While I like to pretend that I am a woman of few vices, it is well documented that my obsession with gelato verges on the “get help soon” side. When I was asked to meet with Cristiana Ginatta, the “flavor maker” for Paciugo Gelato & Caffè, I may have shed a tear.

Paciugo, founded in 2000 [...]]]>

While I like to pretend that I am a woman of few vices, it is well documented that my obsession with gelato verges on the “get help soon” side. When I was asked to meet with Cristiana Ginatta, the “flavor maker” for Paciugo Gelato & Caffè, I may have shed a tear.

Paciugo, founded in 2000 by Italian-born Ugo and Cristiana Ginatta, and later joined by their son Vincent Ginatta, is a franchise based in Dallas, Texas. The company is interested in bringing the brand to the New Orleans area, so I met with them while they were in town for a food vendors convention at the Sheraton Hotel.

I cannot recall ever having gelato for breakfast before then, but I can safely say that it is how everyone should start their day. After shaking hands with the founding crew, Cristiana invited me behind her case to get a good view of the flavors she made only hours earlier with her portable gelato machine.

This is probably as good of a time as any to declare how sweet and personable Cristiana is. It’s quite possible that I may do so again before the end of this post.

As I tasted, Cristiana told me how the gelati and sorbetti are made daily in small batches, and have no added preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. (Some flavors, like the Roasted Banana Cashew Heath Crunch, incorporates items that are not all-natural.)  The gelato is made with whole milk, rather than cream, so that they contain fewer calories and grams of fat than most ice creams. Their sorbetti are generally fat-free, and they even offer flavors that have no added sugar or are soy-based. Frozen fun for everyone!

amarena cherry - amaretto chocolate chip - organic maple caramelized bacon

strawberry balsamic vinegar - pannacotta - fondente dark chocolate

Yes, pork fiends. That is gelato with bacon mixed in. Apparently, Austin loved it.

After sampling every flavor Cristiana had made that day, I found myself amazed by the quality of the ingredients and the smooth texture. I will be honest; While walking to the hotel, I wondered how good could a chain’s gelato really be. I’ve never been happier to be proven wrong. And have I mentioned how delightful Cristiana is? Just making sure you’re listening.

The Pecan Praline haunts me. Sweet, crunchy nuts.

While I do not have photos of it, I was gifted with a few bags of their Gran Miscela coffee, both ground and whole bean. I am a very picky coffee drinker, to say the least, but I’ve been enjoying the heck out of the Paciugo Miscela Vienna Roast. Ugo hand-selected the beans himself, and it shows. I have some crappy beans at home I’ve been suffering through, if only to not be wasteful, but working my Tuesday/Wednesday day job has been easier to get into in the A.M. with this roast at my desk. I am going to be quite sad when it’s gone.

While we don’t have a Paciugo to enjoy in New Orleans (yet), I’ve noted how business has been heating up in the realm of frozen desserts. Creole Creamery has made a name for itself with their traditional setting and creative concoctions. Sucré offers the convenience of appeasing a wide variety of sweet-seekers (and soon to be in Jefferson Parish, as well). La Divina nabs the locavores with their natural gelatos. I would be amiss to dismiss Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles and one of the newest contenders, Pinkberry.  I’m omitting a ton of frozen confectioneries, but you can see where I’m going here. When I was a kid, you went to Angelo Brocato for Italian Ice or you went to one of the chains in any neighborhood. (Remember Zack’s Famous Frozen Yogurt? There’s one opening up on Magazine Street soon.) While I see that all of these business owners are ultimately in the same industry, with the proper marketing and branding strategy, there truly is room for every palate and budget. When Paciugo decides to enter the New Orleans market, I think location will make them or break them. I’m not a business major, and this isn’t a business magazine, but if you want to buy me a cup of coffee or a drink, I will tell you all about my ideas on ice cream business zoning strategy. Or, you can buy my brand new book, Leslie’s Ice Cream Business Zoning Strategies, for only $29.99. (Ok, I’m just kidding about that.)

