Made in New York

Photos: Lane Johnson

When it comes to creating the ultimate cold treat, not many do it better than Lahsen Fouad, co-owner of the East Village Ice Cream Factory (218 Ave B between 13th and 14th Sts, 212-673-6030). A former employee of the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, the famed Dumbo institution where he learned his craft, Fouad graciously let us follow him around for a day to see what goes into making a perfect strawberry scoop.

1. Start with fresh seasonal berries, obtained wholesale from fruit distributors. No Driscoll’s here.

2. Blend the hulled berries with sugar to create a lovely puree, and pour it into the ice cream maker.

3. Add a mixture of high-quality milk and cream to the machine, and let it churn slowly to mix with the fruit before speeding it up to ensure a consistent texture.

4. After half an hour on high speed, the ice cream, with a consistency of soft-serve, is blended and ready to come out of the machine.

5. Fill ice cream tubs 2.5 gallons at a time, and store in a big freezer. (Be sure to take a taste test, of course.)

6. After letting the cream harden in the freezer for 12 hours, it’s ready for toppings (homemade, natch).

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