We've gushed about Jeni's Ice Creams a few (too many?) times here, but we can't stop talking about how good this ice cream is. We are very proud of this local treasure - all inspired by Ohio dairy and fruit.
So we were delighted to see Jeni Britton, our hometown culinary hero, in Food & Wine this month - with a full spread of tips and recipes on recreating some of her stunning ice creams. We were really surprised by the first thing we read...
Jeni Britton, the founder of Jeni's, is a young chef with a genius for ice cream and sorbet. She was on Food & Wine's Tastemaker Award list, and she won a Gold Medal award in the Gallo Family Vineyards competition this year. Her seasonal, locally-sourced lineup of flavors includes things like Thai Chili (made with locally made Krema peanut butter, coconut, and just a hint of chili pepper), strawberry rose petal, goat cheese with sour cherry compote, and banana cajeta.
So we were definitely excited to see this Food & Wine piece and recipes from her, especially considering that we've been trying to reverse-engineer some of our favorite ice cream flavors for the last two years.
The first thing she said, which really surprised us, is that she doesn't use any eggs at all in her exceptionally creamy and rich ice creams. She finds the taste of eggs distracts from the pure flavor of the cream. So instead she uses just light touches of cornstarch and gelatin after reducing the cream down a bit to thicken it.
Great tips! We can hardly wait to try them out. There were also quite a few recipes attached to the article.
Here are a couple of our favorite recipes from the piece:
• Sour-Cherry Lambic Sorbet - We've had this sorbet, made with a wonderful cherry lambic beer. This gives it just a hint of yeastiness, but it mainly tastes of tart, fresh cherries. We probably won't even attempt this at home, since we can buy it by the pint!
• Pistachio Ice Cream - This one, on the other hand, is worth attempting at home. It has a light, delicate flavor that tastes of cream, pistachio, and almost nothing else. Our favorite is this ice cream sandwiched between two big chewy almond macaron cookies in Jeni's signature ice cream sandwich. (See their whole menu here.)
• Full article: How To Make Ice Cream Like an Artisan
If you aren't in the Columbus, Ohio, area, you probably haven't tasted Jeni's splendid flavors yet - but you can order by mail. Expensive, yes, but consider it for a summer birthday treat. You won't be disappointed.
Related: Product Review: Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker
(Images: Lisa Fjeld; Frances Janisch)
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
Jeez, here we are trying to eat better, and I think we'll have to make the trip to Grandview tomorrow night to pick up some ice cream...Thanks a lot, Faith!
view emilyandharry's profile
I know I've said this before -- but Jeni's ice cream is heaven on earth. Beware, the Thai Chili ice cream has a kick to it, which I discovered by accident! I'll be heading home to Columbus in July and can't wait to stop in for my Jeni's fix. :)
view birdie_dc's profile
my very first batch of ice cream is churning away right now! if this one turns out well i just might have the confidence to try some more adventurous recipes! that sour-cherry lambic sorbet sounds like my kind of dessert...
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view cassiopia's profile
I must have that Thai Chili Ice Cream!
I was very excited to see Jeni's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, and Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt recipes in "The Week" magazine's June 20 issue.
I was also surprised at the no eggs recipe, but think the addition of cream cheese sounds pretty tasty!
view bobcatsteph3's profile
I made the vanilla the week my Food & Wine arrived. It was unbelievable - although not cheap to make with a whole vanilla bean.
view jon (in Columbus)'s profile
I LOOOOOOVE Jeni's! I went to school in cbus for a couple years and everytime i go back to visit, I have to stop by Jeni's. My favorites are Pear Riesling Sorbet, Lemon Yogurt with Blueberry, Corn Ice Cream with Blackberry sauce (to die for!), and others. I am thrilled to see an article about Jeni's on here.
view ellenita's profile
boy am i glad i clicked through to the article! when you said she replaces eggs with cornstarch and gelatin i was heartbroken. as an ovo-lacto vegetarian, i eat eggs and cream but i avoid animal bones/pig snouts, as delicious and jello-y as they may be. i thought i might never be able to taste her ice cream with a clear conscience. then i skimmed the food and wine article and saw that she only uses gelatin in her frozen yogurt. PHEW! now i can't wait to try her ice cream the next time i head home to columbus.
view ampersander's profile
I hope she does a book eventually, after national domination happens.
I can't wait to experiment with cornstarch, as making custard before making ice cream is way too labor intensive in summer.
view ValHalla's profile
I actually was most fascinated by the fact that she reduces the cream first. It's such a simple and obvious way to increase the richness, but so brilliant too.
view faith's profile
You all seem Ice Cream savvy, so being from Michigan and now in Houston, I'm wondering where I can get the recipe for BLUE MOON ice cream. Love Blue Moon. Thanks.
view caseywest7's profile
I work for a Columbus magazine and Jeni totally blew us off for a scheduled interview - if you want awesome ice cream, great service and something thats not getting to "corporate" go to Denise's Ice Cream in Clintonville on High Street.
The menu of more than 60 flavors boasts the traditional as well as the experimental. A guy named Stan Zafron owns it - he's a little off the chart but the nicest guy you will ever meet.
If you have trouble choosing a flavor Stan and company are known for feeding patrons sample upon sample, part of Stan’s philosophy of allowing the ice creams to shape customer’s perception of the store. “I don’t have any neon signs. I don’t have a cartoon or other icon to promote my store,†he says. “I allow the product to create the image, and I like that.â€
Personal opinion - 100x better than Jenni's
view Lindsay722's profile
i just finished making a raspberry version of the sour-cherry lambic sorbet. yummmy!
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view cassiopia's profile