Posts Tagged ‘Blood Orange sorbet’
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Getting ready for New York’s Summer Streets wasn’t much different than any other event: gather up the appropriate amount of samples, promotional materials, and everything else and we’re ready to go. The catch for this event – we had to be there by 6am before NYPD closed down the streets.
After convincing myself that the clock really did say 4am and that it really was time to get going – i got ready and headed to the office to load up our gelatomobiles. I met up with LilBella and we made our traffic-free commute into NYC. Upon arrival we met up with our friends from Whole Foods who were short a delivery truck to transport dozens of bags of ice and brewed coffee from their store to the event. Lucky for them our one van was almost entirely empty (except for the freezers) and we lent a hand in getting all their supplies over to the picnic area.
After that we had a few hours to kill before it was time for the ice cream rush. After a quick bite to eat, LilBella decided it was time to catch up on some lost sleep. I seized the downtime as the opportunity to explore what Summer Streets had to offer. Everything from pilates classes and yoga instruction to double dutch and street tennis were getting started on Park Avenue. Rollerblade was kind enough to offer free skate rentals and well..I couldn’t resist. I skated my way up from 24th street to Grand Central Station and saw NYC in a way you wouldn’t usually get to with out any cars. I took note of the dumpster pools everyone has been talking about – one of the most unique creations I’ve seen in a while.
Before I knew it 10 o’clock was ticking close and it was time to feed the masses. The moment we starting rolling the carts towards our spot, dozens of people started lining up for samples. So many that the Summer Streets staff brought out the velvet ropes and funneled the line down the block.
Sample after sample was given out to an amazingly diverse group of New Yorkers and travelers. Entire families came by with their children, couples rolled up on skates, teenagers still with their bike helmets on, joggers, nearby store owners, visitors from the UK and France – you name it, and they were there at Summer Streets enjoying a Blood Orange or Sicilian Lemon Sorbet.
Ciao Bella will be at Summer Streets for next week on Saturday August 21 from 10am-1pm at the Whole Foods picnic area on the corner of Park and 24th. If you’ve missed us the past two weeks this the last chance to enjoy summer in NYC in a great atmosphere before this amazing weather passes us by.

Tags: Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, dumpster pools, gelato, NYC DOT, NYC Summer Streets, Park Avenue, Rollerblade, Sicilian Blood Orange Sorbet, Sicilian Lemon Sorbet, Sorbet, Summer Streets, Whole Foods
Posted in ChasingBella | No Comments »
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
The East Coast Bella Girls spent the evening in the city for Fashion’s Night Out. This is a night where, according to fashionnightout.com, “American Vogue has joined with NYC & Company, the City of New York, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America to enliven again the consumer spirit that churns the economy and boosts the local industry of America’s fashion capital, New York City. Next only to finance, fashion is the second-largest sector of industry in New York City—the headquarters of more than 800 fashion companies employing 175,000 people and generating $10 billion in total wages. At City Hall’s May 20 press conference to announce Fashion’s Night Out, Vera Wang said, ‘To put it bluntly, if people don’t shop, people lose their jobs.’”
As we drove towards Grand Central Station we passed what looked like a main tent for fashion week. Similar to tents we have seen on various fashion shows on TLC, MTV and CW. As we pass we whip out our cameras hoping to catch a glimpse of the atmosphere, which honestly, words don’t quite do justice. Cameras flashing and filming everywhere, outfits that can’t not catch your eye and heels that can’t not help girls carry themselves with an air of femininity and style.
As we circle around Grand Central Station looking for the perfect runway for Penelope to make her fashion week debut, we move our focus from fashion and celebrities to the Ciao Bella Blood Orange carpet. Thanks to JuicyJ, Coconutkate and the Grand Central Bella Guys for making this event a successful one! Despite the cold wind gusts and light rain we had a constant group of new and established Ciao Bella lovers.
Elle and I made it back just in time to see the exciting Georgia Tech vs. Clemson game. Being graduates of the University of South Carolina, we are pretty much supporters of any team playing Clemson. GA Tech came through in the end and it was a glorious end to an already exciting day.
From fashion to football, stilettos to cleats, you can always count on the East Coast Bella Girls for our delicious treats!
Love, Lauren and Elle
Tags: Bella Girls, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, cw, East Coast Bella Girls, fashions night out, gelato, grand central station, mtv, new york, new york city, Sicilian Blood Orange, Sicilian Blood Orange Sorbet, Sorbet, tlc
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

These boys liked their samples so much they convinced their mom to buy seven pints!
