On Our Radar: Specialty Gelato You Have to Try

On Our Radar is a brand new digital feature we’re launching to share the new trends, styles or limited-run products and events that cross our desks, right when they cross our desks. Watch for this feature weekly in our editorial newsletter or find the archives online.

Jake’s Roasted Asian Pear Vanilla flavor collaboration with An’s Dry Cleaning and Specialty Produce. All photos courtesy of An’s Dry Cleaning.

Contrary to its name, An’s Dry Cleaning won’t launder your skirts or press your shirts. The newish gelato shop (it opened in 2018) took over the spot where a legit dry cleaners used to be in University Heights (and decided to keep the name) but offers small-batch rich flavors—that change every week or two—made from scratch by a European chef.

The shop recently collaborated with local family owned and operated Specialty Produce to create a limited-edition menu that reads more like a fine-dining experience. Eight Specialty Produce staffers helped to create flavors named for them that marry unexpected ingredients like brown butter, whey, squash blossom and nectarine (a decadently delicious creation).

My 4-year-old Saturday afternoon date (my daughter Genevieve) and I stopped by to sample the eight flavors. What we expected was a sweet treat; what we got was so much more complex. Here’s the scoop:

Besides Nick, the flavor I described above, we tasted Janet, a mixing of cucumber, melon and venom salt that’s got some serious bite. The heat comes out after you’ve already savored the sweet melon flavor and lingers for a bit on the palate. I’d rate it a 5 out of 10 in terms of its spiciness. Genevieve declined even trying this one since she sometimes deems cinnamon too spicy for her developing taste buds.

Christopher’s Mead and Triple Berry ice cream is part of the An’s Dry Cleaning and Specialty Produce collab.

Next, Christopher makes a sweet treat from blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and a kid-friendly amount of mead, I’m told. Don’t know what mead is? I didn’t either. It’s an alcohol made from honey. Though you don’t detect alcohol, the honey is prominent in this mixed-berry experience.

Joe tastes earthy with spruce tips, oat milk and honey; and Jake’s Asian pear-and-vanilla combo is a dead ringer for a fresh-baked crumble.

Joe’s spruce tips, honey and oat milk flavor collab. Actual spruce tips not included!

I enjoyed Janet’s blueberry, goat cheese and jalapeño concoction. You get a lot of the cheese, a bit of the jalapeño flavor (without the heat) and the slightest hint of blueberry.

Surprisingly, Judy & Ashley’s chocolate, popcorn and tajin medley didn’t make Genevieve’s nor my favorite list. Don’t get me wrong, it was dark, rich and very good, but it didn’t surprise and delight the way some of the other flavors did.

Judy and Ashley’s chocolate, popcorn and tajin flavor collab.

And now, our favorite: The Kelly perfectly couples tart tamarind with sweet ube to make a deliciously creamy lavender-colored gelato. Genevieve declared it the best, loved that it matched her shirt and politely asked for a second sample.

The favorite! Kelly’s ube tamarind flavor creation for the limited-run An’s Dry Cleaning and Specialty Produce collaboration.

This An’s Dry Cleaning and Specialty Produce collaboration only runs for a limited time: through August 18th, so hurry. Taste them all and order you favorite fluff-and-fold style, which means you get it in a stylish gelato growler you get to keep—and refill—for life.