Feeling like the 4th of July!

Red, white, and blue is having a stupendous run this week.  America is teeming with extra Patriotism first rallying for a Team USA win in the World Cup and the headliner event tomorrow on the 4th of July.  Dessert is the ideal means to keep the spirit flush right into the celebration of our nation’s independence.  

Sweet treats are a necessity for any style 4th of July party.  Frozen treats are even better, the supreme choice to beat the heat with added happiness. Serve up sorbetto smoothies for a refreshing and simple crowd pleaser.  Made with premium whole fruits sorbetto, gelato without milk, is dairy-free, gluten-free and fat-free!Sorbetto smoothies are delicious, healthy, and transportable. Serve each flavor (see recipes below) in clear cups with blue straws for an added bonus of having red, white, and blue covered.  

Pino Gelato smoothies

RED:

3 scoops strawberry, watermelon, and/or raspberry sorbetto

seltzer water

optional (sweetener):

½ cup San Pellegrino Sparkling Aranciata Rosso (blood orange)

photo credit: drinks.seriouseats.com 

WHITE:

3 scoops lemon sorbetto

seltzer water

optional (sweetener):

½ cup San Pellegrino Sparkling Limonata (lemon) or Pompelmo (grapefruit)

BLUE:

etsy.com

Fruit pies or fruit crumbs are a hit acting as a summertime staple at gatherings. For a perfectly simple method, written in steps in a ‘create-your-own-crumb’ style, follow the basic crumb instructions at Food52… but for everyone’s added benefit be certain to top servings of the crumb creation with a scoop of gelato!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

A Tribute to Memorial Day

On Monday, the 26th of May 2014 celebrations were held across the nation in recognition for the freedom of America protected daily by those that serve in the military with honor to the men and women who lost their lives serving the country’s armed forces.  Now that the parades, bbqs, and festivals have come and gone let us pay tribute each day to commemorate the men and women and the families of those that have died in war or military action in service of The USA.  The magnitude of appreciation the people of our country have for the armed forces of America was depicted with traditional acts, American flags decorated gravestones for lost soldiers in national cemeteries.

Memorial Day Weekend denotes the kickoff to summer often marked with beach trips, boat or sport outings and picnics to welcome the outdoor season. Festivals are filled with food associated with summer from grilled corn on the cob to fruits at their peak ripeness, truly the time of year that a foodie reigns.  Frozen desserts get a heightened awareness as the temperatures rise, the sunshine becomes standard and people crave a treat to cool down.

Custom gelato cake by Pino Gelato 

The significance of Memorial Day is never to be out shined by the parties and seasonal fun ahead, the utmost order is to honor the heroes of America.  The summer does present the busiest season for gelato, welcomed is the time of year to Scoop Some Happiness to the many customers to be served over the next few months.  Pino Gelato offers a military discount; to the men and women who are serving or have served our country, thank you.

How did you celebrate Memorial Day 2014?

Sweet Celebration this 4th of July!

Sweeten up the celebration this Independence Day!  The Fourth of July has approached rapidly this year, it is time to slow down and honor our nation with family and friends in a traditional backyard gathering.  Widespread heat waves throughout The USA call on us to cool down guests with frozen treats this Thursday.  Gelato flag cake, yes please.

 Pino Gelato Flag Cake!

Keeping guests cool in a simple atmosphere is a combination perfect for serving up frosty drinks, ice-cold dessert, and a tremendous avenue to showcase the holiday’s symbolic colors red, white, and blue.  Offer guests homemade lemonade and iced tea with a scoop of lemon sorbetto and fresh mint leaves.  To promote the color scheme offer fresh or frozen blue berries and raspberries to up the ante in the frozen drinks.  Another amazing festive option is to incorporate this great fizzy, fruit float drink using a more decadent route by topping with vanilla gelato (the straws are awesome).  Simple, refreshing, and fun, exactly what the 4^th of July exudes.

Photo: Jennifer Davick, Prop Styling: Amy Burke, Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Start the day with a local parade or festival to truly immerse into the honoring of our country.  There is something very American about celebrating with neighbors and members of the community, to be a part of it.  Once gathered in the backyard, keep the menu simple with grilled entrees and classic side dishes.  For dessert a gelato flag cake provides the perfect holiday showcase while satisfying the sweet tooth in all.  Serving quarts of gelato and sorbetto is another fuss-free route to take to beat the heat in a tasty way.  Gelato on stand-by for topping pies (a la mode) is also a huge favorite, as well as an American staple. Cool desserts covered!

Host or partake in a sweet party to celebrate Independence Day, just follow these tips to be sure to keep cool.  Happy Fourth of July!

Awesome compilation of fireworks!

La Famiglia

 

Mamma Agata, facebook.com

Family is everything.  Beyond raising wholesome, successful, and loving individuals that conduct themselves with regard to society, family life as Mecca is the ultimate goal of many households in our country.  Italy and the USA share many similarities as far as family and celebration are concerned. 

A mecca is a point of recreation, gathering, and center for a particular group.  Italian mothers are known to be the axis on which their family spins, the matriarch is held with the most regard.  Italians are drawn to their homes by mamma to dine on traditional cuisine and share stories from the day (or  at least on a weekly basis, even once grown).  Italian-Americans typically do not move far from each other considering this tradition and the glue the Italian mother has laid doesn't stretch very far. 

In Italy, Mother's Day is celebrated the second Sunday in May, same as ours this year! The day starts with church and focuses on showering the mother with love, gifts, and treats throughout the day, she is not expected to cook or work.  Though certainly most do not hand over their kitchen to just anyone.  Mother's Day is a chance to bring about tradition to the epicenter of love in the family and to dine and to help spread the joy to all that she provides all year.  Families are there for each other, daily, in business, and in a place that draws us back time and again.  Family is home. 

Certainly all families have traditions that bring them together, allow for those to shine bright this Mother's Day. The base of the family, the love that keeps the group together, the mother created core, is what family is all about.   Show appreciation for family-based culture and become proof of that time being worth everything.  Make being together a bit sweeter and a bit more Italian this year and allow us to  Scoop Some Happiness to your family on Mother's Day!



A scoop of Pino Gelato for Mom = smile!