Amen, Sister....

So yeah, what really gets me? Well, let's not really go into EVERYTHING that gets me, just what makes me want to drink heavily at any point of the day. When I see things that are clearly not artisan, but industrial made OR, when someone just makes something, anything, and labels it artisan. It drives me nuts because we make everything by hand. We roast and grind nuts, we burn sugar, we melt chocolate, we candy rinds, we drive out to the farms and pick up raw milk from a single closed herd of grass fed cows. We make it by hand EVERY FREAKING MORNING! ANDDD....We do all this stuff in small batches. 1.3 gallon batches to be exact. Oh, did I mention that we stick to the seasons and refuse to buy crappy strawberries in February. Yeah. We do. So....when I see some mass produced product being called "artisan"... it pisses me off. Really? Does it take 5 people each morning to make one batch of your stuff? Do you spend days and days candying chestnuts or banging out each pomegranate seed? There is nothing artificial, no preservatives, no colorants, nothing that is not food in our products. Maybe you are just pouring crap into a machine to be pooped out? Sorry for the graphics, but I get mad. I especially hate being compared to a product that you just take some powder and milk, pour it into the top of a machine, finish and add some fruit or squirt something out of a bottle and call it foreign...yum!!! That is not artisanal... Shame.

Which leads me to a kindred spirit That is not artisan. is a brilliant blog. It is written by a funny smart snarky woman who uses the word asshat. I love that word. Sigh. She is truly entertaining and I feel her pain. "May you be buried in a coffin that's a little too small so that some of your guts stick to the lid when it is opened." Absolutely brilliant and I think I peed a little laughing so hard. This was in response to Domino's pizza spokewhore, Fabio Top Chef Viviani. I share her rage. She is spot on! I am so sick of seeing bags of Doritos being called artisan or "chef made". I am tired of other ice cream and gelato companies calling themselves artisan when they do not even make their own product. Capogiro is a dairy. I went through the entire process of state regs, fed regs and city regs so I could handle each and every step!!! I do not have someone else make my product "to my specifications" and have the balls to call it artisan!! grrrrrr....

I do not know much about my comrade, but would love to take her out for a beer!

HalloweeEEEEeen...

Hello Boils and Ghouls,
It's that time of year again, where children dress as scary monsters or storybook heroes, and sorority girls everywhere find yet another excuse to dress slutty. Around Capogiro, we like to get into the spirit by including our gelati and sorbetti in on the festivities. Our kitchen staff have a grand old time carving these little guys, and their artistry is appreciated by children and adults alike.



Also, don't forget to bring the kids by 20th Street on Halloween proper, as we will be giving out candy and judging your children on the creativity of their costumes.

Pumpkins!

My housemates and I got a jump start on pumpkin carving last night and youuuu get a sneak peek! Here are three beauties that we hope will withstand elements and the fat, yet ravenous U-City squirrels to make it to the big night. You are totally welcome to come trick-or-treat at our house, but plan to have a darn good costume if you're over 14 years old! :)

I kan no bolg today; I haz teh busy.

Hi. Rrrrl busy day 'round CapoPenn. Bunch of new stuff from the Big Kitchen today! Praline pecan, cranberry-apple...Must be Fall.

This one's for Sarah. For you too, Gentle Reader. But mostly for Sarah. PLAY IT LOUD.



Have a great weekend, everyone. We'll see you soon!

FALL FLAVORS ARE HERE

Apple Cider Clove FTW!!!!!!

The Forecast is Dark and STORMY!

