Antigua, Guatelmala: The tantalizing and terrific Tienda de Doña Gavi - It snows supurb organic ice cream
DO NOT MISS THIS SHOP.
I meant to shout, so to speak. I have not had better ice cream anywhere. Period.
The corn topped with pepino powder was like biting into a scoop of fresh fallen snow with a lovely sweet corn flavor. The texture and flavor, a duet of summer and winter, that made beautiful music together.
An impossibly light, thin cone held the generous portion perfectly without falling apart. (20 quetzales, $2.50 USD). Quality, flavor, texture, value ... all marvels.
I can't say it better than this blog (with a nice photo of the cone which is filled with ice cream, n ot just a scoop on top)
http://orderinny.wordpress.com/2009/04/
" ... the ice-cream (or sorbet) flavors are unique and outstanding. On my first day, I had the best bite during this entire trip. Jocote fruit, a small, red local plum is immortalized in a scoop of yellow sorbet, refreshingly tart, with the taste of stone fruit and the bite of citrus. I smiled all the way walking home with my cone. The next day, pink zapote, sweet with a musky melony flavor"
Other flavors as noted in another blog ...
http://www.ontheroadtravel.com/travel-recommendations/Guatemala/Antigua/travel-tips/best-of
"Dona Gavi serves up the best – and most unique – icecream in Antigua. Choose from avacado, corn, fig, cherry, lemon, and other local fruit flavors. The mango icecream is incredible. In fact, it is a treat just to meet Dona Gavi and explore her store"
Today there was also beet, tamarind. mamey, rice and pumpkin
I bought the pumpkin for my friend, forgetting that pumpkin means squash here ...usually yellow-fleshed winter squash. The taste I had was good, but not what I was expecting. .
Oddly enough, despite my devotion to Antigua Daily Photo, I had not read the posts on Doña Gavi. I walked into it blind. .
http://antiguadailyphoto.com/2007/09/...
People were coming out of the shop with wonderful looking cones. However, as noted in the first link, it really isn't obvious they sell ice cream. Despite seeing people with cones I had to ask ... perhaps they bought them elsewhere.
It is a wonderful tiny shop that smells heavenly. It sells herbs, spices, bath soaps (that looked good enough to eat), herbal remedies, jars of cookies and candies that look delicious. There's a little bar with five high wooden bar stools.
Doña Gavi is wonderful as well. She speaks perfect English. She has run this shop for 19 years. The ice cream made for the shop and she said it is a recipe unique to the shop.
I sad it was a great store. She said, with real affection in her tone "Yes, I love this little store".
I love it too Doña Gavi. ... and am looking foward to returning ... many, many times.
La Tienda de Doña Gavi
3a Avenida Norte #2
Daily 11:30am – 6:30pm.
It is one block from Central Park in back of the cathedral. It is almost across the street from the fabulous El Pescador Italiano . I watched tourists with cups of frozen yogurt by a world-wide chain that is half a block away. I felt sorry for them because they were missing this treasure.
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They have really delicious ice cream with crazy flavors (I really liked the corn and my friend loved the beet). We returned here a number of times so that we could try as many flavors as possible, including right after mountain biking all the way up to Earth Lodge. The waffle cones are also delicious.
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rworange
Nov 2, 2010 07:56 AM
Here's my Flickr photostream with a few photos of the La Tienda de Dona Gavi that I will be adding to in a month.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7685047@N02/sets/72157625171770437/detail/On this visit I purchased some chicle
Natural chicle - It is NOT the same as synthetic gum
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7440...I also purchased two more different types of honey.
- Miel de Tainete
This is a thin,dark honey that reminds me of the color and consitancy of a real maple syrup. It is a different taste though and delicious. The taste is strongly citrus with background notes of coffee. It is supposed to be good for the liver and pancreas. A few drops in your eyes will cure a number of problems. A note about honey in your eyes. It stings at first.
- Miel de Gravilea
This is coffee collected from coffee plantations. The coffee honey is fabulous and one of the best I've ever tried. I took a taste, chow bells started ringing and I said "wow". Thick anddark, it has a roasted flavor. There is a lot of complexity to it. No medicinal claims here. Dona Gavi just said it was good for pancakes and such. I can, and probably will, just eat this honey straight from the spoon. Wow.
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rworange
Aug 21, 2010 11:13 AM
Restaurant and Bar record for Tienda de Doña Gavi
http://www.chow.com/restaurants/91822...