It was such a pleasure to meet the Ginattas, and I wish them great success, whether a Paciugo opens in New Orleans or not. But I do hope it is the former, as I can really get behind a family that goes by the motto “Ante Lucrum Nomen — Reputation Before Profit”.

If you are interested in owning a Paciugo store, franchise information can be found at their website, http://paciugo.com.

Once upon a time, there was a deliciously tangy and refreshing frozen confectionery dessert and it was called Pinkberry. Pinkberry was very popular on the East and West Coasts, but was mostly unknown in the South. This made Pinkberry very sad. Then one day, two princesses, Celie and Courtney Stumm, decided to open a Pinkberry [...]]]>

Once upon a time, there was a deliciously tangy and refreshing frozen confectionery dessert and it was called Pinkberry. Pinkberry was very popular on the East and West Coasts, but was mostly unknown in the South. This made Pinkberry very sad. Then one day, two princesses, Celie and Courtney Stumm, decided to open a Pinkberry of their own in New Orleans and the Uptown residents rejoiced at its arrival. There was free Pinkberry for everybody and they all lived happily ever after. The end.

Alright, so it might not quite have gone down that way, but Pinkberry certainly does seem to be well-received in New Orleans. The Magazine Street location did not officially open until Friday the 16th, but NOLA Eats was invited to attend the Grand Opening Preview Party as VIP guests. How could we say no?

Upon our arrival, we walked the pink carpet to the VIP tent. We were able to select our flavor, so since I had never tasted Pinkberry before, I had to go with their original recipe. There was a spread of almost any topping you could think of, including fresh cut pineapple, kiwi, berries and…wait for it…Fruity Pebbles. Daniele was brave enough to try the Cap’n Crunch on her serving, but I don’t think she expected to find that it was more fun than wretched. Apparently, Pinkberry brings well-known locals to the yard, as we saw Jackie Clarkson, Stacy Head and Morris Bart in attendance. Jason Lee (of “Clerks” and “Mall Rats” fame) was reportedly in attendance as well, but I suppose we were just too darn busy gobbling up our delicious desserts to notice. The yogurt itself was light, refreshing and had a mellow tang. My fruit toppings – pineapple, kiwi and strawberry – were firm and fresh. Daniele agreed and had this to say: “I guess I was expecting Pinkberry to taste like all of the other fro-yo I’ve had in my life: a low fat imitation of ice cream. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Pinkberry actually tastes like yogurt – light, sweet and tangy.”

While I try to buy, dine and eat local as much as possible, I welcome our new frozen yogurt overlords. I’ve been more conscious lately of the amount of  ice cream-type products I consume, and, to put it nicely, Pinkberry kicks TCBY’s patootie. A half-cup of Pinkberry’s original yogurt is free of rBST hormones, gluten and fat, and is only 100 calories. I think you can officially call me a Groupie.

I was suffering from a MAJOR sweet tooth, but wanted nothing to do with a pastry or cookie from the food court across the street. Instead, I called up my pals over at Yokohama Sushi (201 Baronne St.) and they delivered me a fun fried banana to satisfy my craving.

Posted via BlackBerry Storm [...]]]>

I was suffering from a MAJOR sweet tooth, but wanted nothing to do with a pastry or cookie from the food court across the street. Instead, I called up my pals over at Yokohama Sushi (201 Baronne St.) and they delivered me a fun fried banana to satisfy my craving.

Posted via BlackBerry Storm from NOLA Eats @ posterous

Ok, not really, but I am bringing The Locals’ Choice back! You guys gave me some great feedback on where your favorite gumbo is served. With this arctic chill that’s been keeping the New Orleans area hostage, I have had bread pudding on the brain.

Credit: Randy Mayor; Katie [...]]]> Today, I’m bringing sexy back.

Ok, not really, but I am bringing The Locals’ Choice back! You guys gave me some great feedback on where your favorite gumbo is served. With this arctic chill that’s been keeping the New Orleans area hostage, I have had bread pudding on the brain.

