:00:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody,

What you may not realize is that we don't actually read the Capogiro newsletter every morning. There can be weeks where none of us check the site. It's crazy, I know. Madness.

What happens when we don't check the site everyday? Sometimes there's a flavor we don't know how to translate. (Ok, it's mostly me because I'm the tags fascist.) So, if there's ever a "tag" or flavor you think could be better defined, please let us know by posting under this or any other post.

Cool?

Cool.

Yellow Peach Regret

2008-07-28T21:31:00.004-04:00

First of all I must rave about the awesomeness that was the pint of Mojito that traveled back to NYC with me. The freshness of the mint combined with the tart lime was the perfect mixture for summer and the pint barely made it 3 days without being completely devoured. Unfortunately I can’t be as positive about the yellow peach pint. Some people may remember how I rejoiced last summer about the flavor and texture of the yellow peach but this time around my heart (or perhaps my taste buds) was saddened by the poorly made pint of peach. I feel so much remorse for having to write this, my first negative entry, and that is perhaps why it’s taken me so much time to finish it. I ordered a small cup of ½ yellow peach and ½ grapefruit while at the 13th street shop and it was good. However, I’ve now realized that the brilliance and tartness of the grapefruit was overpowering the flavor and texture of the yellow peach. When I got the pint back to NYC and opened it up to “sample” it before giving it to my grandmother I was sorely disappointed. The batch was gritty, and sour, just not the sweet summery peachy flavor of capgoriro’s peach pints I’ve had in the past. So disappointing that it has stayed, untouched, since that day, in my freezer. For some reason though I can’t bear to eat it, I can’t bring myself to throw it away, especially since this was one of the two pints that my grand prize winning certificate was used for.

On a lighter, more positive post, I’ve now made three trips to the Capogiro’s stand in Rockefeller Center and the Pineapple Mint continues to be amazing as does the Lemon. The only drawback is the horribly sweet drinks (not made by Capogiro) that the Rockefeller Café has paired with the gelato and sorbetto. Luckily, I believe the Rockefeller Café staff member who was scooping has figured this out and urged me to taste the drinks before purchasing them. So here’s to looking forward to a summer full of wonderful cups of sorbetto at Rockefeller Center.

Granita II: Son of Granita, the Coffee Edition (otherwise known as "I make these things look GI-gun-dous!")

2008-07-21T19:00:00.002-04:00

...from Wikipedia...

Granita (in Italian also granita siciliana) is a semi-frozen dessert of sugar, water, and flavorings originally from Sicily, although available all over Italy. Related to sorbet and italian ice, in most of Sicily it has a coarser, more crystalline texture. Food writer Jeffrey Steingarten says that "the desired texture seems to vary from city to city" on the island; on the west coast and in Palermo, it is at its chunkiest, and in the east it is nearly as smooth as sorbet. This is largely the result of different freezing techniques: the smoother types are produced in a gelato machine, while the coarser varieties are frozen with only occasional agitation, then scraped or shaved to produce separated crystals.

Considering how far west we are, we Philadelphians actually do prefer our granitas on the coarse side. I certainly do. I like that Capogiro's ice is more chunky, it really differentiates it from any sort of Italian Ice I've ever had.

I think it's safe to assume they are using La Colombe as their base. I really enjoy La Colombe. It's a really solid, bankable coffee. When the Coffee Ice hits my tongue, at first, it's cooling. Since it's water crystals, it's not freezing. My tastebuds are awoken--not numbed--to the roasted flavor of the coffee.

Then comes the whipped cream. Is there anything better than fresh whipped cream. So amazing. I don't know that I have the words for it. Either you like whipped cream and you will certainly love the almost cloudlike characteristics of Capogiro's whipped cream or you are lactose intollerant (like myself) and need to get some pills... now. Honestly, I don't know how anyone can go back to canned whipped cream after having the fresh stuff. Well, I'm sure there are reasons but certainly nothing that is appropriate for a gelato blog.

When you put them together, the whipped cream on top of coffee ice on top of whipped cream on top of coffee ice. The flavors whisp into each other--from the soft of whipped cream into the slight crunch of coffee ice and back to the airy milk. I do not recommend blending the two completely; there is a rhythm as the flavors and textures dialogue.

The Coffee Granita is a fantastic, light, summer treat when you need to be in some air conditioning and eating something tasty.

On the road again......

2008-07-14T21:12:00.009-04:00

What could be better then ending a long weekend of traveling with a stop in Philly for some capogiro's on the way back to NYC. Unfortunately, the trip had to be a short one but I was lucky to catch up with Sugar while I had an amazing mixture of Ruby Red grapefruit with campari and yellow peach. In retrospect I would have like to try a pairing of the grapefruit with fior di latte. I used my lovely certificate and was able to take home 2 pints, 1 of mojito sorbetto and 1 of yellow peach. I love the yellow peach and to me it speaks of everything summer.......though peach cobbler would be nice maybe if we mixed it with the Saigon Cinnamon? Guys try it and tell me if it's wonderful since I have to live in envy of all of your daily flavor selections. But I digress, this was my first time trying to mojito and it had that wonderful tartness that makes me treasure every bite. I'm having a very difficult time trying not to finish the pint too quickly so that it lasts until my next philly run. :-)

Oh and have I mentioned lately how much I love Lorenzo, the Capogiro Wholesale Director, effective today Whole Foods Union Square has peach, blueberry thyme, fig, and one of my all time favorites LEMON OPAL BASIL. Can you guess where I'll be sometime this week?

Not To Be Missed Awesome Summer Combos!

2008-07-13T11:31:00.003-04:00

Our friend Ryan recommended two summer combos that are must haves before the season is out. We ran home with our little cups and dove right in. But then, it was sad when we realized we were halfway done, and we hadn't taken a picture. C’est la vie.

The first combo was Lemon and Mirtillo con Grand Marnier. Lemon has to be the palate cleanser to end all palate cleansers. It is at first sweet and refreshing as you'd imagine a citrus sorbetto would be; but then, the tart appears. That Lemon has some serious pucker appeal. The Lemon's paves the way for Mirtillo con Grand Marnier. Sadly, my taste buds are not developed enough to taste the Grand Marnier. Regardless, it's really good. The Blueberry was mild and soothing providing an enjoyable counterpoint to the Lemon. Having had some of Little Spoon's freshly picked blueberries, I really enjoyed tasting the transformation of fruit to sorbetto. I recommend going out and sampling freshly picked ingredients before tasting the sorbettos, it'll help you appreciate the culinary artistry of sorbetto making.

The second was Cioccolato Scuro and Lampone Rosso. Dark Chocolate, as always, is amazing. Cioccolato Scuro should be in any chocolate lover's top 5. My only detraction to Cioccolato Scuro is that I never know how to pair it. It's so strong; it's the espresso of chocolate gelato. How do you pair it? Well you pair it with something equally powerful. Red Raspberry fits that bill. Sharp in flavor, the sweet and tart Lampone Rosso clears the flavor queue of your mouth. To me, raspberry (and blueberry for that matter) is tricky because if done incorrectly there is no harmony between its sweet and sour. Capogiro manages to bring out raspberry's two opposing dynamics and balances them while keeping them potent enough to match Ciccolato Scuro's bitter. Your mouth is on a journey with these two. You begin with Cioccolato Scuro, earthy and primal; and Lampone Rosso brings you back into the light.

I close with a general note to all of you sorbetto / gelato eaters out there. When in doubt, always ask the staff for their recommendations. They are the connoisseurs who best understand how flavors evolve and develop due to process and ingredients.

