Paris, France — A new exceptional ice-cream parlor has just opened up in Paris offering homemade delights made with the finest of seasonal and at times uncanny ingredients. Stand-outs tasted by our expert taster included vanilla (of course), a delicious peanut butter and caramel number, a unique orange flower and pistachio combo and on the sherbet front raspberry sherbet. This was being played out an Ice Mama, a new Parisian venue in the elegant 16th arrondissement that churns out freshly made ice-creams on a daily basis using the finest ingredients and hand selected fruits, spices and unique savors. Sweet potato ice-cream was a recent offering along with a delicious granola-based recipe.

Ice Mama is the brain child of its two founders, master ice-cream maker Amine Méradji and Isabelle Faisant, both of whom have extensive experience in the high-end food industry. Amine Méradji trained as a master ice-cream maker at the famous Parisian school for the culinary arts, Ferrandi and did « graduate » work in Italy, one of the cradle’s of ice-cream and sherbet making at the Gelato University (gelato is Italian for ice-cream), in Bologna, the gastronomic capital of Italy. Ice Mama is a reflection of their taste for exceptional produce and products. So on the heels of their first boutique in the gastronomic Moroccan city of Marrakech, Paris was the more than logical next step. 

Don’t look around for an ice-cream menu. Each savor and flavor is methodically described to the visitor. The house’s fruits are purchased while they are still on the tree while the preparation of dried fruits, fresh fruit syrups, caramel  and roasting of beans and other ingredients is done on the premises. Ice-cream is churned out daily and served the same day it is churned. The boutique can seat 20 inside and 12, in season, on its festive outdoor terrace. You can also order up special ice-cream cakes for the holidays. Tues-Sat 11am until 7pm and Sun 11am until 7:30pm. 1 rue Mesnil 75116 Paris. +33 (0)1 80 06 21 54.  Special to The Gourmet Gazette