For some people, studying abroad is a vehicle for meeting new friends, going on culinary adventures, experiencing new worlds and finding yourself. For the Cozzolino family, a trip to Italy inspired them to become gelato artists.
When Marianne and Tom returned home after visiting their daughter in Italy, they experienced culture shock and realized finding authentic gelato stateside was a challenge. Shortly after Marianne, a personal chef with 10 years experience, received a gelato maker for Christmas that year, the couple drew up a business plan for Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato. The business was named after Tom’s grandparents— a source of inspiration for hard work, home cooked meals and the face of the company. Grandmother Jenny’s face even decorates their labels.
From the beginning, there has always been an extra ingredient in their gelato— vero—which means truth in Italian. From early on, they’ve committed to sourcing local, mostly organic and preservative-free, simple ingredients, rather than following the advice of an industry professional of just using a mix.
“The most exciting thing about the product is the fact we use local dairy and local fruit. At most farmers’ markets that we sell at, we talk to the farmers beforehand to find out when blueberries or peaches are coming in and we have our whole schedule based around seasonality,” said Tom Cozzolino.
Each week, they bring four or five gelatos and sorbets to market, creating new flavor pairings like ginger and peach, watermelon and mint for sorbet, lime and tarragon, blueberry and basil or pear and Midori. After Tom adds his tweaks to a standard recipe, he and Marianne run test batches perfecting their unique taste, and then Marianne typically makes all of the gelato for the weekend farmer’s markets on Tuesdays.
Each spoonful, whether it be Chocolate Sensation made from Belgian Chocolate or Strawberry Sage with 3/4 pound of fresh strawberries per pint, bursts with flavor. Market goers say their gelato is unlike anything they’ve ever had, while others compare it to the gelato they’ve sampled on the streets of Rome or Florence.
Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato is sold in 4 oz “singles” for $3.50 or three for $10. They also offer $9 pints or three pints for $25. Be the life of the party during your next celebration with a gelato cake—two layers of your choice of gelati, separated by homemade crushed biscotti and topped with homemade whipped cream.
Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato can be purchased at the Phoenixville Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Collegeville Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Goshen Farmers’ Market every other Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and every other Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Bryn Mawr Farmers Market.
Special orders may be placed online, by emailing [email protected] or calling 610-715-3343. Get the inside scoop on Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato’s newest flavors, happenings, and news by liking their Facebook, website or subscribing to their email list, all of which are updated weekly.
As a person with a minor (ok fine, it’s a major one) obsession with ice cream, after tasting Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato, I think I just made their motto—“Gelato? It’s Like Ice Cream, Just Better”—my new mantra.
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