Cold hard facts

What’s sorbet? Or gelato? And truly, what on earth is Tasti-D? If you’ve wondered, the standard, made-in-the-USA version contains a mix of cream, milk and sugar (and sometimes vanilla or cacao, too) and is made by churning the mix while slowly cooling it.

Gelato, a velvety Italian ice cream, is not as fattening as its American counterpart (less butterfat is added to the mix) but is denser because it’s not as full of air.

Custard, a typical beachside treat and high-fat cousin of gelato, adds eggs to the basic formula of cream and sugar, making for a superrich, indulgent scoop.

Sorbetto, or sorbet, is a dairy-free, icy dessert made from fruit puree.

Italian ice differs from sorbet because—how to say this nicely?—it’s made from artificially flavored syrups or fruit juices, not the real stuff.

Frozen yogurt is ice cream’s skinnier, airier sibling, made with low-fat yogurt instead of cream.

As for Tasti D-Lite and Pinkberry, they deserve their own categories altogether. Water, skim milk, corn syrup, cream and vegetable gums make up the “dairy-based frozen dessert” mix at Tasti D-Lite, while Pinkberry’s ingredient list is secret but includes some sort of powder-based product that’s mixed with water or milk. Hmm, maybe it’s time for plain ol’ ice cream to make a comeback.

Also in this issue:

• Ice-stravaganza
• Manhattan
• Brooklyn
• Queens
• Bronx
• Staten Island
• Cold hard facts
• Made in New York
• Ice, ice baby
• Fear-free desserts