Saucyman: I scream, you scream, we all scream for gelato or kulfi

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

I scream, you scream, we all scream for gelato or kulfi

Saucyman, Ice Cream, gelato, kulfi what’s the dif? - Frozen Brain

Short answer is fat and air - Ice Cream has more of both.

Gelati uses whole milk, which is about 3-4% fat, some extra cream is added for texture so the final product can be between 5-8% butterfat. Ingredients like chocolate, nuts, eggs & the European fave – nutella, all add additional fat, so the fat content changes depending on the individual flavor of gelato*. In addition to being a frozen confection, Gelato might also be a lifestyle, a mindset, and a state of bliss all mixed together and served with a small spoon but more of that in the future.

In the states, the USDA demands that anything calling itself ‘Ice Cream’ must contain 10% fat. Premium ice creams can run up to 20% fat, basic brands do little more than meet the legal requirement and most everything else is going to fall in the 14-16% butterfat range.

Air is another differentiating factor in the in the ice cream/gelato/kulfi dessert triumvir. American style ice creams are up to 50% whipped air by volume, gelatos average about 35%. The presence of air in ice cream is not a cynical ploy to package and sell, well air, it is an important component in the in the ice cream matrix.

The amount of air whipped in the final product is going to affect the texture and mouth feel as much as the fat content does. Think about a piece of pie – if you just wanted fat added you could pour heavy cream on top of pie – odds are you are going to whip, flavor and sweeten the cream before dolloping-up a slice for a better taste sensation.

Kulfi, is a frozen Indian (sub-continent Indian) treat and contains the least amount of air. The dessert is made by boiling milk until the volume is reduced by at least half, adding sweeteners and flavorings, then rather than mixing and/or churning, this base is frozen directly, usually in a mold. Milksicle, cardamom flavored milksicle, might be a better comparison then trying to equate Kulfi directly to ice cream. BTW, Kulfi comes in many other flavors other than cardamom, but merely typing the word cardamom or its derivative, cardayummy, does make Saucyman so very happy.

Quick editorial note: the amount of ethnic machismo exhibited in laying claim to the invention of frozen desserts makes nationalism seem quaint. Considering the age of the culture, its historical reverence for diary and the proximity of the Himalayas, Kulfi seems to be the most logical choice for being the first frozen treat, but seriously, seriously which culture imported or exported the concept of combining ice and flavors or whether the idea was developed simultaneously, isn’t that big of a deal, I’m talking to you books and scholars.

*Like cannolo/cannoli – I picked up a dozen cannoli for the family dessert, but I only had a cannolo despite the fact they were good, way good.

Bonus etymology – gelato comes from the word, gelare, meaning to freeze, not gelatin.

Bonus advice: Never allow a vegan to translate words for you, they have the power to take the joy out of language.

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Basketball

Since the lockout ended, I have been largely silent about the great sport of basketball. Despite Brandon Roy retiring, despite my beloved Blazer’s sprint out of the blocks to a really good start, despite my home team playing a style of basketball than can no longer be described as Van Gundying (Jeff) up the sport’s fluidity.

I don’t know, some interesting developments transpired: During the lockout, analysts and beat writers, the very people who possibly think about professional basketball more than I do, had a light bulb go on over their collective heads and across the league they discovered what everyone else pretty much already knew, NBA Commissioner David Stern is a dick. Over the last decade Stern forced bankrupt municipalities to build new stadiums for billionaires’ new play thing, this heavy handed behavior garnered nothing but praise. The writers sighed and thought eh, “we live in the suburbs, we write for suburban middle managers, our values are if anything anti-urban” - with all the weight that word carries. But needlessly locking out players jeopardizing their tenuous employment in publishing, well that is something that we might complain about except they hate the players more - Oh the conflict.

But mostly I can’t get excited about any team helmed by Nate McMillan. We’ll make the playoffs with a pretty good but not best record, maybe get home court advantage in the first round and then fail to advance. This is true until McMillan proves otherwise, 11 years a coach out of the first round once - this record while coaching some pretty good but not great teams. Along the way Nate will overplay star forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace so there is nothing in the tank come playoff time and risk their health. And yo-yo Nicholas Batum’s minutes so the young player becomes a head case instead of developing into a consistent contributor.

So a predictable finish is part of the my own jejune response to the return of the sport of kings (not really, that's horse racing) maybe it's the sweet science (damnit google says that's boxing). My attitude goes deeper than a finish more predictable than one of McMillan's earth toned, triple pleated suits, if the lockout exposed a fault line in NBA coverage it's that broadcasters and writers are now PR agents for the teams - so who is left to advocate for the fan - thank goodness for blogs and the posting cyborg that is named Henry Abbott.

2nd round or bust