News Flash

2008-07-08T11:42:00.003-04:00

The winning flavor suggestions are announced on Stephanie Reitano's newest post! Congratulations to our very own Turnpike for claiming the grand prize!

Fior Di Latte and Homemade Black Raspberry Jam

2008-07-08T09:56:00.016-04:00

Two weekends ago, I went with Sugar and Tears to a farm in Chester
County, PA and we picked our own Black Raspberries and Blueberries. I've been making an effort to only eat local foods and there's no better way to appreciate your meal than picking it yourself.

I walked away with 2.5 pounds of each kind of berry and no idea what to make with it all. Not wanting it to go bad, I threw them all into the freezer and waited for inspiration... JAM!

The truest sign of Capogiro addiction is when you're making jam and all you can think is... "you know what would make this jam better? Fior Di Latte!"

A few hours later, The Sniffer and I were at 13th Street and chatting up Ryan and Ellie telling them about my jam making exploits. Those two are so awesome, I had to come back with some jam for them to share.

Back at our house, jam went on Fior Di Latte and was gone in no time. I suggest that you get some fresh fruit and mix it with with this delicious milk gelato. It was a perfectly sweet bed for these powerful little berries.

Oh Happy Day!!!!

2008-07-07T22:42:00.014-04:00

What a wonderful, beautiful fantastic thing to behold. Fresh scooped Capogiro's right in my back yard (well sort of). On Sunday I received word that Capogiro's will be scooping their sorbetto and gelato in Rockefeller center this Summer!!! There is little sign that this unassuming drink and sorbetto/gelato stand sells Capogiro's besides the cups but what a wonderful surprise those who try it will have. The stand is located on the steps that would down into the rink (restaurant in the summer) and the prometeus stands right behind it. The stand is open daily during the summer from noon - 8pm. There are currently 3 flavors Bacio, Lemon and Ananas Con Menta and the cost is $5 for what I believe is a medium cup in Philly. It was fresh and creamy so much like getting it straight from Capogiro's in Philly. All I can say is look out scoopers in Rockefeller Plaza b/c I've got tons of friends in NYC who have been hearing me rant about how fantastic Capogiro's is and they're all on their way to experience it themselves.
One last thing a friend at work who I gave a pint to some time ago and hears all my dessert adventures shared with me that Capogiro's is the first slide in a slide show of the best ice cream in america from Forbes Traveler Magazine (for some reason it's not actually talked about in the article though). Check it out on http://www.forbestraveler.com/food-drink/americas-best-ice-cream-slide.html Thanks for the info Christine!

Gelato Sandwich

2008-07-07T17:00:00.002-04:00

You remember when you'd tear open the paper wrapper of an ice cream sandwich, gobble down the sugary goodness, covering the tips of your fingers with a chocolate like material? Well, toss out that preconception and be ready for something totally new, different, and better.

This is a pair of spice cookies holding Flan gelato. The spice cookies are crisp and not at all soggy. They form a frame for the gelato, and the cookies' crunch contrasts well with the smooth cream of the gelato. The best aspect of the cookies are that they have a solid flavor without overpowering the Flan inside.

The Flan is good. Flan is basically caramel custard. So what you get is a good blend of caramel and cream. To me, Capogiro's flan is light which is probably more European in nature. I am more accustomed to a heavier flan that uses condensed milk instead of, well, normal milk. I had been hoping for an experience closer to that of Cioccolato Scuro where the flavor of the Flan would be potent and thick. After adjusting my expectations, however, I found that I did enjoy the sandwich quite a bit.

The Spice Cookie Flan Gelato sandwich is a must try for anyone looking for a neo-stalgic experience.

GRAND PRIZE MYSTERY!

2008-07-05T21:40:00.003-04:00

I know, it's a crappy cellphone picture but when I saw all of your pics I had to add mine. Now the real question is...... Which flavor did I send in that was worthy of the Grand Prize!!?? January was a long time ago, I'm getting old and forgetful and I can't remember but a couple of the flavor ideas I sent in so I guess we'll all have to wait until the Fall to find out. I'll let you all know as soon as I get my pints. In the meantime the certificate is burning a hole in my pocket and making me want to take a drive to Philly. Each time I look at the site and see Lemon Opal Basil and Yellow Peach it makes ponder if i'm up to the drive on the turnpike. Why, oh why can't Lemon Opal Basil be sold in Whole foods or Balducci's in Westchester. Lorenzo, the best wholesale manager in New York, what do you think?

Adoleo ergo sum

2008-07-04T01:49:00.002-04:00

This makes me crazy happy! Woohoo!

Oh Yeahness

2008-06-27T12:34:00.004-04:00

Yaay i got something great in the mail! No official word on the Pick Me Pick Me Flavor Contest winning flavor though. But i know the Team Capo Leader must have liked one of my suggestions! I'm going to use this certificate on a pint of Lav Strat.

Chocolate Peanut Butter on a Brioche

2008-06-13T13:07:00.010-04:00

Stopped into 20th today and was instantly greeted with an exclamation of "We have Chocolate Peanut Butter!" Omar tried it, and thought it had too many peanuts in it. I didn't even try it, and told them to put it on a brioche... I'm daring like that ;)

The ladies behind the counter even toasted the brioche and put confectionery sugar on top to make it even prettier.

All in all, awesome like always. My only complaint, and it's barely a complaint, is that I couldn't finish it.

Try the Granita! For Real! Do it NOW!

2008-06-04T13:01:00.010-04:00

photo by Jen

A few days ago, I saw some sort of training going on at Capogiro. I didn't know what it was. No idea. All I could see was some sort of orange ice. I was too shy to break up their training and poke my nose in. But now, my questions have been answered!

So the Granita normally is a flavored ice with whipped cream. However, when I stopped by 20th Street today, the whipped cream machine was being cleaned. Instead, I got the Orange Granita with Fior di Latte.

I know I compare many a gelato concoction to childhood joys. That said, this is a Rita's Gelati all grown up.

While the ice is not as finely frozen, that's okay. You realize that Capogiro's Italian Ice is probably made by hand. The human effort gives the ice crystals an analog, old world charm. The inconsistencies in crystal size add a dynamic quality.

It's unfair to compare the milky aspects due to my extenuating circumstances (gelato vs. whipped cream). I will say that Fior di Latte still kicks butt. To me, it's artistic and bold. It is an unflinching declaration of the quality of Capgorio's ingredients.

So if you go and get a Granita with whipped cream, please let me know what it's like. If not, go beg for Firo di Latte.

I have it on good authority that they're going to be debuting other flavors soon... Coffee perhaps? Any fruit would be amazing. Give me mango, and I will have a personal Granita vs. Gelati show off.

Lav Strat

2008-05-31T02:39:00.004-04:00

A Friday night walk to 20th St in search of the last bit of Lavender Straciatella (we called to check) reaped such amazingness i'm wishing there was enough for a pint. An intensely lavender flavored batch with the perfect amount of dark chocolate swirled in, so unbelievably good and perfect. Its place as my #1 flavor holds strong; even Tears loved it so! Nate informed us that they've been buggin the lavender farmers but it's not technically in season yet. Makes sense as my little lavender plant has barely doubled in size but does smell excellent. The group sitting next to us was fawning over the "adventurousness" of Lavender Straciatella but none of them seemed to like it. Weirdness. (PS: We miss Nate at 13th St!)