Now that Elle and I have been on this tour for about 3 months, we have picked up on reoccurring patterns. One being that the American public has a vast array of personalities. But also those certain personalities tend to go for certain flavors. In fact sometimes we find it fun to try and guess what flavor people are going to go for just by that first impression that lasts about 3 minutes. We have gotten pretty good at it; I’m not going to lie.
We’ve found that people who go for the Tahitian Vanilla or Sicilian Lemon are usually laid back. They know what they like and they stick to it and are perfectly content with that. We can usually spot you Vanilla and Lemons because looking at the list becomes a time of elimination. We have some unique flavors, so when someone either makes a face of surprise or confusion, get ready to grab one of these two flavors.
The people that go for the Blood Orange or the Pistachio seem to be a more adventurous, creative personality. These people are usually bold in the way they dress, the things they say and are up for anything new and exciting. These people most often ask what we think is best or what the best seller is. They are open to trying new flavors. When they browse our list, instead of looks of uncertainty or shock, you can see the intrigue and admiration in their eyes. And that’s sometimes followed by a compliment: “You have such wonderful and interesting flavor names” for example.
The Chocolate Alba Hazelnut has the most “legs.” Not meaning that people who choose the Chocolate Alba Hazelnut have nice legs, though some yes have. I mean that the Chocolate seems to span over all the personality types. Throughout the tour, especially this second half, it has consistently been the most popular. Day after day, all types of people choose Chocolate. They say chocolate mend a broken heart and actually put you in a happier mood. So I guess we all can have our “chocolate days.”
And that brings us to Mango. Oh you Mango lovers. You are most easy to spot. Mango choosers tend to have an intense personality. They approach the truck with high energy and a lot of excitement about life. Naturally, and initially surprising a lot of kids like the Mango as well. But now we see it as just that a lot of kids are high energy life lovers. We had three young boys of about 8 that loved the Mango and went straight to picking that flavor (Mango-lovers never hesitate or ponder other flavors… it’s Mango all the way!) These boys sat in the truck with us for a while chatting about everything from their town to their dog Fluffy. They then proceeded into the store and bought 7 pints. It was because of them we reached a total of more than 15 pints sold at our second event. Thank you boys!
Of course everyone is different and every now and then Elle and I are dead wrong. But when we are it surprises us and we’re right about 85% of the time. So come on out and see if you can stump me!
Tags: Alphonso mango, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

He loves Ciao Bella. He told us he buys it all the time. He definitely wasn't telling us a story. He bought at least six pints on this visit to Kings.
This morning’s event took place at the King’s in Morristown, which was nice because Elle and I didn’t have to travel very far at all (not to mention avoid parkways because of Penelope, ..but we love her anyway). I also enjoyed it because before I even knew I was going to do a gelato tour I had visited this Kings with my Dad to pick up groceries while I was visiting New Jersey, so it felt a little like I was at “my grocery store.” I have about 5 grocery stores.
Despite the drizzle, Elle, Penelope and I could see the need for a uniquely decadent treat in the eyes of everyone this Saturday morning and boy were we right! The store sold over 14 pints in the 3 hours we were there and one man came out to show us the 6 pints he bought! Hope you enjoy those sir, you are officially our Morristown Bella Guy! The shoppers at this Kings seemed to favor the Chocolate Jalopeno. I noticed it in several bags and one lady told us her daughter couldn’t get enough of it.
Elle and I are planning on celebrating the successful day by ordering pizza and renting a movie tonight. I’m thinking of doing an “at home Italian vacation” like OK! Magazine suggested by pairing the pizza with some Italian wine, The Godfather series and some Blood Orange sorbet. What do you all think? Sounds like a nice evening, eh? Next on the list is a trip to Sicily.
Tags: Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Girls, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls, Godfather, Mo-town, Morristown NJ, OK magazine, Sicily Italy
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
The West Coast Bella Girls enjoyed another wonderful day in Oregon. Although it was a little overcast out in Hillsboro, the Portland suburb we visited today, that didn’t stop samplers from enjoying our tasty treats!
These two guys in particular seemed to enjoy their Blood Orange samples so much, they nearly forgot all about the trucks in their lap that had been so thoroughly engaging only moments before.
Which is when we decided they’d be great Bella Boys some day: they like driving trucks and eating sorbet, so they’d be a natural fit!
We’re sad to be leaving Oregon soon – tomorrow will be our last day of events in the state, so we’re counting on Tigard and Lake Oswego to send us out in style!!
