Text by NAOMI BONEH and GRACE LINDSTROM
Photo by NAOMI BONEH
Morsey’s Creamery FIRST WATER BUFFALO MILK GELATERIA IN AMERICA OPENS
“I
WAS BORN IN A COUNTRY where the water buffalo is predominantly used as the source of milk ... I was really surprised to find out that nobody really appreciated that or even had that [here],” says creamery owner Kal Morsey, an immigrant from Egypt. “So I decided that I wanted to make a difference.” Morsey’s Creamery, located at 125 University Ave., is the latest addition to more than six ice cream shops already situated downtown. Banners hung outside invite passersby, reading “NOW OPEN: Free Sample — Gelato,” and the creamery logo, a green buffalo, is displayed throughout the store. With sleek walls and few counters, the interior is minimalist-yet-welcoming, designed solely for the purpose of serving gelato. What sets Morsey’s gelato apart from its neighbors is its use of water buffalo milk. Kal and his wife, Yulia Morsey, own a water
buffalo farm near Sacramento, where they says with a laugh. have about 300 water buffalo. They also Inside the creamery, Kal is happy to prioritize the freshness of their products, hand out samples or explain the story beand source ingredients such as fruits and hind his ice cream, establishing a friendly chocolates both locally and organically. atmosphere in the shop. While the creamThe Morseys already own a restaurant ery is already more than appealing, he hopes in Los Altos, Morsey’s Farmhouse Kitchen, to balance and improve its quality in the futhat is also based on water buffalo prod- ture. ucts, but after realizing they had a surplus “We’re not at our best yet because we of water buffalo milk, they decided to open just opened up a few weeks ago, but as a gelato shop. They we go further we’ll chose Palo Alto as the know the right tem[Palo Alto] could be the location to open their perature and the new business, believ- starting point of buffaright recipes,” Kal ing there was somesays. lo milk.” thing unique to intro- — KAL MORSEY, Morsey’s Creamery Owner Although the duce to residents and shop offers a pleththat the area would ora of fresh flavors, help them increase the exposure of water Kal’s favorite is milk cream, made with just buffalo products. plain milk. “In my opinion, Palo Alto is the start“And you know why? Because my faing point of everything,” Kal says. “It was ther told me — and I wish to pass this to the starting point of the internet, it was you — sometimes less is more,” he says. the starting point of the smartphone, “The most simple thing is that it’s nature, and could be the starting point of buffalo it’s very natural, without any flavors.” milk.” Verde took a trip to Morsey’s Creamery According to the United States De- to try the ice cream for ourselves. v partment of Agriculture, water buffalo milk has more protein and iron than tra- Gelato Classico — Milk Cream ($5.50) ditional cow’s milk, as well as less sugar Morsey’s gelato comes in a large flowand cholesterol, giving it greater health er-shaped cup, and a single scoop is more benefits. As a result, ice cream made from than enough for one person. Thick, creamy buffalo milk enhances flavors in Morsey’s and not too sweet, the milk cream gelato is gelato — including gianduja, passion- anything but plain and has a natural taste fruit, dark chocolate, raspberry and man- that makes it just as delectable as any other go — and allows customers to fully appre- flavor. ciate the original, creamy taste of gelato. “It’s a very healthy product — it’s Gelato Classico — Raspberry ($5.50) much healthier than cow-made products. As Kal explained, there is no sticky afYou notice when you don’t have any af- tertaste usually associated with sweet treats. tertaste in your mouth, and you don’t The raspberry flavor has a delicious, clear have this sugary feeling. But of course, and fruity taste, with bits of raspberry disice cream is never really that healthy,” Kal persed throughout the gelato.
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GENUINE GELATO With a distinct texture, a scoop of raspberry gelato is slightly less sweet than regular ice cream, and neither overpowering nor artifical. “[It’s] my pleasure when I see people enjoying the ice cream,” Kal says.
48 OCTOBER 2019