Cow & the Moon

Hello #icecreamthurs! Let’s eat icecream to pretend it’s still summer. I love Cow & the Moon – it’s pretty much the best gelato I’ve ever had – so I’m always happy to go back and try more of their fabulous flavours. On this visit, I chose two of their fruity sorbets to try, one new and one old favourite. The new flavour was the peach sorbet, which I sampled and fell in love with. The peach flavour is sweeter than other peach sorbets I’ve tried, so the effect is more like eating a sweet, ripe peach, which I really liked. The texture is perfection – as creamy as any dairy-based icecream – and the flavour is beautifully intense. I also went for an old favourite, the black and blue sorbet, which tastes just like a blackberry chewy lolly. This is the kind of flavour that gets the saliva going, it’s so sweet and tart and bold. Dad ordered the World Gelato Championship-winning Affogato flavour, which I tasted too – oh my. There were caramelised almonds in it, as well as the perfect coffee and vanilla flavours. Swoon. Must visit for anyone heading to Sydney.

Cow & the Moon, 181 Enmore Road, Enmore, NSW, no website

Scroll

I ate courtesy of Scroll; all opinions remain my own. I popped in to the Adelaide Scroll store to try their new sorbet range (yay, dairy-free options!) and opted for the Raspberry Dash (usually $9), which comes with fresh mint and is topped with mint-infused ice. Oooh. I watched the Scroll ninjas make my sorbet, starting with a liquid syrup that is spread on the icy-cold teppan, and smoothed flat before being scraped into perfect scrolls. The team were flat out during this visit, so I had about a 20 minute wait, but with ingredients running out and not enough staff, the two team members on shift were very apologetic. The sorbet itself had the most intense raspberry flavour I’ve ever tried in any icecream/gelato/sorbet, which was quite impressive. There was just the right balance between tartness and sweetness, and the textural contrast of the ice on top worked well (although I couldn’t taste the mint). Unfortunately, as I continued to eat, the raspberry sorbet started separating into chunks of ice and thick raspberry flavour, so perhaps the mix isn’t quite right yet, but overall the intensity of flavour made this stand out as an excellent sorbet.

Scroll, 35 York Street, Adelaide SA, http://www.scrollicecream.com.au/

Frugii Dessert Laboratory

You guys! It’s truffle season! And, of course, being Frugii, Frugii decided to add a Black Truffle flavour to their menu. How could I resist? It was a tough call – pair it with Dark Chocolate or Fig? – but in the end I opted for Fig, noting that truffle is an excellent flavour-enhancer. The Black Truffle icecream ($6) has a really clear, distinct truffle flavour, which isn’t for everyone – it’s hard to describe, but there’s a real complexity to the taste that I loved. I tried the Fig on its own, and was so impressed by the authenticity of the flavour, but when paired with the Black Truffle in one mouthful, all my taste buds activated and my mouth started watering! I was particularly excited by the texture of both the icecream and the sorbet. There really wasn’t that much difference between them (such good sorbet, not icy at all) and the creaminess was absolutely beautiful. Frugii portions are always great value (no extra charge for two flavour choices) and the service remains impeccable. Definitely get down to Braddon and try the Black Truffle flavour (with any pairing – let me know what you try) while it lasts!

Frugii Dessert Laboratory, 30 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT, http://www.frugii.com/

Baskin Robbins

I spent a lovely afternoon at the Opera House to see The Australian Ballet, and on my way back to the train I treated myself to a cup of Baskin Robbins, which seems to have disappeared from most other Australian cities. Whilst Love Potion #31 is my absolute favourite, I wanted something a bit lighter, so opted for the ‘Citrus Twist’ – “ice made with the tangy twist of lemons and limes”, according to the sign. Refreshing and dairy-free equals fine with me. I think the description on the sign was pretty accurate – there was still a fairly smooth, although certainly more icy than icecream, texture to the Citrus Twist, and the mixture was actually quite sweet compared to other lemon and lime flavours I’ve tried. Having said that, the flavours worked well together, and would suit those who don’t want a sorbet that results in cheek-puckering bitterness. The serve was reasonably sized, and it delivered on the ‘refreshing’ promise too. Like most places, you can enjoy a complimentary taste to help pick your flavour. With such great Harbour views, it’s hard to look past for an affordable sweet treat in Circular Quay.