Credit: Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard

I’ve only indulged in one local eatery’s bread pudding so far this year (which I will report on in the comments), but if my calculations are correct, I will be requiring more of this Louisiana favorite to keep my tummy warm. Please comment with your favorite spot for bread pudding, or if you have a recipe, share with the class!

How do you get [...]]]> Whether you were born and raised here or a recent arrival, you’ve got to have at least one king cake to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I want to help you kick off your Carnival season properly with a FREE king cake from my favorite bakery, Maurice French Pastries.

How do you get a shot at winning? Comment on this blog entry, give us a mention on Twitter (we’re @NOLA_Eats) or drop us a comment on the NOLA Eats Facebook Page with your funniest or most embarrassing Mardi Gras moment. It’s that easy and, man, it will be worth the price of this king cake just to get a chuckle from all of your crazy stories. Just be certain that I can contact you somehow should you win.

Now, there is one catch; You must be a local to win this prize as you must be able to pick up the cake from the CBD. (Sorry to my out-of-town readers! I promise to have something for you guys in the near future.) You can even do a drive-by if you don’t want to park, but you’ve got to come pick it up. I will take the names of those participating and use a list randomizer to select the winner. Stories will be collected until 11:59pm tonight, NOLA time. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon, right around lunch time, which is when you can come and claim your delicious Maurice French Pastry king cake. Good luck!

Okay, hold up! It has occurred to me that not all my readers know what this Mardi Gras business is all about. There are a slew of people that are more knowledgeable in the history and traditions than I am, so here are a few great links to graze upon:

• Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide (a necessity!)
• Nola.com’s Mardi Gras In New Orleans
• NewOrleansOnline.com – Mardi Gras News and Stories
• New Orleans Mardi Gras wiki on Wikipedia.com

The contest is open to all [...]]]> The Southern Food and Beverage Museum, the New Orleans Public Library and the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission have partnered to conduct a Sweet Potato Pie and a Sweet Potato Cake Contest. The contest will occur on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in the Riverwalk Marketplace.

The contest is open to all entrants with no fee to participate in the contest. Contestants must register their creations from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. Contestants register by filling out a form that is provided at the museum. There is no pre-registration.

The contest is conducted in a “state fair” system in which contestants bring their food already prepared and ready to be judged. All pies or cakes must include sweet potatoes in some form, though sweet potatoes do not need to be the main ingredient. Other ingredients, including alcohol, are allowed.

Judging will be conducted by a panel of recognized food experts chosen by the participating organizations.

Three winners will be selected in each category. Winners will receive prizes that include, but are not limited, to the following:

• A one-year membership to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum
• Merchandise, including a SoFAB t-shirt and tote bag
• Placement on the website of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission for one year
• Mention in media releases from sponsoring organizations
• Others to be determined

For more information about the contest, contact Chris Smith at (504) 569-0405.

You can follow the Southern Food and Beverage Museum on Facebook and Twitter

Seeing as how the brief taste of fall that we had last week is a memory and we are back to summer’s standard heat and oppressive humidity, I’d like to talk to y’all about frozen desserts.

Tuesday after work, I [...]]]>

It’s Thursday, so Daniele is back with a piece about vegetarian-friendly dessert purveyors La Divina Gelateria. -Leslie

Seeing as how the brief taste of fall that we had last week is a memory and we are back to summer’s standard heat and oppressive humidity, I’d like to talk to y’all about frozen desserts.

Tuesday after work, I stopped at the French Quarter outpost of La Divina Gelateria for a cool treat in the middle of my daily bicycle commute. Our gal Leslie and her husband were the ones who tipped me off to La Divina back when they only had their Magazine Street location. I cannot tell you how excited I was when they opened a shop in the French Quarter earlier this year. I am a downtown kinda gal, so not having to cross Canal Street to get a sweet, sweet gelato fix is my idea of urban convenience.

The service at the French Quarter location can be a little on the acerbic side, but has never crossed the line over to rude. And hey, I can’t blame them for having some attitude after dealing with the tomfoolery of the French Quarter denizens all day. (For example, when I was there I noticed a firm but polite “No bare feet, please” sign on the door.)