Earlier this afternoon two nice older ladies came in to have gelato. They perused the case for a minute or so before the hungry one chirped up:
"I'd like a small Dark and Stormy please".
"Would you like a second flavor in there with the Dark and Stormy?" I asked.
"No," she replied politely but firmly, "just that one."
"What a wonderful woman!", I though to myself. Dark and Stormy is in my top 5 flavors of all time, so I pretty much want to hug anyone who appreciates it as much as I do. Well hold your hugs, I should have told myself. Just hold 'em.
I began to shape the first lovely scoop of sorbetto when the woman started frantically waving and saying "No! No, the Dark and Stormy! The dark one!". I stopped, mildly alarmed, and gently indicated that I was indeed scooping the flavor she had asked for. She looked at me with pure consternation and then shuffled a few steps over and said
"Oh, I guess I wanted the dark one, it says Chocolate with Hazlenuts? Bacio?. That's not the Dark and Stormy?"
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!? Lady. For REAL?!
In my head: "Nope, no it's not. No, those aren't the same, dear woman."
I scooped her a piccolo Bacio while she whispered a few sentences to the friend she was with. On her way to the register, I saw that the look of consternation had returned to her face.
"Why's it so light then?!" she asked "I don't get why it's called Dark and Stormy if it's so light!"
I kindly explained that a Dark and Stormy is a deliciously mind-blowing beverage containing ginger, lemon or lime, and rum (and sometimes ginger beer), and that we've turned it into an even more delicious, toe-tingling sorbetto. She listened, but didn't seem to agree.
I gave her her change and thanked her, and on their way out the door cheerily said "Thank youuuu, it's delicious!"
Silly old ladies. Bacio is incredible, but in my book, it's just got nothing on Dark and Stormy.

Better than Brains :)

You know what's scary? The thought that you might not know that it's finally Lancaster County Long Neck Pumpkin season at Capogiro!!! We're zombie crawling to our nearest Capogiro Cafes to indulge in our favorite spooky seasonal selections. What's that? Too terrified to leave the security of your candle lit, garlic clove covered home to come out for a treat? Have no fear, you can order your favorite flavors here without any danger of losing your brain in the process.


Lancaster County, Bite-you-in-your-Neck Pumpkin -  Local, Longneck Pumpkin from our favorite PA farmers. Tastes like pumpkin pie in a pint and there's nothing frightening about that!


Creepy Clementine - Don't be fooled by its size, theres a whole lotta sweet citrusy flavor in this tiny package. Super seasonal. 


Cioccolato Black as my Soul Scuro - She's the black widow spider of our Chocolates. A triple-threat cold hard killah... Dark, rich and serious.


Zombie Flesh Kiwi- Your favorite hairy, scary fruit... (minus the hairs and it's really not that scary, unless of course you're afraid of deliciousness.)


Shrunken Heads & Sweet Cheese (Apple Mascarpone) - You'll lose your head for this savory selection. 


Bobbing for Eyeballs, Apple Cider - Our kitchen's spiced, seasonal brew of cider sorbetto! A Capo classic. 


While flavors last!!!


Click HERE to to order/fend off the beastly pangs of zombie hunger...

Gelato is an all the time food

So you know how a couple years back Sesame Street introduced the "cookie is a sometime food"? Ok but, have you seen the video?!



Because it cracked me up. Give me a dancing, singing, jazz-hands fig every day of the week.

The other day I was working at 13th Street and nearly got into a full-fledged argument about how NO SERIOUSLY I SWEAR THIS STUFF ISN'T BAD FOR YOU I PROMISE. And you know? She didn't believe me. Not after seeing the numbers, the facts, me sweating blood and bullets swearing on every family member I hold dear that there's no hidden calorie count that makes this stuff so delicious. She was mostly hung up on the sorbetti.

"So there's dairy?"

Me: "Nope! No dairy. Just fruit, sugar and water!"

Customer: "No, that's ridiculous, there has to be dairy. I mean it's so much more fattening than ice cream."

Me: "Nope! It's actually way better for you than ice cream! And our sorbetto is fat free! And did I mention what a pretty dress that is?!"

Customer: "Don't lie to me"

Ok it didn't actually degenerate to that degree, but it did get pretty serious. I'm not even sure I convinced her so much as wore down her defenses, then won her over in the end with pure deliciousness, in the form of our new chocolate sorbetto. This might damn me to eternal Italian hell, but seriously have you HAD the chocolate sorbetto with lemon? It almost brings me to tears! The good kind!


Sometimes life is just hard. And short and trying and tiring and RAINY OH MY GOD LIFE IS SO RAINY. And every single time I'm starting to feel the slough come on, food brings me out of it. Because life's too short for bad food. Gelato is good food. Bacon is good food. Soul food. Something that makes you warm, is encouraging, feels special, was grown or produced in a way that's unique and beautiful. It's pretty much the most important thing to Capogiro. That our customers are being treated well, with good food and happy things. I know it sounds sentimental, but I'm not sure I can break it down in any other way.