Sadness & Confusion

2008-05-27T12:11:00.003-04:00

Hmm, well now i've received a second email from Capogiro with a totally different flavor listing for 13th St today. 20th St seems to be the same. Was the first email an upcoming list for tomorrow, sent out by accident? Was this just to play with my already-insane Aquarian mind? Booness.

The Best Flavor List Ever

2008-05-27T10:50:00.005-04:00

So i'm checking my email on the bus in transit to New York and i see the daily flavor list for 13th Street. My, how i want to turn around! Looks like we'll need to bring the big cooler tonight. (I've starred the ones i'm certainly tasting, double stars for the pinters!)

-----

Flavors of the Day for our 13th Street Location:

* Baby Kiwi
Hairless and grapesized. It does not sound appetizing, but it is incredible. Sometimes they grow in Lancaster County. Really.

** Caped Gooseberry
Member of the tomatillo family. Subtle, not too sweet.

* Cardamomo
Cardamom. That spicy spice we love so much!

* Champagne
French champagne sorbetto. Light and crisp.

* Cinnamon Basil
Made with Lancaster County Cinnamon Basil, Spicy!

* Cioccolato Amarena
Rich chocolate gelato layered with wild sour cherries.

* Cioccolato Peperocini
Rich chocolate blended with spicy jalapeno.

Drunken Pears
Lancaster County Bosc Pears poached in Valpolicella

Elderberry with Sambuca
Elderberry gelato infused with Sambuca.

** Fico Oro
Golden Fig, sweet and mild

* Fragola con Dragoncello
Lancaster County Strawberries with local tarragon

Fragola con Pernod

* Kiwano Melon
Those freaky looking yellow horned melons with orange tips. The flesh is chartreuse green and extremely sweet.

** Lavender Stracciatella
Yay!

Lime

** Lychee

* Macintosh Apple
(from NY State and Lancaster County)

* Maracuja
Passionfruit

* Mora Gelato
Lancaster County Blackberries.

Nino Banana

** Peanut
House roasted peanuts

Pinoli
Smoky pine nuts, toasted and blended smooth.

* Pluot
Sometimes called a Dinosaur Plum. High in Vitamin A and actually a mix of 3/4 plum and 1/4 apricot.

Rosemary Honey Goat Milk
Lancaster County goat's milk infused with Lansdale rosemary sweetened by New Jersey buckwheat honey.

* Tellicherry Peppercorn

Uva Cremisi
Beautiful crimson table grapes from Chile.

* Wasabi

Neo-giro: classics and good-byes

2008-05-18T22:53:00.002-04:00

I do enjoy the game of recreating other foods out of gelato. In the past, we've tried the pb&j, pasta sauce, cannoli. Now, I went for the classic ice-cream combo: Neapolitan. I selected Cioccolato Scuro (bittersweet chocolate), Fragola con Panna (strawberries gelato), and Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla.

The Vanilla and Strawberry played well with each other. I suppose I could have gone with a Strawberry sorbetto so I could have mixed in an even lighter texture against the Vanilla, but I do prefer the gelato. But the dark chocolate, while good, overpowered the other two. Cioccolato Scuro is a bulldozer. I should have remembered that and gone with a lighter chocolate.

I would definitely do a similar combo again: Cioccolato, Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla, and Fragola (sorbetto). It's a childhood favorite that's all grown up.

I mentioned good-byes. Adam, one of our favorites, has left the building. He's off to Greenland or Iceland or somewhere else that is very cold and ends in "-land". Since he's headed to such a frigid environment, we can only assume he is on a quest... for it is only in such a tundra that he and gelato can become one... a Man-Gelato or Gelatoman. We don't really know what he'll do once he is of tasty, yummy dessert, but who are we to stomp on someone else's dreams. Regardless, we wish him well and hope that no polar bears eat Gelatoman.

Fragola Frenzy

2008-05-14T23:43:00.006-04:00

Last night a bunch of us met up at 13th St to celebrate the LP year of Edward. It was quite crowded and we ended up at 4 small tables instead of the 2 large ones in back, but it was still fun and delicious. Z Luna picked her flavors based on color (Pistachio and Burnt Sugar) while Sol ordered his usual Chocolate; the adults sampled many spoonfuls unlike the determined children. Strangely, or perhaps not so as they are essentially long-lost twins, A and O ended up with the exact same combination of Champagne Mango sorbetto and Fragola gelato! The Fragola sorbetto was absolutely incredible. I think it was perhaps the best batch i've ever tasted! I did enjoy the Fragola gelato as well, but the sorbetto was much tastier in my opinion. Yay for summer flavors!

Beautiful Spring Day

2008-05-05T00:37:00.004-04:00

Today was a unexpectedly beautiful spring day and all I could think was.....with all this sun I wish I could have some capogiro. Any new flavors popping up in Philly? It doesn't look like the website's been updated since March. Have the berry flavors arrived yet?

Cherry Blossom = Awesome?

2008-04-09T17:33:00.003-04:00

Last night on my way home, i stopped by 13th St to sample Cherry Blossom. The little spoon of it was interesting - super perfumey but with a bitter ending - definitely not what i expected, not that i knew what to expect though! I ordered a small cup of half Cherry Blossom, half Cioccolato Scuro, but brought it home to sick Edward so he could have some later. I'm really looking forward to eating that small cup with him because i want to try more Cherry Blossom to see if it grows on me, or if i decide it's just okay. Generally, i love the flowery/herby/citrusy/unusual flavors the most, so perhaps this will totally go on the Top 10 list?

Pawpaw close cousin- Cherimoya

2008-03-30T19:19:00.008-04:00

Today Jeannie noticed that Cherimoya was on the daily menu and said, "Hey that's something we haven't had!" We did a quick Wiki search and there it was Cherimoya is in the same family as PAWPAW. I know I keep harping on it but that fruit was eaten by Native Americans long before America was America and was not grown commercially for a long time until it recently started again in Pennsylvania. It has been described as being a cross between a mango and a banana. Doesn't that sound like something to get obsessed about! Anyway, to 20th Street we go after calling and verifying that in fact was there. In the case they had a specimen as they usually do. It looks like a Guanabana- which resembles an artichoke. The interior flesh is white and spongy feeling almost like foamy. The seeds are the same dark large seeds, the Cherimoya was similar. They are all in fact in the same family of fruits. The Cherimoya had a banana taste mingled with a tartness sort of like green mango. It also had a bit of grit from the actual fruit and a tannin like drying of the mouth. All in all I really like it. We had it paired with Honey Tangerine. It was a good pairing, the sweet and tart and smoothness of the two of them went well. I can't wait to try Pawpaw. I will not lose hope!!

Menta and Guiness

2008-03-16T22:05:00.002-04:00

Today we saw that Capogiro 13th had one of our favorite's and one of the rarest flavors at the same time. Since my family was visiting though and they didn't feel like walking there in the cold rain we almost missed it. We had gotten all caught up with that and almost forgot but the Omar reminded us about Guiness and Mint strat at 13th during dinner. I stopped eating my dinner and called to see what time they closed. 10:00 o'clock said Jenna on the phone. It was 915 so we had to hurry. The four of us hurried over. Omar hurried a little too much as he ran down the street and pulled a ham string, so he was out of commission for the night. Jen also went home in solidarity for Omar's plight. We continued on determined that Omar's wounds would not be in vain. WE got there and there was still a little Menta Stracciatella left and there was some Guiness too. We tried them just to make sure they were good batches. They were. The mint had been better on some batches but it is never a bad batch just not spectacular sometimes. I requested a pint of half Guiness, half Menta Stracciatella. I also asked for it to be split vertically. I got a look of surprise from Brian ( I think his name is Brian), and a look of "I don't think so" from Jenna. But he tried and did it. It came out great. I wouldn't make such a big deal of it but the other way you have to go through all of one flavor to get to the one on the bottom. Vertical halving is the way to go. Thanks to Brian and Jenna for making it happen. The Guiness is delicious the oat taste really comes out in the beginning and the beer comes through in the end. It's really good and I have only seen it around St. Patrick's day so head on over tomorrow and get some.