Tags: Bella Girls, Blood Orange, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, discover savor share, Free samples, Hillsboro, Hillsboro OR, Lake Oswego, Lake Oswego OR, Oregon, Portland, Portland OR, Sorbet, Tigard, Tigard OR, Trucks, West Coast Bella Girls
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Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Two ladies enjoying their Ciao Bella samples. One of them is Blood Orange. I wonder if she's a Twilight or True Blood fan?
A couple of nights ago Elle and I got back to the hotel, ready to relax and watch some television. We were lucky enough to choose a hotel that has HBO as one of its free channels. This is quite an exciting treat for me. My parents had HBO at our house when we lived in New Jersey, but ever since I left for college, any HBO shows I have a desire to watch, I have to make a trip to Blockbuster. So naturally, it’s the first channel I check at night. Well I turn to it, and it cuts to a scene where it seems as though a sweet newlywed couple is about to be led (it so happens they are dragged) down a mysterious set of stairs. Needless to say, things go awry. It gets violent and pretty risqué all in a matter of minutes. Americans tune in to HBO each week to watch True Blood . It has reportedly become HBO’s most popular series since The Sopranos. Another series millions of Americans are loving is the book and movie series: Twilight, which like True Blood follows a romance between a human and a vampire, among other plot lines. Elle is one of these huge Twilight fans. True Blood takes place in the Deep South while the Twilight story is set in the state of Washington. But in the non-fiction of real life, the vampire craze is also a nation-wide phenomenon. Now, let’s not forget the classic Blade, where Wesley Snipes plays the coolest “half-man half-vampire” to have ever been.
This past Halloween the classic “vampire” costume was around every spider-webbed corner. I wonder if this year there will be even more. It’s funny, we get people that come up to our truck and some of them see the Blood Orange and go “eww,” but the majority of people (not just kids) are saying “Cool!” Yes, some people know that blood oranges are big in Italy and get excited to see it in a product here in the United States. But I think a lot of the “Cool!” responses are inspired by this recent vampire obsession. I think the Blood Orange would be a great addition to those Twilight parties you all know you’re going to have. Not to mention, there’s also a Blood Orange Martini (you can find the recipe on the Ciao Bella Website) that would be a great addition while watching the more adult series True Blood.
Just some ideas, let me know what you think! Also, come find the East Coast Bella Girls to try this very trendy sorbet for free!
Tags: Bella Girls, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls, gelato, Sicilian Blood Orange, Sorbet
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Passing out samples on a sunny Sunday in New Hampshire.
For all of you faithful blog readers out there…Lauren mentioned last night that we were going to see a movie, but she didn’t tell you which one. We went to see (500) Days of Summer. It was a great movie. We both really enjoyed it. I was really excited to see it because I really like Zooey Deschanel. I first discovered her in Elf, and have loved her since. She had a small singing part in the movie which I really enjoyed because she has a great voice. She and M. Ward (aka She & Him) released their first album, Volume One, not too long ago and it’s really great. If you haven’t heard of them you should check them out.
We had a great Sunday in New Hampshire. The sun was shining and the skies were blue. We saw a lot of people getting ready for the beach while we were at our first event. It was the perfect beach day. We hope all you beach goers had fun!
Once again the favorite flavor today was Chocolate Hazelnut. Watch out Blood Orange, I think Chocolate Hazelnut is going to give you a run for your money as the most popular flavor.
We’ve really enjoyed being in New Hampshire. It is a really pretty state. Our second event was in Derry. It’s such a quaint little town. We drove through a very rural area on the way to the event today. It was so pretty.
Thanks again New Hampshire for another successful day of sampling. We have one more event in New Hampshire tomorrow then it’s off to Maine for the afternoon.
Tags: Bella Girls, Blood Orange, Blood Orange sorbet, Chocolate Alba Hazelnut, Chocolate Alba Hazelnut Gelato, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, derry, East Coast Bella Girls, gelato, maine, new hampshire, Sorbet
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Planning the perfect party? Try a Blood Orange sorbet martini. Your guests will be talking about it for weeks.

Blood Orange Martini - For the perfect party.
Blood Orange Sorbet Martini
3-4 scoops of Blood Orange sorbet (1 scoop equals 2-oz.)
4-oz. Campari liquor
16-0z. Vodka
Shake well and serve in a frozen martini glass.