This guy can though.

So this brings me to my point (yes! I have one!) The Brain Trust behind Earth Day has concocted FOOD DAY! The actual date is October 24, so start planning now (it's my new Thanksgiving), but the Food Trust has organized two weeks of happiness to bring awareness to our new holiday. And more events to come, from what I've heard. And we're just going to do what we always do, and feed you the happiest things we can find. If you see me, I'll be wearing this hat



And even though the whole point of Food Day is to spread awareness of sustainability, obesity, hunger, and eating locally, it should also be about eating the best you can. In the happiest ways.

Oh, and listen to this song.

Gelato is so good!

England and the Very Bad Hair Day at 20th Street

As you are aware, everything has gotten very British at Capogiro as of late. We are carrying delicious British Candies (namely Cadbury Double Decker bars, Bounty Bars, and Kinder HappyHippos), with more to come. We are also cleverly boxing up Grab and Go Sandwiches in a very British style, and we are listening to the Cure almost nonstop. It's a British Invasion!! Today we are also experiencing lovely English weather. Crisp and balmy, with smatterings of drizzly rain. Perfect for a cuppa tea or a nice slice of our new Bundt Cakes.


Sadly, whilst I'm thrilled to bits about all of the British influence at Capo, it has done a number on our baristi's hair. Here are a few examples to highlight how tragically bad everyone's coiffures look underneath their hats...

































(From top left) I look like the ghost of Justin Bieber is trying to eat my face. Andy appears to have been attacked by a flock of seagulls on his way in. Little Kami obviously had her hair cut by a blind man with a butcher knife (actually as it turns out, it was cut by her boyfriend). Assistant Manager Ryan was off today, but came by after camping all night at City Hall. As a side note, apparently none of us know how to integrate color into our wardrobes either. Oi!

World Wisdom from 13th's Very Own....

Your friendly midtown village 13^th St. Capo barista (Nelson) has embarked on a major tour of the French Riviera, Italy, and Spain for a taste of what Europe has to offer. On my travels I stumbled upon an array of gelaterias that I’ve decided to write about in order to compare with what we have back at Capo. Here is what I found.

FRANCE!

Let’s talk about Cannes France.

 It is one of the most popular cities in the French Riviera and for obvious reasons. It is home to France’s major film festivals, it is a major tourist attraction, and it is a host to many businesses and industries that cater to those with a taste for fine wining and dining…and gelato, right?

On my travels I came across a cute and quaint gelatoria right in the center of town.

“Crema di Gelato” offers about 15 flavors, half gelato and half sorbetto. First and foremost, the gelato doesn’t just swirl in the pan, it literally is a mountain that rises a good foot right out of its pan. I asked the guy how he was able to keep the gelato so high without spilling over and he told me, “well it’s all about keeping it very cool while constantly spinning it as you pour.” Right. Either way I was absolutely amazed at its presentation and the sheer amount of the gelato that could be hacked at.

I ordered Stracciatella (Italian Chocolate chip) and Dulce the Leche (Caramel Swirl) with a complementary waffle crisp.

It was sweet.  Actually, a little too sweet. I could not eat the whole thing. Although it was still delicious, the consistency wasn’t as creamy as what I had imagined it to be. I think the fact that the owner kept the gelato at such low temperatures to hold a lot in the pans may have affected the gelato’s texture.  Overall it wasn’t bad but I wasn’t enthralled, maybe Italy has something more to offer. Maybe France should stick to Crème Brule’s, Bavarois, and Crepes…bummer. Oh, well. More to come!

Fear the botany.

So I chucked a cactus pear at Miles the other day--not maliciously, he saw it coming and caught it pretty deftly (for a gamer)--and somehow, unexpectedly, he got a cactus quill or something or other stuck in his palm. (Ed. note: Rest easy knowing two things: we're diligent about keeping that sort of thing out of your gelato, and Miles was fine after some delicate tweezering, just a couple of tears, and a nice mug of hot chocolate.)

But it left me wondering...shouldn't we be worried about all this fruit we have just laying around, like a botanical ninja-time bomb set to go off and muderolate us all?



