D’Ascenzo’s
Gelato: 2012’s Best of the Main Line
The sweet, sugary smell of homemade waffle cones wafts
down the alley of D’Ascenzo’s Gelato on E. Gay Street in downtown West Chester.
Resembling a piazza along the canals of Venice, complete with the smooth sounds of
Frank Sinatra playing through outdoor speakers, this tucked away seasonal specialty
dessert shop is a hidden gem for those with an exquisite sweet tooth.
The storefront is packed with customers sampling from a
variety of flavors before creating their perfect combination in a cup or cone. Kristin
D’Ascenzo, co-owner of D’Ascenzo’s Gelato, located across from Doc Magrogan’s
Oyster House and next to iPasta, sticks a spade deep into a pan of creamy
gelato and, in one swift motion, hands a customer a perfectly swirled cup of
Stracciatella gelato, a classic Italian crème with chocolate chips.
The
crowd gathering inside is chattering about which flavors are the best, which
they’d like to try, and how the cute and cozy alley-way lined with chairs
reminds them of their trip to Italy. While the shop is loud and excited, the
overall atmosphere is calm, cool and collected as Kristin takes orders.
Glenn D'Ascenzo, the other half of the Dynamic Duo is in the kitchen multitasking: a fresh waffle cone in the waffle press and his free hand holding the electric hand mixer as he whips up a batch of gelato. Its green color can only mean one thing: Green Mint Chip, definitely a crowd pleaser.
Glenn D'Ascenzo, the other half of the Dynamic Duo is in the kitchen multitasking: a fresh waffle cone in the waffle press and his free hand holding the electric hand mixer as he whips up a batch of gelato. Its green color can only mean one thing: Green Mint Chip, definitely a crowd pleaser.
“So, you make the gelato yourself?”
“Yes, I even pasteurize the milk”, says Glenn, who makes
all the gelato on premise. “We get a big order of milk delivered once a week
from a local West Chester purveyor, Bailey’s Farm.”
Glenn and Kristin had a mile high romance. Literally!
Both were flight attendants for U.S. Air. During a flight from Charlotte, NC to
Seattle, WA in September of 2000, Glenn and Kristin met and immediately bonded.
Only
a year after meeting, the two took a romantic trip to Rome, where their passion
for gelato began. The rest is sweet, sweet history…
Gelato is "ice cream" in Italian. So, many people do not know the various
differences between this decadent dessert and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.
Gelato is made with mostly whole milk; in comparison to ice cream, which is
made with mostly heavy cream, gelato has a lot less fat.
Ice
cream also contains eggs or egg yolk. Some gelato shops minimize the amount of
egg used. At D’Ascenzo’s, they use none. Sugar levels are also drastically cut
back. If you’re constantly checking
nutrition labels and are looking for a healthier and tastier alternative to ice
cream, gelato is the way to go.
During
the freezing process, gelato is churned at a slower speed. This ensures that a
lot less air is being pumped into the frozen treat, making it denser than ice
cream, which is whipped at a much faster speed.
The key factor in the difference between gelato and
American ice cream is the temperature at which each is stored and served.
Gelato is kept at a higher temperature than ice cream, which makes it super
soft and creamy. More like sticking a spoon into a jar of homemade frosting
than a cup of solid ice cream! If ice cream is kept at a higher temperature,
the high fat content would turn it into a melted, liquid mess.
How
did D’Ascenzo’s end up in historic West Chester?
“We actually tasted our first gelato in Italy”, said Kristin,
smiling as she remembers her first of many trips to Italy, where Glenn learned
how to make gelato.
The Dynamic Duo created D’Ascenzo’s Gelato in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia at a farmer’s market in 2004, a year after the couple got married. Their Chestnut Hill location was a mobile cart that they still use at events in West Chester. Realizing their true potential as a booming business in a thriving historical county, Glenn and Kristin opened the shop in West Chester in April of 2011.
The shop
is open seasonally, from the end of March or beginning of April to October, but
frequent flyers are sure to get their fair share before the shop closes for the
season! Regulars even post comments on the D’Ascenzo’s Gelato Facebook page.
One
customer wrote: “Are you open? If no, please open soon...I literally am
going to spend my bonus on buying gallons worth of your bananas foster and
caramel sea salt the second I walk in the door; I hope you have
back-stock...it's #1 and #2 on my 'best things I've ever tasted' list.”
If
you attend the events in town, you’ve probably seen the mobile cart (with quite
the lengthy line of customers) in the street at the Restaurant Festival or Up
on The Roof.
Indulge
in Many Decadent Flavors
In
2012, D’Ascenzo’s won Main Line Today’s Best of the Main Line for Best Gelato. This
season, D’Ascenzo’s was listed among the Best Desserts in the WC Press. And
with 24 flavors filling the case at a time, it’s no wonder why. If you’re in
the mood for a creamy, rich treat, try the Caramel with Sea Salt with the
Peanut Butter. The sweet and salty combination plus the chocolate chips added
to the Peanut Butter is a savory burst of flavor your taste buds will thank you
for.
The
Dark Chocolate, which is the color of licorice and made with pure dark cocoa,
will leave your mouth covered in a gooey, delicious black mess you’ll grin
about. (Hopefully you have someone to tell you how ridiculous you look smiling
with dark chocolate oozing from your teeth!)
For
those with dairy allergies or those who are just craving a refreshing palette
cleanser on a hot summer day, D’Ascenzo’s has many different sorbets. Dairy
free but still bursting with flavor, the Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet is sure to
cool you down. Pair it with the Limoncello Sorbet made with homemade Limoncello and you will never crave a Rita’s Water Ice ever again!
For
the gelato experts and European travelers (we know you’re out there!) with a
keen taste for the unusual flavors, sample the Avocado gelato, Balsamic
Strawberries with Marscapone gelato, Lemon Basil Sorbet, and Rose Petal gelato.
For the kids: Cookies & Cream or plain, albeit scrumptious, Milk Chocolate.
Whether
you are a West Chester local or just here for a quick visit, don’t miss out on
the perfect summer (or anytime!) treat. Enjoy dinner at one of the many
restaurants in town and then head down Gay Street for dessert! With prices
ranging from $4-$20 and made with only the best ingredients delivered from
Italy, D’Ascenzo’s Gelato and its friendly owners will have you coming back for
more...and more…and more!