Gelato: An Endless Passion

2008-03-06T21:54:00.004-05:00

Just a quick note that The Sundance Channel has been running a great Italian documentary named Gelato: An Endless Passion about the history of gelato. Check it out if you get a chance.

Yummy Wholesale Pints & The Sorbetto Thief

2008-02-20T21:19:00.011-05:00

This week all the crazyness of life made me crave capogiros. Since all the birthday pints were long gone it meant a trip to the Scarsdale Balducci's. Since my father, the chocolate (and junk food) fanatic, was staying with me I decided on purchasing a pint of the Cioccolato Scuro for him and also picked up a Turkish Coffee and Moro for myself. As my father unpacked I noticed he had more snacks then clothes. His small duffel bag contained boxes of both oreo and chewy chips ahoy cookies, chips and pretzels (mind you that this former healthfood nut and competative long distance runner was only staying two days). "Dad" I asked, "why did you bring so much junkfood? I bought you a pint of chocolate gelato." "Oh good, I'm gonna get some now" he replied. As the time went by I began to wonder, what in the world was taking him so long and shortly thereafter he emerged from the kitchen with a soup bowl full of MY MORO. "Dad, why are you eating by sorbetto? I told you there was chocolate gelato for you." "Well, I've still got my chocolate." "What do you mean Dad?" Well he had not only discovered the moro but had scooped almost the entire pint into the largest soup bowl he could find in my kitchen and then crunched his cookies into it. Which cookies, you ask? Both! The oreos and the chips ahoy. Ugh. He ate it all leaving me only a corner of the bottom of the pint. Luckily, he left that last little corner for me because I finally got to rejoice in the wonderfully sweet and tangy taste. All I have to say is that Capogiro's NY wholesale team has done a fantastic job of getting fresh flavors into the stores. While the wholesale has always been an alternative to fresh from the shop capogiros. It's normally not as good, it sometimes seems as though it's been thawed and refrozen or been left too long on the shelves which therefore changes the flavor. The three spoonfuls of Moro I got was simply perfect. I can't wait to taste the others.

Pawpaw, Flan and Tamarindo

2008-02-15T16:01:00.006-05:00

So the Pawpaw saga continues but without any happy news to report. The Pawpaw flavor has shown up three more time in the past weeks, and every time it does I get a little short of breath and speed dial the location that the Daily Flavor Email or the Capogiro website specifies. All three times I have been greeted by “I don’t know what you are talking about. There is no Paw Paw here. We have Papaya though.” Noooooo! It is such a tease- papaya is great, but I have had papaya- I would not leave work early to get Papaya- whereas PawPaw might quicken my step and have me looking at my vacation hours. Oh I hope they fix whatever glitch is causing Papaya to come up as Paw Paw on the lists. And I hope they really make Pawpaw sometime soon. It is such an interesting fruit. Here is a link for more info on it: Pawpaw

But in better news Capogiro made Flan Gelato- Sooo delicious. I was a little worried that it would be too sweet or not very distinct but I was worried for nothing. The good thing about Flan that makes it different than some of the other flavors – Like burnt sugar or some others is that at first taste it is very fatty and smooth, sweet but not, to use a Spanish word, “Empalagoso” which roughly translates to overwhelming or smothering. At the very end the caramelized sugary coating comes in as an end note. The smokey sweetness was subtle but definitely made me experience the flan better. Thanks to MaryKate for packing me a pint of the flan. I was actually surprised that there was so much of it still in the bin but it was also one of the coldest day of the year so I hope they make it again.

Big news today I found out that according to the Daily list- Thanks to Jeannie- 20th street has Tamarind. That was one of my contest suggestions! Yaay! I haven’t verified yet but I will do so soon. I don’t know if they had done this flavor before but it would be great if it was because of my entry. I will update you all as I know more.

No Idea

2008-02-06T00:09:00.001-05:00

I have no idea when I took this shot. I found it in my camera phone when I was cleaning out memory. I believe it's a Cioccolato Scuro Affogato, but I cannot be certain. Either way, enjoy the shot. Ba-dum-dum! Get it? Shot. Affogato. Espresso. Shot. Get it?! I know. I know. I'm too punny for this blog!

Turnpike's Favorites

2008-01-30T23:14:00.001-05:00

Ok Sugar here are my top 5.

1. Lemon Opal Basil
2. Pineapple Mint
3. Mela (Apple the one that was almost like cider)
4. Moro (Sicilian Blood Orange)
5. Pesca Giallo

I don't think I've had enough to do a next top 9 list but soon perhaps.......

Top 5

2008-01-30T01:02:00.000-05:00

I know this is extremely difficult, but let's all post our Top 5 Flavors Ever lists! Granted, not everyone has tried every single flavor ever produced, but of the ones you've had, what are your 5 favorites? Do you notice any trends in your choices (ie: sour flavors, only chocolate ones, super sweet nuttiness)? Feel free to use any disclaimers or explanations, if it makes it easier.

Here are mine right now:

Sugar's Top 5 Flavors Ever
Lavender Stracciatella
Menta Stracciatella - super minty batch
Moro (Sicilian Blood Orange) - a nice bitter rindy batch
Peanut - this flavor is always perfect
Pompelmo Rosso con Campari (Grapefruit with Campari)

Sugar's Next Top 9 Flavors Ever
Carambola con Limone Verde (Starfruit and Tart Lime)
Chai Tea - not too clovey
Cilantro Lime
Lemon Opal Basil
Mela (Apple) - so fresh!
Nocciola Piemontese (Hazelnut)
Rosemary Honey Goat Milk
Sea Salt
Thai Iced Tea

I guess you could say that i love citrus and herbs! Post your list now!

NY has new flavors!

2008-01-25T23:35:00.001-05:00

I've got some new flavors here that I haven't tried before. I haven't tasted them yet but figured that I'd share in my rejoicing. I've got Baked Pineapple, Pummelo, Bourbon Butterscotch, Tahini. Yummy

Contesting

2008-01-22T16:01:00.002-05:00

FYI Stephanie Reitano's new Capogiro flavor contest details are below. The original link is here and also in Tears' post The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down:

And here's something you can do for me: invent a flavor. That's right, for me - come up with something fun for me to make - any flavor within reason, within season. I'll pick one idea and whip it up. If it's good, I'll send the winner a case and make it available for sale to the rest of you next month. No one's a loser! Honest. Send your flavor ideas to: pickme dot pickme at capogirogelato dot com

OMG i'm so excited. I already sent in my 5 ideas. I know Tears and The Sniffer are working on their lists as i type this. Speaking of lists, i want every blogger on this site to post their Top 5 Flavors Ever list. I know mine changes all the time, so this will be difficult but we should definitely post them for the record.

