It's been a little while since I last visited La Guli Pastry Shop, one of my old school neighborhood favorites that always brings me back in time. Although I love sweets, I try to behave myself on a regular basis, but of course love to splurge once in a while and yesterday was such a day. As it was quite warm and pleasant out, and I just got a haircut at the nearby SPAce salon, I thought it the perfect opportunity to pop in for a quick gelato refreshment.
For those of you who haven't yet tried La Guli's gelato, you simply must. I think it's really the best in the nabe and beats any other competitors, such as Martha's or Omonia, etc. Even though I really enjoy the latter ones as well, La Guli always upholds the highest standard. While I usually go for something rich and indulgent like chocolate/caramel, I went with pistachio this time.
Pistachio Gelato - The best part of La Guli's gelato is the texture. Creamy and smooth, it's the right amount of soft and frozen. It very much tastes homemade and you can feel the perfected recipe that has gone into this dessert and the rich history poured into each scoop. It's not overly sweet, which adds to its refreshing taste, and the chunky (and only slightly salty) pistachios that further add to its authenticity make me quickly reach for another consecutive spoonful. And so it goes, until the cup is empty...
Service and Cost:
Beware that it gets quite crowded in La Guli's narrow space on hot days, but the wait is never long enough to be a turnoff.
A single (but generous) scoop of gelato in a cup is $3, which I think is fair for such amazing quality, and comparable when you think of the competition.
3 Mmmms
La Guli Pastry Shop - 29-15 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
718.728.5612
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)
www.laguli.com
Meg and I had the pleasure of attending Mackenzi's 5 Year Anniversary party at SITE boutique tonight and it was fabulous. We're so proud of Mackenzi for reaching this awesome milestone, and her store is really thriving, which is great to see. As always, she kicked it up a notch for her big 5, as she had a DJ, a fun photo booth and of course lots of delicious food and drink on hand. I loved the food sampling from the above pictured, Cobbler Hill, which I'm about to give you the deets on.
The Concept
Based out of Astoria, this lovely small business, headed up by Nikki Scheidt certainly appeals to the sweet tooth in all of us. I loved the innovative presentation of her cobblers, which all come in pretty little mason jars with a beautifully decorated lid, and a wooden spoon so you don't waste any time and get right to business.
Some distinguishing elements of the cobblers are that they're gluten free (Gluten Free Fun advise!) and they also refrain from using refined sugar, which is nice to see.
The Flavors
I tasted two flavors at the party, including the blueberry and the strawberry. Both were really juicy and flavorful but the strawberry was a clear stand-out with a really pronounced and slightly tart strawberry taste, as well as a really crunchy top that brought you back to your momma's kitchen. Meg agreed and got a strawberry jar for herself, looking forward to finishing it at home.
Price and Availability
Each jar of cobbler was $6 with a 2 for $10 special, which sound pricey, but I think fair for a completely homemade product and something of such high quality. I asked about distribution and Nikki mentioned you can order them directly from her for any kind of parties, events or personal orders. You can contact her here, and please tell her I sent ya. Enjoy your cobblers!
www.cobblerhill.com