Servings: 8
Tags: Blood Orange, blood orange recipe, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, ciao bella sorbet, Gossip Girl, martini, martini recipe, perfect party, recipe, Sorbet
Posted in Recipes | No Comments »
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

These ladies know a good gig when they see one, or so they say!
There’s one conversation that we, the West Coast Bella Girls, have with customers probably two to three days a week. On gorgeous days, when we’re having a good event and it’s clear everyone is having a great time, this discussion may occur two or more times in the course of one day.
Sometimes it takes the form of a question. Sometimes it’s a statement or a discussion. But the consensus is clear that we have “the best job”.
As they stopped to enjoy their samples, we had that discussion with the ladies pictured in the photo to the left. And both emphatically agreed with my assessment that our job is the opposite of the dentist (no offense to any dentists!) – everyone is thrilled to see us, and can’t wait for their turn!
Today, at the Gelson’s in Dana Point, we were asked if we were hiring. It wasn’t the first time we fielded that inquiry. Once, we were asked if we needed an assistant – I’m pretty sure the lady was volunteering! We’re often asked how we got the job. But most common of all is just being told we have the best job in some phrasing or another. We don’t disagree.
Come visit us tomorrow, to see if your job is as cool as ours. We’ll be hitting Albertson’s near So Cal beaches tomorrow: Long Beach from 11 – 2 (450 Long Beach Blvd), and Huntington Beach (16600 Bolsa Chica St) from 4-7.
Tags: Albertson's, Bella Girls, Blood Orange sorbet, California, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, Dana Point, Dana Point California, discover savor share, Free, Free samples, gelato, Gelson's, Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach California, Long Beach, Long Beach California, OC, orange county, Samples, Sorbet, Southern California
Posted in West Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Monday, June 29th, 2009
I am a food person. I love to cook (I’m actually considering cooking school after the tour ends!), I love going to farmer’s markets wherever I find myself on a Saturday morning (we found some great treats at the La Canada Flintridge market earlier this month before an event – good enough that we went back the next week), and I love thinking of tasty new ways to use old favorites.
So naturally, thinking up pairings for the gelatos and sorbets that I’m becoming so familiar with this summer has become a fun hobby.
When we have couples come to the window together asking for one sorbet and one gelato without a strong preference on the gelato, we usually encourage two things: 1. the vanilla gelato and 2. that they share, because the vanilla combines so deliciously with any of the three sorbets we also sample.
Yesterday, a clever Whole Foods employee came out for his sample on his lunch break, looking for something to complement his planned meal of a banana with fresh ground peanut butter, and once again, the creamy cool vanilla was a perfect fit.
Another of our customers asked for a sample of our blood orange, explaining how she had just had a great blood orange margarita the day before. After her sample, she headed into the store for pints and tequila, planning to repeat the refreshing drink for the friends she had invited to her place.
Although it’s not one of the flavors on our tour this year, one of my favorite Ciao Bella gelatos is the plain hazelnut. Fantastic on its own, it’s stunning when accompanied by fresh raspberries, strawberries, blueberries – pick a berry and it’s great.

Mango-rite: totally yummilicious!
So today, in the nearly 100 degree heat at our event this morning at the Sprouts in El Cajon, I came up with a new winning combo. It was hot. Naturally, all I could think about between customers was what icy cold drink I would enjoy on our way to our second event. Once we started packing up, I pulled a mango sorbet from the freezer and put it on the dashboard of the truck to let it melt as we were reloading the truck. Once on the road, we pulled into a fast food restaurant where I ordered a large lemon/lime soda, leaving a little room at the top like you would for milk in coffee. I poured in my now well softened mango, gave a good stir, and then took a sip of what has to be the tastiest drink I’ve had in a good long while. If I do say so myself, it was a pretty ingenious move – refreshing, sweet, fresh and just completely delicious. The beautiful color in the photo was of just one mango cup in an extra large soda and the ratio was fantastic. I can guarantee I will be serving this to friends at meals at my house for years to come.
Give it a shot and see if you enjoy it as much as we did. Or share your recipes for perfect pairings of Ciao Bella and…you tell us – we’d love to try yours out too!
Tags: Bella Girls, Blood Orange, Blood Orange sorbet, California, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, delicious, discover savor share, drinks, El Cajon, El Cajon California, Free, Free samples, gelato, mango, Mango Sorbet, pairings, recipe, Recipes, refreshing, Samples, Sorbet, Sprouts, tahitian vanilla, tahitian vanilla gelato, Whole Foods, Yummy!
Posted in West Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »