Gelato and Coffee… A Winning Combination
Here in the United States, when someone says coffee and dessert, we typically think of cake, pastries, and maybe pies. Not gelato – the frozen treat from across the Atlantic you may have heard of before.
But in Western Europe, especially Italy, gelato and coffee are the go-to treat after a meal. In fact, they love to combine gelato with espresso to create the incredible dessert known as affogato.
We’ll get to affogato. First, let’s nail down the definition of gelato.
Gelato is not just Italian ice cream. While ice cream and gelato share some similarities, they are different types of frozen treats. Gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream. This means gelato has a lower fat content than ice cream.
Gelato is also kept at a lower temperature so it can be served soft, with a creamier consistency. Finally, gelato does not contain egg yolks as many ice cream recipes do.
Good so far? Now let’s talk about the affogato.
The full name of the dessert is called affogato al caffe (drowned in coffee), but now people just shorten it to affogato. There’s not much info on when it was actually created (both Italy and France claim its origin), but the dessert started gaining popularity in the 1950’s.
It’s easy to make affogato; first, take a scoop (or two) of gelato. Then, either brew or pour a shot of espresso over the gelato. (Whether it’s brewed or poured, the espresso should be hot.) It’s simple, quick, and delicious – the perfect treat.
So why are we talking about gelato and affogato? We’ve partnered with a gelato franchise called Pop-Bar to bring freshly made, silky-smooth gelato pops to the Birmingham area.
These pops will be made in-house and will come in a variety of your favorite flavors, plus the option to get them dipped in a tasty sauce and/or topped with sprinkles or nuts (or whatever you want).
You can expect to see – and eat – these scrumptious creations with our new store opening near the Highway 119/280 intersection in Meadowbrook Village. Not only will you be able to get a fresh, in-house made gelato pop; but you’ll also be able to pair that with a coffee or even get a unique take on the affogato using our pops. (Just wait until you try it!)
We’ll have more details coming out soon, so keep an eye out on our social media for our opening date. Then, come enjoy one of Italy’s most popular treats on a stick.