Ice Cream

[DowtyCamino]

During our 2014 Camino, my wife and I noticed that the only two selections of ice cream on the Camino Frances were commercial Nestles bars and the occasional spot selling more traditional gelatos. Every time we tried the gelatos it was old, freezer burned, stale. This was so unlike our experience in the rest of Europe that we are wondering if:
1) There is something cultural in Northern Spain that discourages good ice cream
2) We didn't know where to look
3) We were asking for the wrong thing.

So, my Camino friends...what's the "Scoop" on good Camino ice cream?

 

[Icacos]

Hmmmmm, I never even thought of ice cream when I was on Camino. Perhaps it was because I was there in the shoulder months and the weather wasn't altogether that hot. Ice cream is, for me, very much a hot weather treat. But I'd like to hear what others have to say.

I really liked the rice pudding though.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Good scoops at the Embalse on the Primitivo and from the caravan on the Meseta on the Frances. Apart from that, my kids were entirely satisfied with prepackaged bars which I would normally not buy at home because of 1) packaging 2) sugar 3)price and 4)Nestle.

 

[mspath]

For delicious ice cream treats in Santiago try either the
Limoncelli - Gelato Shop, rúa do Franco, 50, or Heladería Xearte Brigitte, rúa de San Pedro, 70.
...Yummy!

 

[MaryLynn]

Magnum ice cream bars. Decadent and delicious, available in tiendas and at my corner store here at home.

 

[movinmaggie]

For delicious ice cream treats in Santiago try either the
Limoncelli - Gelato Shop, rúa do Franco, 50, or Heladería Xearte Brigitte, rúa de San Pedro, 70.
...Yummy!

If the Limoncelli is anywhere near the taste of the Lemoncello liqueur I had in Italy years back, I'll be in the line next Spring.

 

[jmcarp]

If the Limoncelli is anywhere near the taste of the Lemoncello liqueur I had in Italy years back, I'll be in the line next Spring.

A bit off-topic, but limoncello is very easy to make at home--where permitted by local laws--using lemon zest (from fresh lemon peels) and 100-proof vodka. Just Google "limoncello recipe" without the quotes, and you'll find many recipes. Most are basically the same, so start with small batches and try different recipes to find the one you like. Hints: 1) The recipes that age the longest make the best limoncello; 2) vary the amount of sugar to suit taste; and 3) you can also make orangecello using the same recipe but substituting orange zest for lemon.

 

[movinmaggie]

Then perhaps I could turn it into ice cream! Thanks for the recipe.

 

[jmcarp]

Then perhaps I could turn it into ice cream! Thanks for the recipe.

Actually, it tastes quite good when poured over ice cream.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

During our 2014 Camino, my wife and I noticed that the only two selections of ice cream on the Camino Frances were commercial Nestles bars and the occasional spot selling more traditional gelatos. Every time we tried the gelatos it was old, freezer burned, stale. This was so unlike our experience in the rest of Europe that we are wondering if:
1) There is something cultural in Northern Spain that discourages good ice cream
2) We didn't know where to look
3) We were asking for the wrong thing.

So, my Camino friends...what's the "Scoop" on good Camino ice cream?

we are not really an 'ice cream culture', or at least not 'ice-cream sophisticated' anywhere in spain.

larger cities will have gelatos/gelaterías, but tourists may account for much of their business. that said, for some reason, we will indulge in packaged ice cream for dessert year round, or (in the summer), Nestle-type bars (eg. in towns and cities, the vast majority of the ice-cream kiosks open in may and close in september).

sorry.

 

[GreatDane]

Good scoops at the Embalse on the Primitivo and from the caravan on the Meseta on the Frances. Apart from that, my kids were entirely satisfied with prepackaged bars which I would normally not buy at home because of 1) packaging 2) sugar 3)price and 4)Nestle.

Just came off the Meseta a few days ago and never did run into any caravans selling snacks.

 

[DowtyCamino]

we are not really an 'ice cream culture', or at least not 'ice-cream sophisticated' anywhere in spain.

larger cities will have gelatos/gelaterías, but tourists may account for much of their business. that said, for some reason, we will indulge in packaged ice cream for dessert year round, or (in the summer), Nestle-type bars (eg. in towns and cities, the vast majority of the ice-cream kiosks open in may and close in september).

sorry.

Well that explains it I guess. It sounds like a great business opportunity for some young entrepreneur!
It is curious though...I've traveled a lot in Europe and I can't say I've been anywhere where some wonderful ice cream wasn't to be had....unitl Camino.

 

[november_moon]

We ate a lot of Magnum bars

 

[Mike Savage]

We ate a lot of Magnum bars

Me too, sometimes more than once a day!

