Frozen Feasts | Mimi's Gourmet Gelato & Frugurpops

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By Rupali Lamba

Don't believe anyone who tells you that summer is the only time to eat gelato and popsicles; anytime is a good time, except in the summer, when it's an even better time! Recently, we chanced upon some delightful homemade gelato and ice lollies, in flavours that had us going back for more, out of both greed and curiosity. After the LBB Dessert Bazaar, I had my heart frozen on these two rather cool experimental brands, and now after much sampling, introducing…

Mimi’s Gourmet Gelato 

Mimi’s right now is a super friendly and bespoke artisanal gelato company that makes its goodies only on order, and only in small batches. Their most popular flavours are part of their liquor range, which includes profiles such as Strawberry Tequila and Caramel Rum. I tried the Strawberry Tequila flavour at the LBB Dessert Bazaar, and it was simply pleasant; not overly tart like strawberries, and not harsh like tequila. It was balanced and cool, perfect for summery lunch parties. On another occasion, I tried the Chocolate and Chilli Pepper gelato, which was intensely velvety and rich {like dark chocolate}, but was followed by slight heat, which only enhanced the culinary experience.

Furniture designer by day, Akshat runs Mimi’s as a part-time passion project. After studying at Kellogg and ESSEC in Paris, Akshat returned to India, and was unimpressed by the quality and the generic flavour selection of most Gelaterias in Delhi. He took matters into his own hands {literally} and started making gelato in his kitchen, using Heston Blumenthal’s Liquid Nitrogen method. Liquid Nitrogen {-195 C} freezes the gelato base mixture instantly, and the result is a superior product, because it ensures an extremely creamy and dense, and ice crystal free result.

Why Mimi's you ask? Mimi’s is a tribute to the grandmother of one of his friends in Paris, who was an ad hoc family member to him when he lived there. It simply does not get cooler and feel warmer than that!

Akshat is constantly working on new flavours and is currently developing a new range of sorbets, a sucrose-free range, and a range specifically for kids. Watch out for the ‘Flavour of the Month Club’, which is starting this August, where you can buy or gift a membership for a 3 or 6 month period, and every month, a litre of a limited edition gelato is delivered to your doorstep!

Where: 172, Sukhdev Vihar

Contact: Call them at +91 97 11 202657 or find them on Facebook here

Frugurpop 

Sudheer Grover and Pallavi Kuchroo {die hard foodies} founded Frugurpops after experiencing the endless flavour possibilities of paletas abroad. A paleta is a Latin American ice pop, usually made from fresh fruit. The name comes from palo, or ‘stick,’ and the diminutive ending ‘-eta,’ refers to the little flat stick frozen into each item.

While doing his undergrad, Sudheer took time out and enrolled in courses that helped him master the art of making Paletaz {as they have been christened here}. He came back and set up a factory solely to manufacture these handcrafted icy creations.

Their repertoire boasts of flavours for every kind of dessert craving - from Apple Cinnamon & Rosemary to Mango Cheesecake, and from Kiwi Strawberry Lemonade to Tiramisu. I tried their Mojito paletaz, which had all the makings of a real mojito – mint leaves, sugar crystals, and even slices of lime! I also sneaked a bite of the Tiramisu popsicle, which was chocolatey and dense. The whole concept is like a fantasy, where everything you want to eat comes to you in the form of an ice lolly. They are also in the process of introducing a wide range of savoury popsicles!

Frugurpop is participating in food fairs nation-wide, and is also available at a few restaurants in Gurgaon. You will eventually find them retailing everywhere but for now, they take bulk orders for weddings, corporate events and parties.

Where: Sector 57, Gurgaon

Contact: Call them at 08171719777; read more about them here