Madisono's at Miami University!

We are super enthusiastic about our new partnership with Miami University's on campus market in McCracken Hall. Marketplace at McCracken is an on-site general store stocked full of the college necessities like laundry detergent, cold medicine, candy, fresh salads and organic produce and snacks. What a brilliant idea!

Madisono's Gelato and Sorbet is now going to be included in the frozen foods offerings so you can get some lemon basil sorbet to keep you awake on those late night study sessions. Or perhaps soothe some boyfriend troubles with a pint of Dark Chocolate Orange gelato. Or grab a pint of Caramello with sea salt and head to a bench on the green for some socializing.

If the freezing rain holds off, we'll be sampling our gelato today at the "Local Day" festivities. Come on down and say hello to your new foodie obsession!

New Fall Flavors from Madisono's Gelato and Sorbet!

They're here! We're very excited to start distribution on our seasonal flavors for fall. One of our favorite aspects to owning a gelato and sorbet company is that we get to create new flavors for our customers. These were especially fun to make since we partnered with so many local vendors. We love to support other local  and family-owned businesses and know that it makes Cincinnati the delicious place that it is!

We hope you have the chance to try one or all! Available at our retailers and select restaurants.

(from left to right)

1.      Spiced Cider Sorbet: Made with local fresh pressed cider from Beiersdorfer Orchards in Guilford, Indiana. We add our in own blend of mulling spices, then finish with fresh orange zest.

2.     Concord Grape Sorbet: Made with 100% concord grape juice, and no preservatives. Madisono’s has great relationship with a grower’s cooperative in New York, in the heart of Welch’s grape country.  The high pectin in the grape juice and our recipe science yields a creamy sorbet. Try it with peanut butter pie or as an intermezzo. We debuted this at ZooBrew last week and received rave reviews!

       

3.     Maple Walnut Gelato:  Made with Ohio maple syrup from Bonhomie Acres in Fredricktown, (their syrup is sold at Madison’s Market at Findlay Market).  We add chopped walnuts and brown sugar for a flavorful finish. How about some on a waffle?

4.     Cinnamon Crunch Gelato: Made from our own cinnamon gelato base in 15 gallon batches. The high oil content of the Vietnamese cinnamon delivers a real cinnamon punch.  Just before the gelato makes it into the pints, we blend French vanilla granola into the ribbons of frozen goodness.  My kids say it tastes like cinnamon toast crunch cereal. I think it is the best of a snickerdoodle. Let us know what you think!  

Affogato! Party on, Italian style

One of our favorite ways to eat Madisono's Gelato is with espresso coffee. It's is called affogato and it's the most quick and glorious dessert! Simply pour hot espresso over vanilla gelato and serve. We loved seeing this Italian after dinner treat mentioned in the September 2012 issue of Bon Apetit as Peter Som's favorite 'go to' dessert when entertaining.

Great Gelato Poster

I just stumbled upon this poster for the Brooklyn Larder, an artesianal foodie shop in Brooklyn, New York (of course!) What a great image for one of our favorite food groups. :oP

There are some other really clever ones, including one with salami that might make a nice gift for my brother-in-law. See what I mean?

CSO Opening Night Gala

Madisono's Gelato and Sorbet is very proud to be partnering with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Opera this year!

Bella Notte, the Opening Night Gala was absolutely beautiful with Pucci inspired linens and colors of bright pink, green and yellow. Of course, the best treat of all was the absolutely stellar performance of the people's diva Renee Fleming. This was her much anticipated Cincinnati debut and she certainly did not disappoint!

After the performance, the Music Hall Ballroom was transformed into an Italian piazza by the ever talented Joe Rigotti. Guests finished the evening with coffee, sweets and some Madisono's Dark Chocolate Orange and Caramello Gelato as well as Lemon Basil sorbet. We served it out of our new mobile cart, which is available for future events and fundraisers. Bravo!

Beautiful centerpieces which included lemons and orchids

Dishing out the other Italian treat for the evening

The Vespa scooters added to the Italian ambience, but I can't believe I didn't get a photo of the yellow Ferrari!

The amazing Renee Fleming!

Zoofari 2012

Wow! We've had a great week of Galas. Last Saturday was the zoo's top fundraising event Zoofari. The event takes guests through the zoo, stopping for appetizers, wine and live animals presented by zoo keepers along the way. The final destination is the tented area transformed into an Indian adventure, brought to life in a huge tent splashed with magenta, red and purple lighting, rich red tables topped with oversized cut metal lanterns, Bollywood style dancing and more.

Dinner is served 'by the bite' at the various food stations, each catered by a Cincinnati restaurant. Dinner of course finishes with desserts prepared by some of the best restaurants, bakeries and confectioners in Cincinnati. Madisono's Gelato and Sorbet was pleased to be offering our custom flavor for the evening: Cardamom Kulfi (Indian style ice cream) with Alphonso mango puree. The greatest compliments came from folks who were from India...it's difficult to impress someone who knows what true Indian flavors are, so we were very humbled to know we'd hit the mark.

This was an incredible 10+ foot sculpture created by 7 Hills School

Cookies from Queen City Cookie

Pawpaw sorbet, Bouquet Restaurant and Findlay Market

Bouquet Restaurant created this 4 grain salad and topped it with Madisono's Pawpaw Sorbet

 Last night we were so happy to participate in the Eat Local for The Globe fundraising event at Findlay Market. Excellent local food creations were presented to ticket holders in two ways: buy a 7 course meal created and cooked by local chefs OR choose to graze along the food tents where more restaurants and chefs prepared portions of delicious food for guests. We have a special place in our hearts for Findlay Market as it was the first place where I started selling my products (then it was our farm produce and specialty mushrooms) in a pop-up tent on Elder Street. The changes we've seen over the past 12 years have been astounding and we believe Findlay Market is the pulse of the local food community.

Madisono's Gelato was paired with Bouquet Restaurant on Main Street in Covington, KY and we were located right in front of Madison's Market on Elder Street (that pop-up tent has changed a little to a full produce and specialty food shop run by Bryan and Carolyn Madison). Chef Stephen Williams created the most amazing 4 grain salad which included quinoa, flax seed, hemp seed and buckwheat. He added dragon beans, tomatoes, watermelon and blended those ingredients with a honey citrus dressing. The ingredients were sourced locally and donated by Madison's Market. Madisono's created a Pawpaw sorbet which topped the salad. "Pawpaw sorbet?" you say? "What't that?" We'll tell you about this local specialty next week.

It never ceases to amaze me what talented chefs like Stephen can create. We are very lucky indeed!

The 7 course meal was served at long tables in and near the Farmer's Market Shed

The grazing event was along the perimiter of the Findlay Market House