The best Gelato starts at the source which is the milk. For us, that means Chileno Valley Jersey Dairy in Petaluma with John right outside our doors. John is a fourth generation dairy farmer and a friend. The ranch itself is surrounded by rolling hills covered in Oak and populated by beautiful Jersey Cows (the ladies), funny dogs, and a few owls.
The milk is certified organic, and the cows are mostly pasture based. And since they are Jersey cows, the milk is ideal for cheese, ice cream, and Gelato. This is because they produce milk naturally higher in fat than other dairy breeds. This results in us not needing to add cream and allows for more flavor on the part of the nuts, fruits, and others to shine bright.
We try to keep many of our ingredients organic as well. Sometimes that may not be possible. There may be a farmer who grows nuts or fruit that isn’t certified organic but uses organic practices. To be honest, if we taste his/her fruit and it’s phenomenal compared to the others, we are going to buy it. Maybe that doesn’t please you ideologically, but our overall goal is to focus on taste and to celebrate the great things this state produces.
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