New gelato place has savory recipes, too: Ingredients include Old Bay, red onion and more
No matter what season it is, it’s always time to grab a cold tasty treat. Cold Hearted Gelato is now open in the Plaza Midwood space formerly occupied by Rita’s Italian Ice.
The store opened Aug. 20 with 12 sweet and savory gelato flavors — one recipe even includes red onion, and another Old Bay (stay tuned for details below).
Owner Elinn Hesse moved to Charlotte from New York City about five years ago with her long-term boyfriend Greg Guillorn and his business partner John Wentworth, who own The Degenerate in Villa Heights. They wanted to move somewhere where they did not have to work for other people and could open businesses of their own.
Hesse says the city has seen an incredible amount of growth in the last few years. “We’re really excited to be kind of part of it when it started and stuff,” she said.
Making gelato
Hesse told CharlotteFive that she created Cold Hearted Gelato because she enjoys making and tasting gelato. She likes to create uncommon flavors using in-season produce. Hesse is currently working with Freshlist, a local company that brings farms directly to restaurants, to obtain fresh and locally grown ingredients.
Her flavor profiles are created using combinations that she says either look cool or are inspired by her food memories. The Spicy Banana Pepper and Pineapple Sorbet flavor came from a memory of her father making a banana pepper and pineapple sauce. “ I don’t even remember when this is, but it’s just stuck in my head that that was a great combination,” she said.
She came up with The Whole Peach flavor after learning from another chef that steeping the peach leaves give the gelato a bitter almond flavor.
FUN FACT: Gelato is made with 30% air, and ice cream is made with 50% air, resulting in gelato having a creamier consistency than ice cream.
The atmosphere
Upon first entering the shop, you are greeted with colorful gelato kept in pans behind a glass case. The shop has a calming vibe created by the combination of the white walls, dark blue accents, large windows and plants that decorate the store.
You can easily see the gelato being made in the machine behind the register so that you know what you’re eating is made fresh daily.
The feel of the shop combined with the taste of the housemade gelato creates the perfect atmosphere to read a book or scroll through social media while indulging in the flavor of your choice.
The menu
Here’s what to expect when grabbing some gelato at the shop. Some flavors are based on what’s available and in season, but these menu items are available year-round:
Fior di Latte – a salted milk flavor.
Vanilla Tonka Bean — classic vanilla, with some additional flavors provided by the tonka bean.
Cocoa Shell Milk Chocolate — the shop’s chocolate flavor.
Red Miso Toasted Hazelnut — hazelnut and miso flavors add saltiness.
These menu items are seasonal and subject to change:
Fields of France Rooibos Tea — made with lavender, rose hips, dried currants, rose petals and dried elderberries.
Burnt Honey Old Bay — a classic Maryland wing seasoning put into a gelato.
The Whole Peach — steeped yellow peaches and peach leaves combine to create a peach cobbler taste.
Crème Fraîche & Red Onion — a rich sour cream-like flavor and red onion.
Ginger Sudachi — a combination of strong aroma of ginger and the sourness of Japanese lime.
Mint and Cocoa Nibs — the shop’s chocolate and mint flavor.
Cucumber and Perilla Sorbet — fresh cucumber mixed with the flavor of parilla, which combines the flavors of licorice.
Spicy Banana Pepper & Pineapple Sorbet — a combination of the sweet pineapples and tangy and spicy banana peppers.
The future of Cold Hearted Gelato
On the retail side, Hesse plans to add pints of gelato for sale as well as customized flavors for events. “If someone wants to customize something for a wedding, for an event, things like that,” she said. “I think that’d be really fun.”
She has plans to collaborate with local businesses and restaurants, including an upcoming beer/ice-cream gelato flavor with Resident Culture Brewing Co. “I definitely want them to be my first collab,” she said.
Cold Hearted Gelato
Location: 1308-A The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Price: $6 for a single which is 2 scoops, $7.50 for a double which is four scoops and $1.50 additional for each scoop after a double.
Instagram: @coldheartedgelato
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the pricing.
This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 5:55 AM.
