The cuisine of California reflects the diverse culture of California and is influenced largely by Hispanic American roots, alongside East Asian and Oceanian influences, and Western European influences, as well as the food trends and traditions of larger American cuisine.
Gelato is the common word in Italian for all kinds of ice cream. In English, it specifically refers to a frozen dessert of Italian origin. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6%–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styles of frozen dessert. Gelato typically contains 35% air and more flavoring than other kinds of frozen desserts, giving it a density and richness that distinguishes it from other ice creams.
Granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. Originally from Sicily, it is available throughout Italy in varying forms. It is related to sorbet and Italian ice; however, in most of Sicily, it has a smoother, more crystalline texture. Food writer Jeffrey Steingarten says that "the desired texture seems to vary from city to city" on the island; on the west coast and in Palermo, it is at its chunkiest, and in the east, it is nearly as smooth as sorbet. This is largely the result of different freezing techniques: the smoother types are produced in a gelato machine, while the coarser varieties are frozen with only occasional agitation, then scraped or shaved to produce separated crystals. Although its texture varies from coarse to smooth, it is always different from that of ice cream, which is creamier, and from that of sorbet, which is more compact; this makes granita distinct and unique.
Italian ice is a frozen or semi-frozen sweetened treat made with finely granulated ice and fruit or other natural or artificial food flavorings. Italian ice is similar to sorbet and snow cones, but differs from American-style sherbet in that it does not contain dairy or egg ingredients. It was introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants and is derived from the Sicilian granita, a similar and related Italian dessert. Common flavors include lemon, cherry, mango, cotton candy and other fruits and confections.
Ice cream parlors or ice cream parlours are places that sell ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and/or frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is typically sold as regular ice cream, and/or soft serve, which is usually dispensed by a machine with a limited number of flavors. Ice cream parlors generally offer a number of flavors and items. Parlors often serve ice cream and other frozen desserts in cones, cups or dishes, the latter two to be eaten with a spoon. Some ice cream parlors prepare ice cream desserts such as sundaes or milkshakes, or even a blend.
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made using ice combined with fruit juice, fruit purée, or other ingredients, such as wine, liqueur, or honey. Generally, sorbets do not contain dairy products.
Nancy Silverton is an American chef, baker, and author. The winner of the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef Award in 2014, Silverton is recognized for her role in popularizing sourdough and artisan breads in the United States.
An affogato, more traditionally known as "affogato al caffè", is an Italian coffee-based dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of plain milk-flavored or vanilla gelato or ice cream topped or "drowned" with a shot of hot espresso. Some variations also include a shot of amaretto, Bicerin, Kahlúa, or other liqueur.
Sprinkles Cupcakes is a bakery chain established in 2005. It is considered the world's first cupcake bakery.
Original New York Seltzer is a carbonated soft drink. It was produced from about 1981 until 1994 by father and son Alan and Randy Miller as a non-caffeinated line of sodas featuring natural flavors with no preservatives or artificial colors. The brand was revived in mid-2015, featuring eight flavors: Root Beer, Vanilla Cream, Raspberry, Peach, Lemon & Lime, BlueBerry, Black Cherry, and Concord Grape. Cola & Berry was added in 2016. The original Original New York Seltzer flavors also included Orange and Strawberry, in addition to all of the above.
Salt & Straw is an ice cream company based in Portland, Oregon. The company was launched in 2011 by cousins Kim Malek and Tyler Malek.
Coolhaus is an American ice cream company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2009 by two women named Natasha Case and Freya Estreller. Coolhaus is an artisan ice cream brand known for combining Food and Architecture. The name Coolhaus, is in the German language, and when translated into English it is Coolhouse.
Stir-fried ice cream, also known as rolled ice cream, is a sweetened frozen dessert. It is made using milk, cream and sugars as well as other added ingredients to improve the flavor. The liquid mixture is stirred to incorporate air spaces on an ice pan and simultaneously cooled to −30 °C (−22 °F). The completed rolling process results in rolls of smooth, semisolid ice cream or gelato. The rolls are placed in a vertical position in an ice cream cup, topped off with various toppings and decorations, and eaten with a spoon.
Choctál LLC is a single-origin ice cream company that produces four varieties of chocolate and four varieties of vanilla in pints and 4-ounce single-serve cups. The 4-ounce cups are also packaged separately in Chocolate and Vanilla Tours. Choctál is known for being the only single-origin ice cream company; each type of ice cream is made from a single variety of cacao or vanilla beans, creating more complex flavor than traditional ice cream. Single origin is a concept often found in coffee. Choctál is headquartered in Pasadena, California. The ice cream is produced in Cedarburg, Wisconsin with no artificial additives, eggs, or gluten and rBST-free milk.
Cherry ice cream is a common ice cream flavor, prepared using typical ice cream ingredients and cherries. Various types of cherries and cherry cultivars are used. In the United States, where the flavor is especially popular, it has been mass-produced since at least 1917.
Spella Caffè is a coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, United States. Andrea Spella started the business as a cart, before opening a brick and mortar space in downtown Portland in 2010.
Cloud City Ice Cream is an ice cream parlor in Portland, Oregon.
Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream parlor with multiple locations in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business was founded by chief executive officer Molly Moon Neitzel in 2008.
Cereal Milk is a flavor, beverage, and ingredient introduced commercially by Christina Tosi in 2006 while working at Momofuku. Cereal Milk is milk flavored with breakfast cereal. A 15th-century Scottish recipe is the earliest known similar dish.
