Marsha Gayot of Bubs and Gracie’s (Photo by Jay Paul)
The art of developing flavors is complex and ever-changing. Ice cream makers build on tried-and-true recipes, some dating back centuries, on the same menus where they offer never-before-tasted options born from imagination. They respond to shifting palates, global influences, ingredient availability and the simple urge to invent. At their best, they turn frozen treats into evocative experiments far beyond the familiar.
Photo courtesy Gelati Celesti
Gelati Celesti (seven Richmond locations) brings flair in both flavor and concept with its limited-time offerings. From July 14 to 19, proceeds from its dreamy lemon-custard flavor LemonAid Stand will support children with cancer and their families through Anthem LemonAid. On July 24 and 25, get an early pumpkin spice fix with pumpkin gingersnap ice cream during their Christmas in July event.
Exhilarating fruit flavors abound at the Latin-owned Dalia’s Ice Cream & Bakery on Staples Mill Road in Henrico and the Mexican-inspired La Catrina in Powhatan. Dalia’s has perfected authentic tropical flavors with its guava, avocado and mamey (think almond, apricot and sweet potato in one), while La Catrina’s soursop ice cream hits a bright balance of sweet, tart and floral notes that keeps you wanting more.
At Petersburg’s pink-hued Alter Ice Cream, unusual ice cream flavors pop like July fireworks: grilled and fresh plum; sansho pepper (floral, tingling Japanese pepper); sweet corn with queso fresco and cornbread made from dark red heirloom corn; and aji limo (citrusy, spicy pepper) honey. Co-owner Corey Bullock describes Alter’s more complex ice creams as composed dishes or “a well-balanced cocktail in frozen form” and says they take cues from local farms and changing seasons. “Drawing from my background in foraging and fermentation,” he says, “each flavor becomes an opportunity to blend curiosity, nostalgia and unexpected combinations into something playful and deeply satisfying.”
At Bubs and Gracie’s, a Hull Street Road shop co-owned by Marsha and Emmanuel Gayot, the naturally vibrant purple ube ice cream is a standout and signature confection; it boasts a luscious, toasty, almost nutty flavor from purple yam.
At its two local outposts on Three Chopt Road and in Short Pump, Blue Cow powers up summer-ripe strawberries by cooking them with balsamic vinegar and then pureeing them for strawberry-balsamic ice cream. “The vinegar enhances the flavor of the berries, makes it more rich,” a staff member explains.
In a nod to Juneteenth, Ruby Scoops will be offering hibiscus jubilee punch, a dairy-free sorbetto inspired by owner Rabia Kamara’s trips to West Africa. Look for a flavor featuring suya spice, a vibrant, smoky, nutty dry rub originating in Nigeria, later this summer.