 

[GettingThere]

We don't get KitKat ice creams in NZ, so those were an exciting discovery! (yes I know, easily pleased )

 

[domigee]

we are not really an 'ice cream culture', or at least not 'ice-cream sophisticated' anywhere in spain.

larger cities will have gelatos/gelaterías, but tourists may account for much of their business. that said, for some reason, we will indulge in packaged ice cream for dessert year round, or (in the summer), Nestle-type bars (eg. in towns and cities, the vast majority of the ice-cream kiosks open in may and close in september).

sorry.

Please don't say sorry

 

[Kiwi-family]

Maybe this ice cream tasted so extra good because this darling pilgrim bought it for us!

 

[koilife]

In Finisterre at a beach bar off of Langostiera Beach, my son went up and asked, in his best Spanglish, for a Nestle "Brownie" (two slabs of chocolate chip cookie with chocolate laced vanilla in between). What the bartender brought back was a bottle of brandy, and for 3 euro I got a 3" pour of exquisite brandy!

While they didn't have a Brownie for my son, mine was the best ice cream of the Camino!

 

[WandererJolie]

Had a delicious strawberry ice cream in a little shop in Santander, but didn't run across ice cream much on del Norte. Coca-cola was my cold, sweet indulgence.

 

[Marcus-UK]

Most of Spain being very hot much of the year. I think the culture tends toward refreshing drinks. If you get a chance try Horchata. Which is made from the tigernut rhizome. It is similar to a milkshake but can be consumed by the lactose intolerant. Like Spanish wine regions it also has its own origin control board.

 

[Castilian]

I've traveled a lot in Europe and I can't say I've been anywhere where some wonderful ice cream wasn't to be had

On my next visit to Madrid, I may give a try to the ice creams of www.rocambolesc.com if I'm not too far from where their ice cream shop is located. BTW, don't miss the instragram pictures available on their web. You can also look for reviews on tripadvisor and read about them on some foodie blogs. Just 6 flavours but 34 toppings to choose from... I hope they taste as good as they look!

Had a delicious strawberry ice cream in a little shop in Santander

I find the ice creams of Regma (www.regma.es) in Santander good enough. I guess they'll have the same quality at their establishments in other locations (several of them in other Camino del Norte towns, there's a list on their web)

but didn't run across ice cream much on del Norte.

In Gijón, www.heladeriaislandia.com is a well-known ice-cream shop with some original flavours like fabada or Cabrales cheese but I didn't go yet to taste them so I can't comment about quality.

If you get a chance try Horchata

Great suggestion! And if you want to eat something with your horchata, try traditional fartons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartons)

 

[oursonpolaire]

Most of Spain being very hot much of the year. I think the culture tends toward refreshing drinks. If you get a chance try Horchata. Which is made from the tigernut rhizome. It is similar to a milkshake but can be consumed by the lactose intolerant. Like Spanish wine regions it also has its own origin control board.

I, too, found horchata (catalan- orxata) excellent, but not always available. A Californian friend, eagle-eyed, spied that mojito ice bars were available, if only to adults, and insisted that we try them at every opportunity. I enjoyed them, but could not recommend mojito bars to pilgrims who are on the Camino in a more penitential mode. Generally, I found Spanish ice cream a disappointment for this gelato-fan, although I had some good gelato in Saint Sebastian. As well, the helado de casa sometimes available at the Hotel Monasterio de San Zoilo in Carrión de los Condes was a wonderful exception to the ice-cream-in-a-plastic-tub we often found for postre.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Sorry, are we talking chilled confectionary or ICE CREAM here?

Spanish ice cream is on a par with Italian and far, far superior to some of the emulsions of vegetable fat, corn starch and rapeseed oil you get in some countries i.e.

INGREDIENTS:

ICE CREAM: MILK, CREAM, SUGAR, WHEY, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, LOCUST BEAN GUM, VANILLA BEAN SPECKS, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL FLAVOR, CARAMEL COLOR, ANNATTO (COLOR).

BELGIAN MILK CHOCOLATE COATING: SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, MILK, MILK FAT, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), NATURAL FLAVOR, PGPR (EMULSIFIER).

LOCUST BEAN GUM? CARRAGEENAN? (That's seaweed right?) NATURAL FLAVOR? SOY LECITHIN? PGPR? (Polyglycerol polyricinoleate a a yellowish, viscous liquid composed of polyglycerol esters of polycondensed fatty acids from castor oil)

In Leon, walk out of the cathedral over to the big LEON sculture, turn right and you can get a pick and mix ice cream. Collect a plastic bowl and spoon and dig in. Be careful, they sell it by weight!

In Burgos buy from Bez Arcanagelo Soffiro on the Paseo de la Audiencia (admittedly Italian) and stroll along the river bank in the evening.