Baskin Robbins Circular Quay, Lot 2, Quay Grand 61-63, Macquarie Street
Sydney, NSW http://www.baskinrobbins.com.au

 

Via Dolce

Oh, hello #icecreamthurs, aka I’m-in-denial-summer-is-over.  Canberra’s dessert scene has its own little hub in Civic – after shopping with a friend, we decided to have something sweet and ended up standing on the corner that encompasses the tough choice between Koko Black (chocolate), Oliver Brown (chocolate) and Via Dolce (icecream). Of course, we went for the icecream. The display cabinet at Via Dolce is always beautiful, and with such exotic flavours as Prickly Pear and Blood Orange, it was hard to choose. In the end I went for the Raspberry sorbet, wanting something refreshing. The portion was a good size (although it did look small in the cup) and the sorbet ticked all the boxes – good texture, just the right amount of sweetness and a lovely, authentic fruit flavour. There’s just something about a good sorbet – you get such a strong impression of the fruit you’re eating, and this cup full definitely had me in mind of a batch of juicy, fresh raspberries. I found the serving just enough to satisfy my icecream craving, but next time I’m definitely going to try one of their cakes!

Via Dolce, 108 Bunda Street, Civic ACT, viadolce.com.au

Movenpick

So when I imagine mango icecream, sorbet, or anything really, I somehow come back to the utterly divine flavour of the mango pudding served at yum cha restaurants. I have no idea whether that’s an authentic dessert or not, but for me, it’s the benchmark of mango flavour – second only to fresh, ripe mango in authenticity. Movenpick’s mango sorbet just knocked mango pudding out of the ballpark. I have enjoyed Movenpick’s flavours in a couple of cities now, but the mango I tried at the Melbourne Central kiosk is probably up there with my beloved Strawberry flavour. The serve is smaller than other stores, but when the flavour is this great, I don’t really mind. There are strands of mango woven into the sorbet, showing how genuine the flavour is – this is the kind of sorbet that would be a perfect palate cleanser, it’s so fresh and refreshing. Each mouthful coats your tastebuds in mango-y goodness, with a beautifully creamy texture that made me question its status as a sorbet. Movenpick, you’ve done it again. I will be back for sure.

Movenpick, Melbourne Central (Level 2), Corner of Swanston and La Trobe Streets, Melbourne VIC, http://www.moevenpick-icecream.com/au

RivaReno Gelato

RivaReno Gelato was recommended to me by a friend – they make their gelato fresh daily from scratch, and have a great range of flavours. I was very excited to see a sorbet section on the menu, which included two of my favourite flavours – raspberry and peach. I decided to go for the peach, as it’s the rarer flavour, and was surprised by the creamy texture of the sorbet. Definitely no icy nonsense here, this is the real deal. I was struck by how buttery the flavour tasted, with an almost nutty undertone, meaning that there was clearly no artifical peach flavouring going on. The flavour seemed to develop and become more peachy the more I ate, although it certainly wasn’t a particularly sweet sorbet. I really haven’t had any icecream/sorbet like this before – it was complex and authentic, with flecks of peach skin throughout. I also tasted my friend’s lemon sorbet, which got my saliva going – incredibly tart and acidic, it would be the perfect palate cleanser after a nice meal. The quality here is excellent and I would also be keen to try their chocolate-coated gelato on a stick, which looked amazing in the display cabinet.

RivaReno Gelato, 280 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, NSW, http://rivareno.com.au/