If you haven’t been to La Divina yet, you should definitely check it out. They’ve taken the traditional Italian desserts of gelato and sorbetto to a more modern and worldly place. Standards like chocolate gelato and lemon sorbetto are still available, but why bother with them when you can experience innovative flavors like peach-prosecco or horchata? Local ingredients are represented among selections as well with offerings such as Pontchatoula Strawberry-Balsamic and Turbo Dog-Chocolate. If you’re even the slightest bit inclined to adventuresome eating, peeping the complete list of all the flavors La Divina is sure to make your mouth water. The selection on any day will vary with the season (and the whims of the gelato makers, I suppose), so try not to get your heart set on any one flavor before you walk in the store. Think of it as a super-tasty game of chance!

La Divina Gelateria mojito sorbetto

You may recall it was in the 90’s on Tuesday afternoon, so the primary reason for my visit wasn’t gastronomic exploration so much as it was icy refreshment. I got a small cup of mojito sorbetto which was cold and refreshing for sure, though I couldn’t really detect any mint in it which is what makes a mojito a mojito, really. But I knew what I was getting into before I placed my order because customers are welcome to take a free taste before committing to a flavor. Ultimately, I just wanted that zip that citrus can provide to a dessert. And this sorbetto was certainly zippy without being weighed down by too much syrupy sweetness which is sometimes a problem for ice-based treats. For the less-than-five-minutes it took me to finish my serving, getting through another day of a seemingly endless summer didn’t seem all that hard.

You can also follow La Divina Gelateria on Facebook and Twitter

I’ve been a fan and frequent customer of the New Orleans Cake Café since [...]]]>

It’s Thursday (for real, this time) and Daniele has another tasty entry from the vegetarian perspective.  If you weren’t hungry before, her pictures will change all that. (Pssst! I think I smell a NOLA Eats brunch event!) -Leslie

I’ve been a fan and frequent customer of the New Orleans Cake Café since it opened in 2007, so it’s no surprise that I found myself there for brunch again this weekend. As it turns out, they were celebrating their second anniversary by offering free pieces of cake to each customer. Um, hell yeah I want a free piece of cake!

I got the red velvet because I am trendy like that. (Is red velvet cake still trendy?) Trendy or no, the cake was perfectly delightful. Not just because it was free and unexpected but also because it was moist and delicious. What a great way to start brunch. Yeah that’s right – I said start brunch. I tried to save a little bit of the cake to have after my meal, but my will is weak.

I was really happy when the Cake Café opened on the corner of Chartres and Spain in the spot previously occupied by La Spiga. I am a great lover of breakfast-y and brunch-y foods. I am an even greater lover of establishments who offer such foods close to my home. As a vegetarian, I think I gravitate toward breakfast foods because I know that I’ll have options no matter how meat-centric the restaurant is.

Of course, Cake Café is more than a neighborhood place I settle on because it is close and I can eat there. It is freaking tasty as all get-out! There are lots of choices for vegetarians and their carnivorous friends alike – omelets, sandwiches, salads, soups, and of course baked goods. I highly recommend keeping an eye on the specials board. The dishes found on there make creative use of seasonal ingredients and there are some hidden treasures on there. My boyfriend has also gotten into the habit of buying a loaf of their ciabatta to take home when he visits.

On my last visit, I went with an ol’ stand by: a roasted vegetable sandwich with goat cheese. Sometimes I get sick of the roasted vegetable sandwich as it seems to have become the token vegetarian offering in many restaurants. But Cake Café’s addition of goat cheese and use of fresh bread baked in-house give new life to a dish that can teeter on the edge of dull. The tanginess of the goat cheese plays well against the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers. A handful of fresh spinach adds another layer of texture. All sandwiches come with on your choice of bread. I chose challah, which I think worked well with the sweet and savory mix that was happening with the other ingredients.

If you happen to find yourself hungry for breakfast or lunch in the Marigny, I highly recommend stopping into the Cake Café for a bite. Just be sure to save me a table!