Diary / Justbobbi / Sep 26, 2022

Ice Cream That's Almost Too Pretty to Eat

Written by: Christina Valhouli

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Summer time is synonymous with ice cream but these artisan shops and restaurants are upping their game with a decidedly grown-up take on this childhood treat. These frozen desserts are made with good-for-you ingredients such as Greek yogurt, matcha and coconut. Some take it a step further by creating desserts that look like works of art that are almost too good to eat.

Matcha Affogato, Hinoki & the Bird, Los Angeles

This LA hotspot from chef Brandon Kida serves up Japanese inspired cuisine combined with traditional French techniques, such as Dungeness Crab dumplings. The dessert menu is equally globally inspired. The Matcha Affogato offers a twist on the traditional Italian treat by using vanilla and green tea ice cream and black sesame shortbread, with a matcha pour over.

Blackberry Lavender Lemonade, PoPsy Popsicles, Tupelo

Tupelo, Mississippi may be best known as the birthplace of Elvis but it’s also an under-the-radar culinary hotspot for everything from ice cream to honey and barbecue. The newly opened PoPsy Popsicles uses locally-sourced ingredients in their treats. Flavors include Salted Watermelon, Avocado Coconut, and the Tupelo Green Monster, a blend of kale, spinach, pineapple, banana and coconut blend. Another customer favorite is the Blackberry Lavender Lemonade.

Sunda Sundae, Sunda, Nashville

The menu at Sunda is inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine; “Sunda” refers to the Sunda Shelf, a landmass that once connected countries Japan and China to surrounding islands including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam. The Sunda Sundae incorporate the flavors of Southeast Asia, and is a mix of shaved ice, ube macapuno (a Filipino purple yam cake) ice cream, red mung beans, jackfruit, coconut gel, and sweetened condensed milk. It is topped with berries and a fresh flower garnish, and is almost too pretty to eat.

White Chocolate Thai Tea Pops, Small Batch, Los Angeles

Small Batch is the brainchild of Top Chef Winner Brooke Williamson and husband/Co-Chef Nick Roberts, who also run the Company for Dinner hospitality group. Their ice cream shop features a rotating menu of artisanal, housemade flavors using fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market. Flavors include Lemon with homemade Strawberry Pop Rocks, Fresh Sweet Corn and fun frozen novelties such as White Chocolate Thai Tea Pops and Fresh Raspberry Popsicles. Don’t do dairy? Try the Vegan Lava Flow with strawberries and coconut milk.

Frozen Greek Yogurt with Blueberry Thyme Compote, EMA Chicago

Chef C.J. Jacobson's EMA restaurant focuses on healthy Mediterranean fare, and the desserts are equally light and delicious. The frozen Greek yogurt is made in-house, and this version is served with blueberry thyme compote and candied lemon peel. It can also be served with olive oil and sea salt.

Diary / Justbobbi / Sep 26, 2022

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