In my rush to finish posting on Buenos Aires, I completely missed a very important gastronomic highlight - Argentinean ice cream. I've always said that best ice cream I've ever had is Freddo which was the original cult ice cream of many, many years.Freddo was a family business that started in 1969 with its' first counter in Barrio Norte and has been serving locals since then. The company was sold in the early "noughties" and have expanded because of this. Aside from the modern interiors and brand-new flavours, they have also created a line of Kosher and gluten-free ice cream and are even served in Aerolineas Argentinas business class in-flight menu.
Recently, there have been a few contenders in the competitive ice cream game with ice cream counters copying Freddo's style and opening on almost every street corner. I always ask myself how Argentines stay sexy with their diet of red meat and ice cream. Could there be an Argentine paradox in the making?
One of the new kids on the block worth mentioning is Volta. Opened in 2002 by the original family who started Freddo, Volta has created the concept of an all-around cafe that specializes in ice cream but also includes excellent coffee, chocolates and pastries. On our recent visit, we had the dulce de leche (caramel) and chocolate amargo (bitter chocolate) and were pleasantly surprised at how good they were.
12 comments:
Allow me to challenge a little bit your taste: while Freddo was the best ice cream place in Argentina for more than 20 years, globalization & modern economics tempted its original owners to sell the company to a global conglomerate who -in the name of cost savings - manipulated its original formulas and recipes and significantly diminished Freddo’s undisputable quality.
For a couple of years, Freddo lovers were stranded with no substitute. Summer evenings were not the same without that refreshing and delicate Plum ice cream or with a pale version of the "good old days" remarkable Crema Tramontana.
Fortunately, original Freddo owners, realized that their true love was making GREAT ice cream, and decided to go back in business. Approximately 7 years ago they opened Perssico, a fantastic ice cream parlor -which soon became ultra popular- that features a great selection of decadent flavors such as Mascarpone Ice cream, Frutos del Bosque (Assorted berries) or Bubble Gum for the kids.
Try Persicco on your next trip to visit the family in BA. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Michelle
I have to say my favorite is Volta, but none of them will disappoint! The best location is on Avenida Libertador where you get an ice cream and then walk in the fantastic park that begins across the street. Of if you can rent bicycles - even better since there is a large lake you can bike around near there as well.
One thing that is also amazing is you can have ice cream delivered to your apartment if you rent one while in BA. And it comes packed with dry ice! What a fantastic concept! 0810-88-86582 toll free in BA and they speak english! http://www.unaltravolta.com.ar/english/home.html
Dave
Sweet Cookies is the best flavor at Volta :)
Thanks Dave! I do know about the ice cream delivery - it's one of the best things about Buenos Aires.
As for my favorite flavor at Volta - it's chocolate negro (dark chocolate) and of course, the delicious dulce de leche.
The best icecreams in Buenos Aires are in Volta and Via Flaminia(San Isidro). Chocolate amargo,dulce de leche tentancion are the best...but the majority is in the same level...toroncino,marakuya,chocolate con almendras also...Via Flaminia is not as well famous as Volta, but me i had the pleasure to have my girlfriend there that took me...they also make an ice cream with 45 cm length!Real heladeros!Try it!
I don't care which parlour you choose. Argentina has the best ice cream in the entire world as far as I am concerned. Give me a cone with Dulce de Leche Granizado and Mousse de Chocolate and I am one very happy girl!!!
I have at agree that the ice creams are top!
I'm argentinian living in Italy. First I want to make clear that the name is not Volta, but Un'altra volta, which means: another time, and not all -around, as the original post wrote.
Second, for everybody living in London, you can get argentinian real "dulce de leche" ice cream and also "dulce de leche granizado"(a group of argentinian guys are doing them). Just go to www.natoota.co.uk, you can buy them on line. You are going to be deleighted.
Ciao
Eva, Milan, June 21, 2009
sorry, I did a mistake,to buy the original "dulce de leche" ice cream and " dulce de leche granizado", if you live in London just go to www.natoora.co.uk and you can buy them on line. Two argentinians are producing the.
by and enjoy.
Eva , Milan, june 21, 2009
Thanks for checking in Eva and for the tip on where to get Argentine-style ice cream. Surprised that you mention "Un'altra volta" meaning another time - did you use a web translator to read my post?
The ice cream in Argentina is one of the things I miss the most!!
with my friends we used to go almost everyday to buy some Dulce de Leche ice cream.. we were like adicted to that thing!
We went to Freddo and Volta... both of them were near to the Buenos Aires apartments we were staying
miss u so much Argentina!!
I'm looking forward the new heladeria Chungo. Have you been?
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