I love ice cream sandwiches any time of year, but nothing beats eating one on a sticky summer day. This year, I had my first frozen sandwich of the season at One Girl Cookies, a cheery blue bakery in Boerum Hill, my old Brooklyn neighborhood. Back when I lived right across the street, I loved peeking in at their selection of sweets each and every day.
One Girl Cookies offers two flavors (pumpkin or chocolate) and both come with creamy ricotta gelato. Similar in size to a whoopie cake, they are compact confections that you could easily eat in two bites. I purposely prolonged the process with slow, tiny nibbles.
In Manhattan, there's Three Tarts (a small shop near Food Network that serves sleek square-shaped ice cream sandwiches), Otto (Mario Batali's popular pizza joint where olive oil gelato is squeezed into a squishy brioche bun), Ruby et Violette (a midtown bakery with bulging brownie sandwiches), and 'Wichcraft (a gourmet sandwich shop that has a different flavor every day).
It's good to have so many places where I can satisfy my ice cream sandwich cravings, but sometimes, I just want to make this quintessential summer treat myself. What combinations have you tried before and are there any Food Network recipes you recommend?
One Girl Cookies
68 Dean Street
Brooklyn, NY
212-675-4996
Otto
1 Fifth Avenue (at 8th Street)
New York, NY
212-995-9559
Ruby et Violette
457 W. 50th Street (near Tenth Avenue)
New York, NY
212-582-6720
'Wichcraft
Various addresses in Manhattan
212-780-0577
Comments (4)
Olive oil gelato? That DEMANDS further explanation.
Posted by Leanne | June 25, 2007 6:58 PM
Posted on June 25, 2007 18:58
Olive oil gelato? That DEMANDS further explanation.
Posted by Leanne | June 25, 2007 6:58 PM
Posted on June 25, 2007 18:58
Yes, it's true. Mario Batali serves olive oil gelato at his restaurant Otto, and it's delicious. It's velvety smooth, and while the flavor is unusual -- it totally works. The best part is the light sprinkling of salt that comes when you order just a few scoops. Not only do the crunchy granules add some nice texture, but they also keep the dessert from tasting too sweet.
Posted by Lia | June 25, 2007 8:26 PM
Posted on June 25, 2007 20:26
The olive oil gelato with Maldon sea salt at Otto is one of the most stunning desserts I've ever eaten. I'm not a dessert/sugar freak, so I tend to go for the savory desserts, and this one is amazing! It's probably the only dessert I've raved about when recommending a restaurant. My friend (a true sugar freak) says Otto's gelato (esp the caramel) is the best she's had anywhere in the world--and she has eaten it all over the place, including in Italy.
Posted by Curlz | July 10, 2007 1:29 AM
Posted on July 10, 2007 01:29