I mean, look at this pineapple. This isn't setting off reptile brain threat alarms in your head? Have you ever accidentally brushed up against a pineapple spine? One of these bad chickens poked me hard enough once to draw blood. What did I ever do to YOU, pineapple?!



Yeah, dude. Yeah. A LIME. Look, I can hear you sniggering. "It's a lime, man. Just a lime. All round. No sharp corners. Nothing pointy or poky. Why are you worried about a lime?" WELL, I'LL TELL YOU. I was making a guest a cocktail the other night. Mellow, no real rush. Nothing unexpected happening. Put the lime half in our little hand juicer. Squeeze. And of course, since I'm watching what I'm doing, I can see the gout of heartless, terrifying, burnyburny lime juice making its way for my eyeball, heartlessly and terrifyingly. Direct hit. SQUISH, right in my precious, harmless little cornea, which wasn't doing anything to anybody and in NO way deserved this sort of treatment from a stupid piece of fruit. HOLY CRAP did that hurt. My eyes are, and I'm not kidding, watering right now just remembering it. STUPID LIME.



Yes. Jalapenos. Chiles generally, to be frank. (And yes, they are fruit. Wikipedia says so, and Wikipedia is never, ever wrong.) This is a family blog and I mean to keep it that way, but suffice it to say that I was chopping commercial quantities of jalapenos one day. Stepped away for a moment to visit the little cooks' room. Neglected to wash my hands prior to...well. You see where this is going. BEWARE.



Rambutan. Jeeeeezzzz I don't even know where to start. There were rumors that Dan was going to magic these into our kitchens some time this summer, but after looking at pictures I'm just as glad he didn't. This doesn't creep you out? Not even a little? Unpeeled it definitely looks like something out of a Clive Barker book. Peeled it looks distressingly like something out of a Clive Barker movie, all brainy and squishy and gelatinous and weird. Seriously, these give me the creeps.

Time for culinary eyebalm.

Know what's not scary? Bangers and mash. You could swan dive into a pool of that stuff and just ooze your way in, butterily. Pork fat salving the stings and wounds inflicted on you by all those fruits spouting fake promises about "insoluble fiber" and "nutrients." Who needs it? And is it really worth the risk? Stay safe. Eat more pork.

It's coming!

Can you feel it? I can!

Oh. Well, huh..

Dear Dawne,
I had haikus, sonnets, and even a few questionable limericks all prepared for this week's blog, and you maliciously stole the topic away from me. This means war. Just so you know, I fight dirty. You may not know when or how, but I'll get you for this.

Imagine in the future, when you're at the altar for your ideal wedding perhaps. Everyone will be waiting for you, and I will steal your thunder by screaming, "I DO!!!!" as loud as I can from behind a tree. When you inevitably have children, I will mail them cards every week that simply say, "There is no Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus is a lie too."

I was going to blog about Chocolate Sorbetto, but I see you have taken my fire. So, huh... Well, here are some pretty pictures that you can use for YOUR blog. Your blog that is a rip off. Of me.



Chocolate Sorbetto, Espresso Sorbetto (upper) and a view from Sorbetto Fruitsville (lower)

100% Moo Cow FREE!

Cioccolate Scuro now has its very own version that is DAIRY FREE!!! Stephanie toiled away for long days and even longer nights in the kitchen working towards the perfect recipe. We are quite far past elated to share the great news that in 2011, she nailed it. The woman straight up Nailed it! What? What are you saying? There's chocolate for vegans? Dairy free scuro, food of the gods? No cows harmed whatsoever?! It obviously warrants a poem, or ode, or whatever title this sort of verse should be given.

Chocolate sorbetto is finally here!
To please your dear sweet tooth and quell any fears
That the vegans, and simple non-milk lovers may've had
That brought many a tear and made so many sad...

Must scuro sate palates only in my dreams?
But I LOVE the dark chocolate, to me it sure seems
That a kitchen so crafty, and clever and, bright,
Could bump heads and put together allllll of their might...

To create! To invent! To bring forth a delight
So scrumptiously rich, yet deliciously light
Cioccolato Scuro the SORBETTO has come.
It's amazing, and worth it and here for your tum!