Probably just as bad for you but tastes so good.

In case you're wondering, the ingredients - that's a MAGNUM bar

 

[Bajaracer]

Me too, sometimes more than once a day!

Myself included, you're burning off every calorie you take in anyways, might at well indulge.

 

[jpflavin1]

During our 2014 Camino, my wife and I noticed that the only two selections of ice cream on the Camino Frances were commercial Nestles bars and the occasional spot selling more traditional gelatos. Every time we tried the gelatos it was old, freezer burned, stale. This was so unlike our experience in the rest of Europe that we are wondering if:
1) There is something cultural in Northern Spain that discourages good ice cream
2) We didn't know where to look
3) We were asking for the wrong thing.

So, my Camino friends...what's the "Scoop" on good Camino ice cream?

You need to ask for icream cake. Pastre de helado. It is great. Not every place will have it but any hotel or good restaurant should.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Mike Savage]

I found helado available for desert on the menu of the day quite often and found it quite enjoyable.

 

[DebR]

We ate a lot of Magnum bars

For me, it was the elusive lemon cornetto. Found one on a detour stop between Navarette and Najera on my second Camino, and I'd be less than honest if I said the desire for another wasn't one of my drivers for a third Camino (and they were everywhere last September)! Lemon ice cream and lemon sorbet with lemon sauce atop the usual chocolate rim.
Never seen it in Australia, but I'm now lobbying.
Really wasn't an ice cream fan before I found this one...

 

[Kanga]

On the alternative-to-icecream theme, try the delicious "limonada casera" around León. But be warned, it is refreshing but very alcoholic. On a hot day ....

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Magnum bars; all flavors.

 

[GettingThere]

For me, it was the elusive lemon cornetto. Found one on a detour stop between Navarette and Najera on my second Camino, and I'd be less than honest if I said the desire for another wasn't one of my drivers for a third Camino (and they were everywhere last September)! Lemon ice cream and lemon sorbet with lemon sauce atop the usual chocolate rim.
Never seen it in Australia, but I'm now lobbying.
Really wasn't an ice cream fan before I found this one...

Lemon Cornetto? Lemon Cornetto?? Oh boy. I think you may have just described my dream ice cream... Well, that's it then. Nothing else for it. I'm going to have to go back and find one! Lemon Cornetto.....

 

[Albertagirl]

I had the helada a few times for a postre with the menu peregrina, but this thread is reminding me of the wonderful ice cream which I devoured in New Zealand in 2014. Passion Fruit Ice Cream Cones not, alas, available in Canada. I have searched for them since and was offered an imitation by a nephew. But it had concentrated passion fruit juice instead of real passion fruit in it. I guess I shall probably return to New Zealand someday for the passion fruit ice cream, and because I loved the country.

 

[Icacos]

......the wonderful ice cream which I devoured in New Zealand in 2014. Passion Fruit Ice Cream.

Well, if you are talking wonderful ice cream, I have to put my vote in for the Coconut Ice Cream at the Crane Resort in Barbados. And it was a hot day too!

 

[GettingThere]

I had the helada a few times for a postre with the menu peregrina, but this thread is reminding me of the wonderful ice cream which I devoured in New Zealand in 2014. Passion Fruit Ice Cream Cones not, alas, available in Canada. I have searched for them since and was offered an imitation by a nephew. But it had concentrated passion fruit juice instead of real passion fruit in it. I guess I shall probably return to New Zealand someday for the passion fruit ice cream, and because I loved the country.

And you will be most welcome, @Albertagirl - I agree, passionfruit ice cream is pretty good!

 

[DebR]

Lemon Cornetto? Lemon Cornetto?? Oh boy. I think you may have just described my dream ice cream... Well, that's it then. Nothing else for it. I'm going to have to go back and find one! Lemon Cornetto.....

Dude, you find them, you eat them ALL! Or find all your peregrino friends, binge like crazy, then form a self help group and invite me to join. I still have fantasies about them...

 

[DebR]

O

On the alternative-to-icecream theme, try the delicious "limonada casera" around León. But be warned, it is refreshing but very alcoholic. On a hot day ....

Oh, I remember this too... And a cafe with home made ice cream right across from the cathedral, where the Camino opens onto the square.
Happy (carby) days...

 

[Berruin]

Ice cream is always an ice cream for me I love them whatever they are.

 

[notion900]

 

[DebR]

Lemon Cornetto? Lemon Cornetto?? Oh boy. I think you may have just described my dream ice cream... Well, that's it then. Nothing else for it. I'm going to have to go back and find one! Lemon Cornetto.....

Okay, so this wasn't it, but it was a worthy Nestle substitute. Found, two hours ago, in the tienda below the old church in Rabanal. And gleefully consumed.
The search goes on...