Trying to keep your cool this summer? Ice cream is the typical topic when the weather turns warm, but we’re turning our attention this week to ice cream’s lower-calorie Italian cousin, gelato.

Gelato, an Italian term meaning frozen, is different from ice cream because it usually uses milk instead of cream, lowering the fat content substantially, while still maintaining a strong, appealing flavor.

Two makers of Maine-made gelato shared recipes with us, and spoke about why they love the gelato business.

Gelato Fiasco, Maine Street, Brunswick

Josh Davis, co-owner of Gelato Fiasco in Brunswick with college friend and now-business partner Bruno Tropeano, said they came up with the idea back in 2006. Tropeano is a first generation Italian-American who, over the years, had begun to miss the “real” Italian, high quality, fresh-made gelatos of his youth. Together, the men explored the idea of opening a gelateria, deliberately choosing to focus on “one thing and doing it really, really well.”

Fast forward a few years. Their business presence in Maine has expanded quite a bit, and the two are both still in the thick of it — overseeing the daily manufacturing process of their 500-plus flavors. All are produced using their old-fashioned techniques and recipes, with no powders or mass-produced bases. Davis was happy to say their product has “really resonated with people.”

The day I stopped in to check out Fiasco (not quite a requirement for writing this story, but yes, twist my arm, I felt very much obliged to take on the task of sampling the gelato for the sake of interested readers), Davis was out making deliveries to their assorted partners and smaller vendors. I quickly got to the task of trying to pinpoint my favorite flavor, or at least narrow it down a bit, but I soon gave up, as each one I tasted was better than the last. Trust me — you too, my friend, will be equally torn!

I was intrigued with the fruit-based sorbettos, too — Gelato Fiasco’s non-dairy option made with water instead of milk. I completely understood what Davis meant when he said a chef once thought a mistake had been made, that gelato had been accidentally delivered instead of the sorbetto. It truly was difficult to believe it contained no milk, since it was still creamy in texture. Sorbetto flavors incorporate almost every fruit imaginable, with the watermelon seeming particularly refreshing. The chocolate noir was a rich, highly intense dose of chocolate. May the lactose-intolerant among us rejoice!

Unfortunately, there are not too many options for those who crave Gelato Fiasco but find themselves short on time to travel to Brunswick. The only place in town I found where you can purchase single servings is at Milt’s, the convenience store at Bates College.

Davis, knowing that Maine’s blueberry harvest is now under way, was kind enough to share a do-it-yourself version of their recipe for Maine Blueberry Sorbetto. For best results, he recommends investing in a good, high quality freezer unit, which he expects could be purchased for $150 to $200. See recipe on this page.

Maple’s Organic Desserts

Kristie Green, who came from a family of food entrepreneurs, brought together a love of sweet desserts and the desire to use local, organic products, and started making Maple’s Organic Desserts in 1996, selling to markets and restaurants. Named after her dog, the company has expanded since then to include a scoop shop and an extensive wholesale business that sells to stores in Auburn and beyond.

Her new location at 14 Gary Maietta Parkway in South Portland combines both her retail and production facilities into one location. She refers to it as a “dream place,” since the kitchens are in the back of the retail space, allowing customers to watch them create a fresh batch — from stovetop to churning freezer to table, where each pint or gelato pan is hand-packed.

Green explained that her gelato is made from whole milk and egg yolks cooked into a custard base, with less air whipped in during the freezing process. Her recipes include cream, but less than that found in a typical American-style ice cream. She calls her gelatos “very old world.” All are made from scratch, none with pre-made mixes. Made in micro batches, the shop usually has at least 24 flavors on hand, she said, with about 100 flavors on the roster that rotate in and out. When asked how they decide which flavors to make each day, she said she either generally takes advantage of fresh produce that’s in season or, she laughed, “whatever they feel like making that day!”

Green said her own personal favorite is the Maine Sea Salt Caramel-Almond, which, as it happens, is also one of her most popular brands. She also loves the Cardamom-Ginger and Chocolate-Covered Strawberry. “And,” she said, “we just made a Coconut-Lime sorbetto that is a huge hit right now!” Her sorbettos are either fruit based, chocolate based or coconut milk based. Because gelato is a fresh-food product, she recommends it be eaten as soon as possible. No trouble there!

Green said her line is the only 100 percent organic gelato in the country. She buys her eggs from Sparrow Farm in Gardiner and all of her milk is supplied by MOOMilk, a co-op that markets and distributes 100 percent Maine organic milk under a locally processed and branded line.

Over the years, Maple’s Organics has become a major supplier of gelato for Whole Foods Markets, most of which carry her pre-packaged freezer containers. Some stores, including the one at 2 Somerset St. in Portland, offer freshly scooped too. Locally, Axis Foods in Auburn stocks a slightly limited but nice assortment of flavors. I was, of course, torn once more by the choices, but considered myself lucky when I got the last container of Maine Sea Salt Caramel-Almond the day I went in. Now I know why it’s Green’s favorite. Maple’s is also available at the Narrow Gauge Cinema in Farmington.

Green sent along a recipe that serves as an excellent base for other flavors and “is a beautiful complement to the season’s fresh berries,” she said. To make it into Vanilla Bean gelato, steep one vanilla bean in the hot milk, then scrape the seeds into the mixture and throw away the bean before freezing. “Other extracts, nuts or fruit can be added as well,” she added, noting that “this is sort of a blank canvas!”

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until frothy. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Be careful not to overheat or the eggs will cook (don’t go above 170 if using a thermometer).

3. Pour the mixture through a sieve or fine strainer into a bowl. Cover, and chill for several hours or overnight.

4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm. Let sit at room temperature until spoon-soft before serving to bring out the freshness of the flavors.

Gelato Fiasco’s Maine Wild Blueberry Sorbetto

12 ounces of cleaned fresh Maine wild blueberries (low-bush preferred)

Juice of a whole lemon

Dash of salt

1 cup water

1 & 1/8 cups sugar

Directions 

1. Bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add 1-1/8 cup of sugar and simmer under medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

2 . Puree blueberries and additional ingredients together until smooth. Strain through sieve.

3. Add sugar solution to blueberry mixture and combine well. Refrigerate until cold. Pour into ice cream or gelato maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Yields 1 quart.

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