The Gauntlet has been thrown down

2008-01-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we missed seeing it but "Kmart" thankfully alerted us to the fact that in the latest Capogirogelato.com newsletter we are mentioned, and more than that, we are named as the reason why sea salt was made this week!!! I am reminded of the Ren and Stimpy Cartoon from the 90's and the song "Happy, Happy Joy, Joy!!" We are all doing the happy, happy, joy, joy song and dance not only because of the acknowledgment but also because Sea Salt was sooooo good. Stephanie Reitano, one of the creators and operators of Capogiro writes the newsletter which is linked to below. She is calling all Capogiro lovers to be a part of Capogiro history by suggesting a flavor! Follow the link for details:
Newsletter

Salt Assault

2008-01-21T16:42:00.001-05:00

Good Grief!!! We woke up this morning with no intention of leaving the house. We probably would have stayed in pajamas all day if not for a frantic call from "The Sniffer" that alerted us to the possibility of Sea Salt. It needed to be verified so I hung up with Sniffer and speed dialed Capogiro- 13Th street. You have to verify because we have rushed over plenty of times to find out that the flavor that was sent in the email was not actually made. The latest was just the other day when they said they had Pawpaw on the website but a call confirmed my fears. A tear trickle, no Pawpaw. So this morning I was bracing for the worst, but the woman on the phone was like, "Oh sure we have Sea Slat." We got there at 1230Pm, sniffer was already there and most of the flavors were still pristine, untouched like delicious glistening sculptures. We tried the sea salt first and knew this was worth the walk in 20 degree weather. The website said try it with Golden Margarita and so we did. It was so good! Sugar thought of Salt and chocolate so we tried that too. They were both so good that we could not decide. We ordered a pint of Sea Salt and a pint of Blood Orange for later. But this didn't help us decide what we would have in Capogiro. We decided on a medium which would accommodate for the three flavors. Sugar was skeptical and truthfully I was only hoping the three wouldn't clash, but they all tasted great together. Even Margarita and Chocolate tasted great without the salt. We left our pints there for a while because we had a coupon for Mordors (Borders) and picked them up on the way back. Such a great day, the cold be damned. I would go again right now if I didn't have three pints in the fridge.

Sea Saltiness

2008-01-21T16:42:00.000-05:00

This morning we received a call from The Sniffer. "Dude, it's O. It's an EMERGENCY! They have SEA SALT!" After verifying that 13th was really carrying this never seen flavor, we planned to meet there around 12:30pm.

I had actually never been to Capogiro that early. All of the gelati and sorbetti containers were pristine except for a few tiny scoops removed. Straight to the Sea Salt, we each sampled a spoon.

Being a pessimist, i was a bit worried that Sea Salt wouldn't be as delicious as it was in my mind. Thankfully, i was so wrong - it was BETTER than i expected. In a smooth, creamy, slightly sweet base of fior de latte, the mineral saltiness stood out strong and addictive. Top 5 for sure!

The pairing of the day was Sea Salt with Golden Margarita. We sampled this and it was definitely tasty. I also sampled Cioccolato with Sea Salt, which was a richer combination than with Golden Margarita. I didn't try this, but i suspect Sea Salt would've been good with Lemon, too. We ended up sharing a medium cup of Sea Salt, Golden Margarita and Cioccolato; we also went all out and got a full pint each of Sea Salt and Moro (Sicilian Blood Orange).

I'm looking forward to eating our pint of Sea Salt with some melted dark chocolate drizzled on top, which will harden into crunchy strips when it hits the cold gelato. Then, i'll cook up a batch of peanut brittle and crumble it on top, creating a crunchy sweet topping to go with the creamy smooth salt base. I can't wait!

Capogiro really outdid themselves with Sea Salt! I hope they offer it more frequently!

Sea Salt @ 13th. Be there or be square!

2008-01-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

January

2008-01-14T12:03:00.000-05:00

Honey Cumin: finally, fate brought me out around Rittenhouse before 10pm on a night 20th St had this elusive flavor! Unfortunately, it wasn't as sweet/savory as i wanted. The honey tone was strong even though the flavor overall was light, but for the life of me i couldn't taste the cumin. Tears said he tasted it "in the back of the throat" but it just wasn't strong enough for me. I'll certainly try it again in case this was a freak batch. Perhaps i have really "burned all my taste buds off" by consuming too much hot sauce, as Tears likes to claim.

Moro (Sicilian Blood Orange): amazingness! I love this flavor so much. It's sweet, tangy, bitter, explosive, complicated, dark, light - hey i just realized it's the Scorpio of sorbetto flavors! Be sure to consume this flavor as much as possible before it's out of season.

Pompelmo Rosso (Ruby Red Grapefruit): batches have been totally excellent recently! So refreshing. Now i must try Pummelo and Seville Orange.

Caribbean Sunrise Papaya: usually i'm not so into this flavor. I love fresh papaya but the sorbetto version always seemed too creamy blandy to me. Last week however, the batch at 13th St was shockingly delicious, reminiscent of the fresh version with the aroma and everything. We had it with Cilantro Lime as Mary Kate suggested and it was an excellent pairing.

Sad Me

2008-01-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

Crappily, i didn't get a chance to try yesterday's Honey Cumin flavor at 20th Street! I love cumin and i'm positive Capogiro made a crazy batch. It's not a flavor i've seen on the daily list often so i hope it's offered again soon. Another flavor i'd love to try at Capogiro is Sea Salt, but i've NEVER seen that on the menu. The first time i had olive oil gelato (at Otto in New York), it was served with Maldon sea salt, extra virgin olive oil drizzles, pomegranate seeds and candied orange peel; the salt really brought out the flavor of the gelato. I love sweet/savory and i cannot lie.

PS: the soft nougat bars on the counter at the 13th Street location are excellent. Next time i get one i'm eating it all by myself in one sitting.

Dreaming of Pineapple with Sage

2008-01-04T00:47:00.000-05:00

Ohh, how I wish I was in Philly just to go over to the 20th street location. Pineapple with Sage, who ever would've thunk it. But I know that if Capogiro's has it, it must be fantastic. And the Lancaster Heirloom Cider with Clove, everone knows how much I love apples, gosh is sounds soooo yummy. Can't someone please run over and tell me what it tastes like?

Want To Try An Affogato But Live In Fear Of A Hot Espresso Shots?

2007-12-30T14:47:00.000-05:00

Then, I recommend pairing something with the Espresso. Espresso itself is a shockingly good flavor. I couldn't be certain without asking, but I'm pretty sure they use La Colombe coffee for the Espresso. In the sorbetto form, it's less harsh to intake. If you're not into the hard bitterness of Espresso, but enjoy the strong coffee flavor, look no further. The Espresso is a sorbetto which is to say that it has no dairy. It's a coffee dessert that is texturally light but with a strong flavor. The roasted, smokey character of the bean remains center stage with the sweet and cold background providing dynamic.

The Mandorla Tostata (toasted almond) is a fantastic partner for the Espresso sorbetto. I don't know how nuts always seem to go along with coffee so well. I just accept and enjoy that fact. So when I tried the Mandorla Tostata, I knew I was in for a treat. By toasting almonds, you make the almond's flavor more dynamic. Additionally, a slightly smokey flavor is added to the nut and makes for a more mature, filled out taste experience.

Combining these two give you a glimpse of what an Affogato is like. But keep in mind, a true Affogato mixes the experience of the hot and cold into a wonder blend of joy.

Apple Jacks

2007-12-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Going back a couple of months... I had crazy good pairing. Apple Jacks! It was a creation of one of the 13th Street employees; and it was Saigon Cinnamon with Macintosh Apple. Genius.

