Peach Gelato Today

photo credit: askchefdennis.com

July is National Ice Cream Month providing fans of frozen dessert more justification to indulge during the summer heat. More specifically today, Thursday, July 17, 2014 is National Peach Ice Cream Day.  Peaches provide a copious amount of festivals for patrons to gather and share the multiple recipes associated with the fruit’s peak season, and to celebrate how darn delectable peaches truly are.  Beyond the adaptation of peaches in recipes, combinations pairing the fruit with spicy meats, teas, ideal canning and peach pies there is simplicity. Better even, peach farmers and market regulars in Macon, GA agree there is nothing like a bowl of peach ice cream after a day spent picking the fruit out in a hot field.

A few easy ways to enjoy peaches in frozen dessert form be it from a glass, bowl, or as a novelty. The supreme recommended cool down that incorporates peaches into a refreshing frozen beverage is The Blood Orange Peach Soda Float.  In the infamous Bellini, an Italian prosecco beverage,  the white peach puree beautifully defines the elite cocktail… adding mini scoops of peach sorbetto and vanilla gelato make for a drink perfect for consuming today. Drink up some peach! Peaches as an amazing (and quick) summer dessert staple = grilled peaches, served on top of a bowl of vanilla gelato with a drizzle of caramel. The sugars in the fruit create a crisp sweet layer after being grilled, adding the heightened peach flavor along with a light crunch to a household favorite.  No need to move to the country, plentiful ways to ‘eat a lot of peaches…’ this summer regardless of any metropolitan or suburbia locale status. Unarguably, the peach roadside farmer's market has got the best plan!

Peach gelato sandwiches are a lighthearted treat. Enjoy!

Peach gelato sandwich recipe

Makes 8 sandwiches

32 oz peach gelato

16 macadamia nut shortbread cookies, recipe from Southern Living

or feel free to use a favorite similar recipe of your own.

Plastic wrap

Paper wrap

Place two 2 oz scoops of peach gelato on one cookie (bottom of sandwich), top with second cookie. Wrap sandwich in plastic wrap and place in freezer. Repeat this process until all 8 sandwiches are assembled.  When ready to eat and serve remove sandwiches individually from freezer and unwrap from plastic wrap. Using the paper wrap, cover each peach gelato sandwich halfway up with paper to prevent melting.

What is your favorite peach recipe? Share with us this National Peach Ice Cream Day!

photo credit: chefsherry.com 

Health behind Gelato

To stay congruent with the overall health vibe January induces in many American’s homes, the information here intends to lighten the load and expose the actual health perks gelato offers. 

Gelato is made predominantly with milk, which means it is 93% fat-free. By law, ice cream must contain more than 10% butterfat in the United States to be considered ice cream.

Manufacturers typically whip air into their ice cream products, which results in over 50% of air by volume. Gelato does not have all this air whipped into it, which means it is a dense, rich product full of flavor. This texture makes it thick and “creamy” without the use of heavy cream.  Because ice cream contains more than twice as much air as gelato, the high fat content in the heavy cream allows ice cream to maintain a creamy texture.  Sorbetto, gelato without milk, is dairy-free, gluten-free and fat-free. Making these Italian treats all-inclusive.

Gelato is produced in small batches with only the best available premium ingredients versus the mass production of ice cream made months prior to consumption. Gelato is lower in fat content per serving and lower in calories per serving versus ice cream.  The rich texture and flavor of gelato allows for true indulgence and satiety in lesser quantity.

Often gelato varieties have flavors with fresh seasonal fruits or the best chocolate products. Used are products such as whole fruits, real espresso and premium high cocoa content chocolate to give gelato the best possible flavor. Chocolate has benefits conducive to health as well, from antioxidants, to stress relief, and a natural metabolism booster from the caffeine content.  Fresh fruits are an everyday staple as they provide a bevy of vitamins and recommended nutrients. Some ingredients are imported from Italy, to keep the true flavor of authentic Italian gelato.  The combination with the healthy fats in gelato allow consumption of these pairings to go unhindered and become a celebration, a choice, and a delicious portion to achieving a healthy lifestyle. 

