Monday, August 03, 2009

Remember Ice Cream?

...When it wasn't either gelato or guar gum? If you want to taste what pure ice cream should be, you can find it at the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck. I hope I'm spelling this right. I'm not Flemish.
During the day the van is on Greene and Prince in Soho. At night it's in front of the Saigon Grill at University Place. The sweet guy who serves the ice cream tells me they have 2 other trucks in Brooklyn, one of them in Williamsburg (undeserved, if you ask me).
$3.75 will get you a nicely sized small cup with two scoops or a cone. A small price to pay for such good stuff.
This is "artisanal" ice cream made with cream, milk, eggs and quality ingredients from small, wholesome providers. It seems to have no air, no guar gum or carrageenan, no coloring. I think it's what ice cream should be when they don't futz around too much with it, as they tend to do.
It's creamy but light, flavorful but subtle. The flavors are simple: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, pistacchio, gianduja, (hazelnut and choc), mint chip (not for me), espresso, ginger, and currants and cream, which is always sold out. I think they also have an Earl Grey flavor.
Plus, it's the only ice cream I've ever had that doesn't make me burp or bloat up like the Hindenburg.
A sure sign of its magnificence.
As long as they don't sell out to The Man...

1 comment:

  1. Correction: Cynthia correctly advises that one of the trucks is on Gansevoort, near the High Line. So only one truck in Brooklyn? No matter, it's worth schlepping anywhere for this.

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