Jupiter Food Examiner Ice cream scoop: Mr Green Tea in local restaurants now; stores soon FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! By: Nancy Munro Published: January 21, 2011 Their pink-and-green delivery trucks are already here, delivering a treat three generations in the making. Mr. Green Tea Ice Cream, a family-owned and operated firm from central New Jersey, has made a statement with their line of green-tea ice cream, sorbets, sherbets and classic ice cream flavors in the New York area for decades. Their artisan products are offered in several Palm Beach County restaurants, and will soon be available in retail stores as well. Mr. Green Tea has sweets to please everyone, including ice cream truffles coated with dark chocolate, water ices, gelato truffles, fruit sorbets, baked Alaskas, pies and cakes and ice cream specialty desserts such as spumoni, tiramisu gelato, and cannoli. But it is the green tea that started it all, according to General Manager Michael Emanuele, the third-generation of the family in the business. "Grandpa Sam started the green tea ice cream," Emanuele says. "He came up with the idea after working with Reuben Mattus, the founder of Haagen Dazs. Their early effort in making gourmet ice cream led my grandfather to think about creating a product for both Asian immigrants and soldiers returning from the war." Emanuele's father Richard came up with the idea for Dragon Eggs, one of the company's most popular products. "A lot of people love chocolate, and look at green tea ice cream differently when it's coated with dark Belgian chocolate. They might not try the ice cream by itself, who would say no to chocolate?" The family penchant for invention continued with Emanuele's Uncle James, who came up with the idea for mochi. Traditional mochi is made from glutinous rice pounded into a paste, then molded into a variety of shapes. In Japan, red bean paste is often placed in the center of a ball of mochi to create a sweet called daifuku. Uncle James came up with the variation of a sweet rice dough, filled with green tea or other ice cream flavors; a marriage between a traditional Japanese waigashi (sweet) and a French profiterole. A taste test of several products reveals that the ice cream is dense, with a crystalline, almost snowy texture. Mass-produced ice creams can have as much as 50% air by
volume; Mr. Green Tea is very dense, as is typical of artisan products, which usually have less than 20% air by volume. The chocolate coating is Belgian origin, and very rich. The green tea flavor is slightly smoky and green, and the ice cream itself is very refreshing; a cross between dessert and palate-cleanser. It's a very satisfying course after spicy or aromatic foods, or when you just want a treat that's not killer-sweet. Emanuele says the products will be available in retail stores by the end of March. Until then, you can taste them at these area restaurants: Carlo of Boca Raton, 7491 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton Dominic's of Boynton Beach, 1790 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach Mamma Mia's, 8855 Hypoluxo Road, Lake Worth Fiorella, 7008 Charleston Shores Blvd., Lake Worth Or order online at http://www.mrgreenteaicecream.com/