Eat gelato!

Tis The Season

Tis the season, ladies and gentlemen! Amongst the spirit and visual aspects of the holidays the taste of this time of year reigns supreme.  Peppermint swirls are just one of the true delights worthy of adding to just about anything.  Notably fastened upon gingerbread houses, this year’s peppermint has an upgraded appearance making it into gelato. Peppermint flavored gelato, albeit delicious in original form, can change the way the holidays are enjoyed when incorporated with the traditional.  

A cup of hot chocolate topped with peppermint gelato will leave the marshmallows in the pantry to go stale. Adorned atop any pie or cake, the perfect escort to Christmas cookies, and a visual delight with an array of candy toppings there is no limit to the decadent, creamy, peppermint-y gelato’s use. Holiday party attendees will be wowed by the means of the flavor, but then again the same reaction is warranted eaten alone straight from the bowl… it is that good.



Spumoni Gelato

Ways to add new sentiment and flavor to the traditions shared within families is to share spumoni gelato with those that matter most. Spumoni or known to Italians as spumone is combination of cherry, chocolate, and pistachio layers folded with cherries and nuts. If spumoni is unfamiliar with friends or family, it is such an exciting combination to introduce. 



Try serving the gorgeous scoop of spumoni gelato in tea cups when hosting family or an intimate sized crowd, beyond ideal for a friend’s wedding or baby shower in the next couple months. A bonus for tea cups that have been handed down from previous generations they will be a wonderful portal to expose something new while bringing a modern use to a treasured item.  Otherwise be on the lookout for all different patterned and sized tea cups on each shopping trip and set the dessert table early on, once with the spumoni gelato added the eclectic display will be just as appreciated by friends and acquaintances.  The table never looked so pretty and no grandparent ever swooned so gleefully at a new holiday dish.



Traditions with a twist and creating new ones are part of the joy in the passing of each season.  Be it the comfort of an old friend, peppermint, or the excitement of trying a new food for the first time, spumoni, a holiday with gelato is bound to be the most enjoyable addition this year and fixed in the food line-up for many years to come. 

Elegant "Sundays"

On a day of rest, it’s time to treat yourself to a dessert that is a little more special. It’s called an affogato. This Italian coffee based drink combines two phenomenal Italian pleasures: espresso and gelato (how could you not?!).

Come to Pino Gelato and taste an affogato for yourself! We’ll create one specially for you with your choice of gelato and toppings! Once you’ve tried it and have the desire to be creative; take home your two favorite flavors of gelato and prepare to have some fun!

Here is our traditional affogato to help you get started:




Place two scoops of gelato in bowl or glass: 1 vanilla and 1 chocolate
(maybe 3 scoops... Just because you deserve it J )

Affogato (Italian for drown) the gelato in 2 shots of espresso.

Add some whipped cream (homemade preferably)


Drizzle your favorite toppings (nuts, fruit, chocolate syrup, etc…)







Grab a palettina spoon and Enjoy!

When you are finished licking your spoon.....

Tell us about your homemade affogatos!!!

A Scoop A Day Keeps the Sadness Away.

Hello Gelatorians!

Time for a check-up to see how your Gelato New Year’s Resolution’s are going. We hope that you are getting stronger by achieving your resolution to take better care of your body!

To show our support, we took gelato to the Powerhouse Gym in Hilton Head, SC to celebrate their 2nd year anniversary and a few things going on with Pino Gelato!  Around 400 people came out to this place of energy and high spirits


First-

We are celebrating the opening of a new store in Old Town Bluffton! For those of you who live off island, we have a closer Pino Gelato for you! If you are traveling to Hilton Head Island in the spring or summer, we would absolutely love to see you at the original Pino Gelato in the Wexford Plaza. Also, try out the new store located just off the island at the Bridge Center where we are adding a worldly touch through Italian dessert.

Second -

We wanted to encourage you to be active but also to treat yourself because let’s be honest: without some reward, it’s tough to keep going. So take a moment and let your taste buds savor some well-earned gelato.

To help some of the 5,000 Powerhouse Gym members and local people who came to party with us succeed in changing their lives for the better; we gave away Yum Yum Dishes!
Remember the Yum Yum Dishes that help control portions?
They were featured in the January newsletter?


Still smiling? J If you haven’t tried them out, I dare you.

If you don’t receive the newsletter, sign up today at the bottom right of our website http://pinogelato.com/Home.aspx



One of our resolutions has been to keep in touch with YOU, the backbone of our family of gelatorians! We hope you have enjoyed our new blog resolution. It has been a treat to hear from you here and on our face book page. We love hearing about your stories and passion for gelato and hope that you will continue to do so!

A lot is going on with us, and we hope that good things are happening with you too.  So, here is your prescription from your caring gelato family.

Take some time to relax.
Visit the nearest Pino Gelato.
Reward yourself for all of your hard work.

Well… I am off to take a break and have a scoop of mint chocolate. Care to join me?

One… Two… THREE Scoops for You!

It was a bright sunny day on Hilton Head Island, and as we were helping our customers and admiring the beautiful day at the Pino Gelato store in Wexford Plaza, someone exclaimed,

“It’s a bird!”

“It’s a plane!”

“No, it’s a home run!!!”




Suddenly the doors BURST open and in came the joyous stampede of the Tigers baseball team!
The proud pride of young Tigers, ages 8 to 10, crowded around the oasis of frozen dessert, a delicious and well earned treat for their outstanding season.







Chocolate!
Vanilla!
Pistachio!
Stracciatella (Chocolate Chip)!
Fragola (Strawberry)!
Mixed berry!
Lemon sorbet!  
Blood orange sorbet!


 There were so many choices!



As they waited for their gelato and mouth-watering pepperoni or cheese pizza cones, the Tigers showed us their overjoyed faces with their Tiger stripes.






Through the many days of storms and sunshine, this team had become a community and covered each other’s back like a true pride.

Finishing with a record of 7 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie, they were “Kings of the League.” Among the pride were their team captains Colin Gross and Dillan Montenegro. The victorious team was managed by Tim Gross and assisted by coaches Mark Boyer and Michael Methvin. 




The young players gained a great deal of valuable experience and wisdom from their coaches. It was also time for this young warrior’s hot flavorful pizza cone to be devoured.

While one player was talking with the coach, this Tiger had taken a moment to observe the celebration and reflect on a great season. This moment didn’t last too long…







 And neither did the steamy pizza cone.




Congratulations to the Tigers for a terrific season! We are so grateful to have you as a part of our community!

Come celebrate and share your “home runs” at Pino Gelato:

a community of friends, family, and gelato!

Taste of the Season 2011

Ice Sculpture

The holiday season officially began with one of Hilton Head's most anticipated event... Taste of the Season.
For the 22nd edition, the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce gathered thirty local restaurants and eateries including The Jazz Corner, Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana, Alexander's Seafood Restaurant, Aqua Ocean Grill and Red Fish to name a few at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa to offer locals and visitors signatures dishes and desserts. The ball room was filled with aroma that tickled your taste puds at every step. Whether you prefer seafood or steak, Hilton Head's finest chefs had prepared it fabulously. When visiting the island on your next summer vacation, whether you are beach goers or golfers, you won't want to miss these great places to eat. Among our favorites were Ela's Water Grille's seared diver scallops with truffled beurre blanc with lemon, Berkeley Hall's mesquite grilled bison strip loin, cranberry demi served with dual white and orange sweet potato puree, and the butternut squash bisque, topped with crab nugget and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Lined up for Pino

 Fortunately, guests saved a little room for dessert and had a choice of brownies and cookies, chocolate fettuccini alla panna (cocoa crepes) and of course, Pino Gelato!
After winning the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce "Small Business of the Year Award", we could not miss this culinary event and wanted to add our famous Pino Gelato Brand to the mix. Earlier in September, when we were invited to Gourmet Sensation with Wolfgang Puck (see the complete story on our blog), we offered our unique gelato and sorbetto classic Italian flavors. On Friday night, we added the new seasonal flavors to bring our own taste of the season here on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The authentic Italian gelato flavors Spumone and Tiramisu were the hit of the night, along with Christmas favorite Candy Cane. Some preferred the pallet cleansing sorbettos: Mediterranean citrus and Mojito served as "icing on the cake" after such delicious food for many.

A taste of Italy

All the participants efforts to decorate each table with ornaments, Christmas trees, lights and classic children's books made the spirit of the Holidays come to life.

Daniel's had an elegant presentation

Our beautiful table

 

Pino Gelato donates

 The silent auction tables were full of gifts, including some from Santa Claus himself! Choosing between dining and entertaining such as  Crazy Crab and Old Oyster Factory gift certificates, indulgent escapes including weekend getaways to Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, The Inn at Harbourtown, the Westin or the Hilton Oceanfront Resort and other golf and spa packages made it a lot of fun to bet and support our community!


Not only was the food amazing, but the drinks were a treat as well, and the fact that it was all served among great company, with live jazz music playing in the background, made this event all the more special!

The music men

Trick or Treat, Italian style....

Halloween means all kinds of sweets and trust us, we know what a sweet tooth is! Here is the good news: there is now a fun and spooky healthier alternative...

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Our staff has been debating over which Halloween gelato cupcakes are the scariest! We (almost) agreed on the ones topped with the witch hats.


Let us know what you like best and we'll have it ready for you bloody fast! There is nothing boring about a gelato cake either. Whether you keep things bright with a pumpkin face or venture over the dark side with skeletons walking around a graveyard, you'll enjoy biting into it as much as surprising your crowd!

And don't forget your costume!

Italian Heritage Festival

Ciao! (Hello!)

Come stai?(How are you?)

Last Saturday, the Italian American Club of Hilton Head orchestrated their 2nd Italian Heritage Festival at Shelter Cove Community Park. 

All the ingredients for a great events were there: the weather was perfect (a bit warm according to some, but it is never too warm if you ask us!), the food was amazing and the turn out even better!

More than 2,000 people joined us to savor Italian food offered by many local restaurants and shops. name your favorite food, I bet it was there:  Italian sausage, pasta and meatballs, osso bucco, polenta, and of course pizza! If you were smart, you saved room for dessert, not only for gelato but also cannolis and the famous Zeppoli's prepared from scratch by the Club's volunteers.

Between the music, the sun, the delicious smell of all the different dishes, the loud Italian families and the laughters, we sure felt a little closer to Italy that day...

 

Pino Gelato visits Cincinnati, Ohio

Last weekend, Dominic Leong attended the 22nd edition of "A Gourmet Sensation" in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1974, this prestigious event has gathered talented chefs from all around the country every year for a special evening to benefit the Hospice of Cincinnati.
This year, approximately 1,200 guests attended and enjoyed the various delicacies prepared by 23 chefs from Texas to South Carolina!

Ron and Carol Harris

Licensees Ron and Carol Harris from Pino Gelato Bistro in Dublin, Ohio, joined Dominic to show what we can do with gelato and sorbetto.

Let's starts with "Crespelle" or Italian crepes....

Crespelle with fresh berries, topped with whipped cream and mixberry gelato

 Love coffee? The "Affogato" is your drink! It literally means drowning gelato in espresso. Add some whipped cream and chocolate sauce and enjoy!

Or if you prefer something stronger, we suggest pouring a shot of coffee liquor over vanilla bean gelato or vodka on top of lemon sorbetto.

Email us at pinogelato@gmail.com for recipes

Molti crespelle!

From 6 am until 11:30am, Dominic made more than 300 crespelle.
And guess how long it took the guests to eat them all?
One hour and a half!

The line never stopped from 7:30pm until 10:50pm, which may explain why we were invited to come back next year!

Great job Dominic, Carol and Ron!