By Shari Littan
As New Yorkers savor their fading memories of summer, it's great to remember that quality ice cream can be a year-round treat. It seems that every truck and corner in the City offers the latest in high-end products; among this crowded field, the ice cream, sorbets, and toppings from Luca & Bosco offer especially unique and outstanding flavors. A taste of their artisanal goods makes any day a special occasion, regardless of season.
Catherine Oddenino and Ruthie Vishlitzky, founders and co-owners, created Luca & Bosco out of personal inspiration and experiment. As friends, they had ongoing conversations about the City's ice cream offerings. In their view, although New York has many ice cream vendors, the products are limited in flavor and style. Catherine especially missed the variety of inventive ice cream products routinely offered by artisans in California.
The team began testing ideas. They raised $14,000 through Kickstarter to purchase their first ice cream machine. They attended Penn State's "ice cream university" program. They brought their new products to a booth at the New Amsterdam market. While their competitors were still scooping, they sold out, reaching the bottom of their bins of Mint Chocolate Chip, Summer Corn, Goat Cheese Blueberry, and signature Drunk & Salty Caramel (now protected by US trademark). Offered at a comparable price to the competition, they saw their specialty products connect with customers.
In March 2013, when both women lost their full-time jobs, they turned the apparent hardship into an opportunity. Catherine had worked in digital media and Ruthie in city government. That week, they signed their first lease with the Hot Bread Kitchen (HBK) incubator project at La Marqueta in East Harlem. They named their business Luca & Bosco after their furry-faced companions — Luca, Catherine's white Maltese, and Bosco, Ruthie's chocolate lab. Through the connections made at HBK, they eventually secured their current retail spot at the front doors of the Essex Street Market at Delancy Street.
The flavor-forward taste makes their ice cream and sorbet unique. The key to their style is minimizing the heavy sweetness dominant in others' products — reducing sugar gives the subtilties of the other ingredients presence. Luca & Bosco carefully source ingredients, including fresh milk from Battenkill Farms in upstate New York. In addition, Catherine, who must avoid gluten, proudly notes that all of Luca & Bosco's products, including flavors with brownie chunks and cookies, are gluten-free. A taste of their ice cream doesn't melt away or leave a syrupy feel; it lingers like a great wine with a long finish.
Using this flavor style, the partners set out to create recipes that capture personal moments and experiences. For example, Catherine expresses her early food studies in Italy and France with flavors such as Honey Lavender, Rosemary Olive Oil, and Cinnamon Ricotta. The team developed a Gin & Juice sorbet to capture a boyfriend's favorite cocktail. As they've expanded, they've also had to develop crowd-pleasing classics, like Vanilla.
Luca & Bosco is now on its way. In Fall 2013 the team won the title of People's Favorite in Sam Adams' nationwide competition for entrepreneur food producers. In addition, the team is transitioning out of the HBK incubator to their own kitchen space — one of the most difficult obstacles for start-ups in New York. With its new facilities, Luca & Bosco hopes to entice chefs to include their specialty products on their menus. Eventually, they also hope to reach the grocery shelves.
For now, one must visit Luca & Bosco's shop on the revitalized lower east side. From their Mixed Berry Cheesecake to their Whisky Fudge Rebellion (yes, you can taste the buzz), it's worth the excursion. Their range of delicious products is a special pleasure that easliy pairs with special meals, holidays, or just a day out with family and friends.
Luca & Bosco
Essex Street Market
120 Essex Street (btn. Rivington & Delancey)
Lower East Side, Manhattan
LucaAndBosco.com
Shari Littan is a former Slow Food NYC board member and occasionally writes about sustainability and food issues.