The apple flavors I've tried have been so crisp that I forget there wasn't that pop of biting through skin. Capogiro captures the essence of apple so completely it's like eating the body of a ripened apple at its peak just before it becomes too sugary. Balanced there, it's a reminder of my younger years in the suburbs of our great city. Apples are best when you pick them from a regional farm. Actually, I stopped just now to research picking apples. I don't even go in for that earthy crunchy hippy crap. But the memory of that gelato really got me thinking about fresh apples. I suspect that its the fine grain of the ice is what allows the apple to hit your tongue just right. It's got to be something about how the ice doesn't retain cold as well and melts quickly releasing the powerful apple juice at a rate where it pours over your tongue like a slow wave.

The Saigon Cinnamon really must be tasted to be believed. I've discussed it in the past. Suffice to say, it's a real cinnamon not at all artificial.

Had I thought ahead, I would have gotten a medium and added Vanilla to make it a la mode...

Beautiful Failure

2007-12-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

I tried to combine Heirloom Apples With Mascarpone Cheese with Saigon Cinnamon to get Apple Pie with a slice of cheese... I failed. However, I got a delicious apple and cheese danish. Woo-hoo!

Affogato Obsession - Wild Flower Honey

2007-12-18T01:45:00.001-05:00

Omar (The Sniffer) and I went to Capogiro this evening to grab a pint of Burnt Sugar (the main component to my affogato obsession) when I saw it in the cooler... Wild Flower Honey.

Normally I wouldn't be so excited, but I began to have affogato fantasies where I was using the Wild Flower Honey to sweeten my coffee in the middle of the night. Bitter, cheap, homemade espresso tempered by luscious gelato... mmm...

Was I ready to commit to a pint? Alas, no.

I got a cup of the small, which I can rarely finish (I'm not little spoon for nothing!) and brought most of it back home to experiment with.

A few hours later, a small cup with Chai tea was calling out for Wild Flower Honey gelato. Prepared in the same way as the traditional espresso affogato, the chai tea was the perfect receiver. This particular batch of WFH is really powerful stuff.

If WFH is at Capogiro again soon, I'll be snagging a pint.

Frappe III

2007-12-17T13:22:00.001-05:00

While I was out in Southern California, I experienced perhaps the best milkshake ever: a Nutella shake. I had it in this French cafe in Santa Monica's 3rd Street Promenade. The first few sips were not impressive at all. But then, with enough Nutella in my bloodstream, every additional sip sent me further and further into euphoria.

Back in Philly, I thought I'd try to recreate some of that joy with the Nutella Frappe. Wha-BAM! Insta-good stuff. Nutella gelato is impressive on its own. Nutella, for the uninitiated, is a creamy hazelnut and chocolate spread for toast and other bready food objects. I'm struggling to explain the greatness of Nutella. So I suggest we all go out right now, get some from our local grocery store, slather it onto some toast, and enjoy. Once we all do that, we'll have a point of reference. So, go. Now. I don't know what you are waiting for. Leave this post open, get off yer tail, and get moving. I'll wait.

So now that you're eating your toast with Nutella spread. You'll notice how it contrasts with the crisp of the bread. You'll notice the smooth cream, the chocolate, the rich hazelnut, the way it coats your mouth, so powerful. You'll probably want to grab a glass of milk or milk substitute.

The Nutella frappe captures the sensation of the Nutella pouring over your tongue. In the frappe form, it has some advantages over regular Nutella. First off, it's lighter. It isn't as potent as the spread because it's diluted by being gelato then by being a frappe. So you won't have the same urge to grab a glass of water. Also because it's cold, the frappe is overall more refreshing.

Inquiring minds want to know: How does it compare to the Santa Monica Frappe? Well, it's a different beast. Santa Monica is making Nutella into a frappe. Capogiro is making Nutella into gelato which is being made into a frappe. Obviously, Capogiro's isn't going to be as potent. It also doesn't give that building momentum of taste. However, Capogiro's frappe is more consistent. The upside is that Capogiro never gets to the point that you need a glass of water to act as a chaser.

In closing, if you want to have the pure Nutella experience, get some. If you want a drink that whoops you into a sugar laden frenzy, go to Santa Monica. If you want the essence of Nutella in a cool refreshing beverage, head over to Capogiro.

PS For those who want to know, the next time I can get a Nutella con Brioche, I'm so there...

Burnt Sugar Affogato Comes Home

2007-12-15T22:13:00.000-05:00

OMAR: So, tell us, Jen, what is up with your obsession with the Burnt Sugar Affogato?

JEN: I think I started getting the Affogato because I wanted coffee desperately, and at the same time I wanted comfort food.

OMAR: Why Burnt Sugar in particular?

JEN: Because I love Flan. It reminds me of childhood. It reminds me of Christmas. That's when Mom would always make flan.

OMAR: So, the Burnt Sugar tastes just like Flan?

JEN: Pretty damned close.

OMAR: How many were you getting?

JEN: I was doing three a week. Maybe four.

OMAR: Wow, that is a lot. Is that what prompted you to start making them at home?

JEN: The coffee isn't as good at home. La Colombe is so much better than the instant espresso, but you have to make due with what you have. I'm getting better at making the Affogato at home. But if you're reading this chances are you're either working at Capogiro so you can just make it yourself with the better coffee or you'll just go to Capogiro. I'm a night owl so nothing is better than an Affogato at 3 am. So until capogiro has 24 hour service...

Homemade Burnt Sugar Affogato

1 small scoop Burnt Sugar gelato (to taste)
3 oz espresso

Place the Burnt Sugar in your coffee cup. Pour espresso carefully over gelato. Enjoy!

Guest Post: Regie Cabico

2007-12-11T21:51:00.000-05:00

I was virginized by Coconut Milk and Pistachio taken back by the tiny spoon.

Yet it lasted like a creamy bubble bath having an acupuncturist ecstasy affect all over my body.

I then tried the Pineapple Menthe - it was like a Hawaiian Xmas with ukeleles in my ears and the memory gay bathhouse orgies... It was true man on man sex in my mouth.

Goat Milk and Rosemary a Dionysian triumph.

A Berry Berry Good Day (I cannot believe I just went there...)

2007-11-05T01:01:00.000-05:00

Mora and Lampone Rosso.

I found this photo in the drafts that I have backlogged and decided to post it as I took the photo way back in September...

Fall is back

2007-10-31T18:52:00.000-04:00

I have been slacking in posting to the blog and it’s not because we haven’t gone to Capogiro lately. We are going just as often, about 4 times a week, depending on what they have on the menu, but I have just been really busy with other things. Here are some highlights from recent trips:

Fall flavors are definitely in full swing. The Cranberry apple is very good,
although I wish they would make a full strength Cranberry. I bet that would be so tart and so good.
The pumpkin is on the menu almost every day and it deserves to be there because it is crazy good. I think the sniffer and sugar have already posted about it so I will just say I agree with their praise of it.

Yesterday I paired Baked Apple with Saigon Cinnamon and got delicious Apple pie. I highly recommend it, especially if the cinnamon is good that day.

Pomegranate was amazing also. It keeps so much of the pomegranate flavor without the hours of labor to get all of the seeds out. It’s like a lazy person’s pomegranate experience. This will probably peak in December when pomegranates peak, so you know I’ll be checking the daily list.

