Restaurants
The Cream Brewery
The Cream Brewery seems like it was plucked from a mad scientist's lair. A giant silver canister of liquid nitrogen frosts along the spout and nozzle, spewing out at a temperature of minus 196 Celcius in a plume of cloudy fog. All to make ice cream.
The new stand at Dufferin Mall is the brainchild of Bobby Robles, whose background is in molecular gastronomy. "He's so passionate about this stuff," his wife, Gleiamour, tells me. "And he--well, both of us--we're against preservatives. Ice cream you buy at a store, you have no idea how long it has been frozen. Here, you actually watch it freeze."
The husband and wife team started their business as a catering venture, appearing at weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, special events, and even the odd Toronto club. But Bobby wanted to venture out and see how they'd do as a stand-alone kiosk. Gleiamour admits that it has been sort of slow these past two weeks since The Cream Brewery's Dufferin Mall launch, but recognizes that the concept can be tough for people to get their heads around.
The Cream Brewery works in three steps. One: customers choose their liquid base. There are six options, from non-dairy sorbetto with 0% milk fat, to yogurt, reduced-fat, gelato, traditional, and super premium (at 17% milk fat). Then, customers choose their flavour. There are all sorts of varieties including fruit flavours such as passionfruit, raspberry, and kiwi, nutty flavours such as pistachio, walnut, and peanut butter, and classic favourites like bubblegum, dark chocolate, and rum raisin. Some of the flavourings come in the form of purees, while others are syrups or sauces. Lastly, customers can pick one mix-in (or more, for $0.50 per additional selection) from a list of candies, nuts, fruits, and fillings.
Gleiamour notes that the higher-fat options tend to hold the flavours the best, so I go all out with the super premium base and mango flavouring on her suggestion (and skip the mix-in; not much goes with mango, after all).
She starts by pouring a pre-measured amount of cream into a metal bowl and mixing in a healthy amount of mango puree. And basically, that's it. The bowl is placed below the nitrogen nozzle and it disappears in the fog once Gleiamour turns the handle. 
Within about a minute or so (with occasional pauses for Gleiamour to fold and mix), the ice cream is ready. Gleiamour hands it over; a generous helping in a small cup ($3.09s/$4.78m/$5.19l).
The consistency is perfect. Creamy, smooth, and totally free of icy bits. It could do with a little more mango flavour, however, though Gleiamour is quick to mention that the process allows them to cater to taste. If need be they'll whip up a whole new cup; of course, in a very "mad scientist" way.
Photos by Jimmy Lu
Discussion
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Elderly Asian and Italian folk wont have much use for it, as they loiter around the mall.
having said that it isn't the ideal place to launch a new store/kiosk opening for the first time, nor is it the right type of demographic.
something as unique and experimental as this needs more traffic and a better location for the age group they intend to attract.
good luck to them though. this looks amazing!
Moving to the Annex is a step in the right direction (but, great idea to test it in a Mall setting).
My only concern is turnaround time start-to-finish -- guess, I should check it out!
I first tried it at the Gourmet Food & Wine Show last year. It blew my mind. So I kept checking their website to find out when they were opening a location. I've been there about 9 times since they opened.
I eat out almost everyday. And ice cream is one of my favourite foods. So it's really important to me this place does well. Cuz there's WAY too much overrated crap out there - and I've regrettably tried them all.
My recommendation / favourite is the Premium or Tradition base, no flavour shot, add Reese's Pieces and Skor bits. That's it. (Substitute the Reese's Pieces for Chocolate Covered Almonds if you prefer)
Good luck, Bobby and Gleiamour. I'll see you Saturday :)
I sincerely hope you to jetpack out of there and settle in the better condition of environment, customer flow and opportunity for your business.
To give a more direct picture for you, my motivation to make a visit and pay you my money was fully charged until the location hit me. I'd rather go Spadina / Bloor area for crepes and icecream..
Honestly, please move or work on franchising. The bored Torontonians await.
Just try to fill a flask with LNI, wait for it to evaporate. What you'll find on the bottom is fine oil particles and other junk. MMMMM!!!
Liquid nitrogen is just elemental nitrogen, i.e., the stuff thatmakes up 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere, supercooled to a liquid state. Nitrogen is naturally present in basically all food products because it’s an essential ingredient in every type of amino acid. Asking about “traces” of nitrogen left in the food is like asking about “traces” of oxygen or carbon in the food — it’s what the food is literally made of at the atomic level. The only risks to the human digestive tract from
liquid nitrogen are (a) the extreme cold and (b) the expansion in volume when the liquid nitrogen boils back into a gas. If the food is allowed to warm sufficiently after the application of the liquid nitrogen those risks are eliminated as a matter of basic physics.
High end restaurants in Toronto such as Colborne Lane on 45 Colborne Street have been making ice cream out of liquid nitrogen for years without any issues.
Liquid nitrogen is just elemental nitrogen, i.e., the stuff that makes up 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere, super cooled to a liquid state. Nitrogen is naturally present in basically all food products because it’s an essential ingredient in every type of amino acid. Asking about “traces” of nitrogen left in the food is like asking about “traces” of
oxygen or carbon in the food — it’s what the food is literally made of at the atomic level. The only risks to the human digestive tract from liquid nitrogen are (a) the extreme cold and (b) the expansion in volume when the liquid nitrogen boils back into a gas. If the food is allowed to warm sufficiently after the application of the liquid
nitrogen those risks are eliminated as a matter of basic physics.
There is a high end restaurant in Toronto called Colborne Lane that have been making ice cream out of liquid nitrogen for years without any issues.
The grade that is used by my company is classified as "Food Grade" and is very high in purity levels as "Medical Grade
- Asking about "traces" of nitrogen left in the food is like asking about "traces" of oxygen or carbon in the food - it's what the food is literally made of at the atomic level.
I will have some of my engineers add to this blog on Monday. Until then, please click on the link below and enjoy a clip with Ted Allan from the Food Network on his show "Cold Cooking" using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_OC8qsH6E
Regards,
Bobby
This place is excellent. the ice cream is damn smooth, and its got a great variety. From the creaminess of the actual ice cream, to flavors, to toppings, to the excellent specials they've got. The owners are friendly and helpful.
Also, I dare you to find a cheaper price for premium ice cream.
the process took too long, especially when the end result was mediocre.
Aside from that, I don't think the Dufferin Mall is a bad location for them. There are lots of young people and young families in that neighbourhood. Also, the Duffs isn't so bad. Indeed it is full of old Portuguese grand dads spanning time but there are lots of other people there as well. Besides that, an ice cream shop is never a bad idea!
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