There was also a batch of Mint Stacciatella the other day that was really good. Not as good as the first time we had it. That batch was unbelievably potent, but I think the batch from the other day was second best. I was so lost in the flavor that I actually called it Mint Strat in front of the staff – Mint Strat is our nick name for it. No one seemed to notice so I guess it was ok.

Oooh, I almost forgot. A few weeks ago I had the Beet with Orange and I know what you are thinking, I am not a fan of beets either but this actually tasted really good. It kind of tasted like a mild orange juice. If you are a fan of beets then this is probably not for you because none of the distinctive aftertaste was present and the beet was definitely muted. If you are like me however, this is the beet choice for you.

Have dry ice ready to travel

2007-10-24T22:31:00.000-04:00

Hammacher Sclemmer is has recently begun selling a Portable Dry Ice Maker for the not so reasonable price of $499.95. A year ago I would have never even taken a second look at this but thanks to E, B, O & Capogiro's I find myself wondering things like....if only I had that kind of money to waste or would E&B or O let me keep this at their house for whenever I do a philly drive through? So sad to think that I could actually consider this. Thanks Capogiro.

Thanksgiving Comes Early

2007-10-17T02:22:00.000-04:00

On a whim, I decided to give myself a taste of November in October with a little help from Capogiro. The photo you're looking at of Zucca (Lancaster County Long Necked Pumpkins) and Sweet Potato With Pecan Praline (Lancaster County sweet potatoes swirled with pecan praline).

The Zucca wasn't what I expected. What I expected was pumpkin pie. But it's not. It's pumpkin. So it doesn't have the sort of concentrated flavor I was looking for. It's much more subtle and mature than that. It's surprisingly light. The flavor probably speaks to the fact that they're using the long necked pumpkin versus a processed, canned ingredient. The long necked pumpkin was probably selected as it's easier to peel. I have to say that the Zucca does make a good flavor to pair against since it won't dominate a cup.

Indeed, it did pair well against the Sweet Potato With Pecan Praline. The yam flavor is very strong with the praline mixed throughout. It's not quite as smooth as most gelato as it has the crushed bits of praline. But that praline is what gives the gelato a sweet lining that not only brings out the flavor of the yam but is fantastic on its own. Again, this is a flavor that defies your expectations. The first time I tasted it, I was put off by the praline's very slight crunch. The second time, now more aware of the candy, I found the texture to have a nice contrast from the ordinary.

If you want a preview of the Thanksgiving to come, put these two flavors together. You'll find yourself craving a little dinner or at least a Jones Soda Holiday Pack.

Turnpike Loves Apples

2007-10-08T20:01:00.000-04:00

Fall has always been my favorite season. The temperature is (or is supposed to be) cooling, the leaves changing, and let's not forget that the apples are at their best. My family made regular fall trips to an orchard in upstate NY every year until the orchard closed a couple of years ago. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around climbing trees, picking apples, drinking cider at the orchard (they made the cider there and had it at a spigot so you would pay a quarter for a cup then have unlimited cider), bringing the apples back to grandma so she would make apple pie, dumplings and so that I could have fresh apples for weeks. Well during my recent trip up and down I-95 (which yielded 3 capogiro's visits in a weekend) I tasted the Apple sorbetti which was FANTASTIC. I brought back all those memories. I was so sweet and fresh, almost like a cider. Instantly I wanted to try it with the peanut butter (thanks to mom for spreading PB on apple slices when I was little) which was delicious but I decided to purchase the apple sorbetti by itself. I returned to NY with 2 pints of Apple sorbetti. 1 of the pints was intended for Chika of chikalicious however during the drive I found out from a friend that she had made her own apple sorbetti that weekend so I decided it might not be the smartest gift. A week and one visit from my mom (who is now also hooked on the pints) later, both pints are gone. If only there was a capogiro's in NY but for now I went out and bought a bunch of apples to satisfy my fall cravings.

Trip Strat

2007-10-05T13:36:00.000-04:00

Today is going to be a good day. 13th has three kinds of Stracciatella on the menu: Menta, Nocciola and plain; it's October 1st Fridays AND the Khyber is hosting "The UN-Happy 20th Anniversary of The Smiths Break Up!" Should we hit 13th before the festivities or afterwards? I'm worried they'll run out of Menta Stracciatella, which seems to happen often!

I haven't posted in a while, so my quick roundup:

1) Peanut and Uva Concord surely is a supreme combination, with or without brioche (but if you have the choice, the brioche kicks ASS!)

2) Once i ordered a brioche but instead of a toasted sandwich with gelato, it was served on a plate with the gelato on top. It still was tasty, but i prefer the sandwich.

3) White fig is excellent.

4) I love apples and Capogiro makes some mean apple sorbetti. We were lucky enough to have some Baked Apple a few weeks ago and can't wait to see it on the menu again. Cooked apple is so different from fresh apple and the addition of cinnamon & spice is so very Fall. If i had to choose, i'd pick fresh apple but it's a close margin.

5) I spy on the goodies in the glass case at the 20th St location.

What have you done for me lately? part 2

2007-10-01T15:12:00.000-04:00

I had to split this post into two parts because I could not get all of the flavor tags into one post. I should post more often!

Baby Kiwi: so good and sweeter than adult kiwis.

White currants: They looked like glimmering pearls they looked so good in the case. The flavor was good but it was very similar to other flavors and so not very distinct.

Figs: They had something called white fig which is actually green fig. They called it white fig because the flesh is white. While the Black figs taste like jam or preserve because they are so sweet and dense these “white figs” are creamy and light and delicious, they taste more like fresh figs. I like this flavor better than the other varieties of fig gelato that they produced.

Stone Fruit: I have really liked the many peach and nectarine offerings they have had lately. My favorite was the white peach which less sweet than the yellow peach and the nectarines. I have a real thing for plums and have liked all of the plums and pluots that they have offered. I have not seen a green plum offering but I am sure I would like that one too.

I also had a delicious Frappe made with Bananas Foster and Burnt Sugar. It was so good like bananas Brulee

Thanks to the whole Capogiro crew at 13th street for all of the flavor combinations lately. They have really been right on the money.

What have you done for me lately?

2007-10-01T14:57:00.000-04:00

In the last couple of weeks I have had a lot of amazing flavors and flavor combinations. I have had a Frappe.
It’s been a good time for apple sorbettos. Capogiro has made several different varieties depending on the variety of apple they had that day. I have liked all of them although I think the McIntosh was the best. They get a lot of the fresh apple taste into every bite with their impossibly smooth yet dairy free sorbetto. I was also recommended to try Peanut Butter and Apple which is ridiculously delicious. The peanut butter is so good but only shows up rarely. The reason it almost never gets made is that they make the peanut butter themselves from fresh roasted peanuts so it’s that extra step that makes this one of the many mythic flavors of Capogiro like unicorns in the Gelato forest. The combination was fantastic as was the peanut butter and Uva Concord. After having the peanut butter apple combo I had a thought. Could I recreate a Caramel apple with Gelato. You know the kind with caramel and fresh peanuts. At first I tried peanut butter, apple and Burnt sugar but that wasn’t right. Mary-Kate suggested I use Dulce De leche instead and she was so right. I tasted just like a fresh caramel apple. So much so that I bought a pint of those three flavors so I could recreate it at home.

Prickly Pear: I also tried the prickly pear the other day which was very creamy and delicious. I like the batch that I tried at 20th street better than the one I had at 13th street a few days later.

Sweet Corn: I was disappointed in this flavor. I was so excited because I have had corn ice cream at other places most notably in Chikalicious in NYC. The flavor at Capogiro was so slight that we had to have a second taste to see if we wanted any. In the end it was too lost in the background to merit even a mini cone. I couldn't even taste that it was corn. Maybe it was because the corn was late in the season or something but I have hope that they will get it right next time. Maybe it was because I was comparing it to the incredible one I had at Chikalicious which was so fresh tasting it was like biting into raw corn. This flavor at Capogiro made me cry a little for what could have been!

Affogato IV

2007-09-30T10:05:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for a more traditional coffee experience, I recommend the Hazelnut Affogato. It's familiar territory for most. The trick to getting it is to taste the Hazelnut and make sure it tastes strong enough that day to take on the espresso. I had grown impatient waiting to get the Hazelnut. I'd been distracted by Brioches and other flavor combos that were more exciting. So the Hazelnut I got wasn't the strongest. So while it wasn't quite strong enough to take on the espresso, it was still a positive experience. If I decide to go this somewhat expected route again, I'll be more demanding of the Hazelnut flavor.

Affogato III--

2007-09-29T06:18:00.000-04:00

--was, sadly, the worst gelato experience of my life. It contrasts so heavily with the greatest gelato experience of my life (the PB&J con Brioche), that it is scary. First of all, there was too much gelato. The Affogato is a careful balance between the bitter espresso and the sweet of gelato. Incorrectly made, you end up having an espresso with some crud floating in it or a gelato that is muddy. At 20th Street I got mud. It was so awful, I didn't even want to take a picture of it.

Now, the gelato had a few things working against it:

I had just had the most amazing gelato experience of my life.
I was in a bad mood because of some personal stuff in my life.
I have had such good Affogato experiences at 13th Street with a staff that is pretty frickin' awesome.

That admitted to, the gelato was on and over the rim of the cup so when I picked it up by the handle it got on my fingers. I wasn't given a saucer so the gelato that was spilling over my cup was dripping all over the table.

I could have ignored the presentation if the actual Affogato wasn't so piss poor. I couldn't taste the espresso at all unless I specifically scooped out the espresso avoiding the gelato entirely. I wish I was paying more attention when it was being made because the espresso didn't even taste that good. I'm not sure if it's because of the bad ratio or the espresso was made badly to begin with.

My conclusions are as follows:

When it comes to specialty dishes such as Affogato and Gelato con Brioche, I'm only going to order from people I trust.
This was the first time I've left Capogiro feeling dissatisfied.
I'm only patronizing the 13th Street location from now on.

I want you to know that I don't need all my food to be crazy bougie. While I appreciate and love a restaurant like Morimoto's, I feel more relaxed in a diner. I'm currently obsessed with scrapple and eggs. I happily drink quarter water which tastes of sugar, a slight metal, and childhood. But when it comes to gelato, which costs so much, I expect it to be on the higher, more elevated end. When I want to have a dessert that I don't want to pay $$$ for and isn't about presentation or preparation, I'll buy a box of frozen ice pops, toss them in a freezer, and cut open the plastic when ready.

PB&J con Brioche

2007-09-29T06:04:00.000-04:00

I received a recommendation to try Capogiro's sandwiches for lunch. Intrigued, I attempted to actually have a meal there. However, when I got there, one of the highly competent staff at 13th Street recommended Peanut (sometimes referred to as Peanut Butter) and Uva Concord saying it tasted just like peanut butter and jelly. Upon tasting the combination, I agreed and immediately requested it on a brioche.

This PB&J gelato sandwich was the most amazing gelato experience of my life. I'm not even a peanut butter and jelly fan, and this sandwich wowed me beyond belief. It was some next level $4!+ on this level, if you know what I mean. The peanut gelato captures the flavor of a roasted peanut. It's like tasting a texturally lighter peanut butter that doesn't stick to your mouth; it is only the essence of the flavor. The Uva Concord with its sweetness feels as if you bitten into a grape and the juice is exploding onto your tongue. Pair those together, the roasted peanut with the sweet grape; and I take back what I said earlier about the Fruitti Di Bosco con Brioche... The Peanut / Uva Concord is the best possible Gelato con Brioche.

Addendum: The employee that was part of the most amazing gelato experience was Adam. Whazzup, dude.

Gelato con Brioche

2007-09-23T22:30:00.002-04:00

This photo is what happens when you combine Frutti Di Bosco with a Brioche.

The brioche is cut in half then toasted. A scoop of gelato is then placed between the two halves. Then a light drizzle of powdered sugar is applied to the dessert.

The dessert is a treat. First, imagine toast with jelly. However, instead of toast, it's a French bread full of eggy, buttery flavor. Instead of jelly, it's "Lancaster County blackberries and raspberries, New Jersey blueberries and butterbean honey preserve, swirled into Fior di Latte Gelato". I suspect, but cannot be certain, that Frutti Di Bosco with its preserve and cream is the perfect gelato for this hot and cold dessert.

This is an ice cream sandwich for adults of discerning taste.

Affogato II

2007-09-22T08:50:00.001-04:00

Ba-ba-bacio! Talk about a hardcore flavor: espresso over chocolate hazelnut. Now, this mix isn't for everyone. Some might feel like there's just too much going on. That said, if anyone seeks the perfect mocha hazelnut, search no farther.

Yes, as you've probably guessed, I'm obsessed with the drink.

Sweetest Pear

2007-09-21T11:56:00.000-04:00

Two nights ago the 13th St location offered Lancaster Asian Pear. We didn't bother calling ahead because we also wanted to try Baked Apple, hence less chance of tears rolling from Tears' eyeballs if they ran out of something.

When i first sampled Asian Pear, the first thing that hit was an explosion of sweetness. It was ultra sugary and light, with the telltale grit and texture of Asian pears. I was a little bit stunned by how purely sweet it was; there was no tart or sour tone anywhere. But then i realized that Asian pears are super sugary sweet. In sorbetto form you don't get the extra-crispness and juiciness of the pear, but the flavor was dead on. We finally decided on a small cup of half Asian Pear, half Nectarine; both flavors went well together. I must admit i liked the Nectarine a weensy bit more than the Asian Pear, but that the pear really did grow on me after a few more spoonfuls. I love the real deal and Capogiro made a perfect batch; i suppose it just wasn't the same without the crisp and crunch.

Is it fair of me to be sad that an iced treat isn't crunchy like the real thing? I guess it's because Capogiro gets the flavor so perfectly, that my mind wants the rest -- the crunch, the skin, the aroma of the real piece of fruit. That's a compliment, in my book!

The Affogato

2007-09-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

This is my newest favorite drink ever. The above photo shows the awesomely awesome affogato. It's a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of gelato. Today, I decided to add a little spice to my espresso by selecting Saigon Cinnamon. I highly recommend this drink to give yourself a kick in the pants.

I think the trick is picking a gelato (versus a sorbetto). The espresso lends itself to the milk. Unlike the frappe which will spread out a flavor, whichever flavor you pick needs to be strong so it isn't overpowered by the espresso. I believe any of the nut, chocolate, or spice flavors ought to go well with the espresso.

The mix of Saigon Cinnamon gives the already intense espresso flavor a strong cinnamon highlight. Thankfully, it doesn't give the espresso a candy flavor. The texture is thick the way you would imagine a gelato espresso mix being: as thick as a traditional milkshake. It is served in a small coffee cup (pictured above) with a small spoon (not pictured above). You will want to savor this drink, its rich flavor, and its smooth texture.

Overall, I rate it above a frappe but warn that it is not for those who shy away from strong flavors.