Pascale’s Ice Cream & Epicuria Treats – One Sweet Summer

Pascale Berthiaume makes good ice cream. No, scratch that. Pascale Berthiaume makes extraordinary ice cream from scratch in small, lovingly handled batches.  Pascale’s All Natural Ice Cream is gluten and preservative free. It is purity in the finest sense.

When you read the ingredients on the back of a pint of Pascale’s Ice Cream you’ll find cream, egg yolks, sugar [key ingredient ie: fruit, chocolate, avocado etc] and vanilla pods. What you won’t find are emulsification agents, fillers, modified milk products and preservatives. That’s why we’re proud to carry Pascale’s All Natural Ice Cream at Epicuria, its wholesome goodness marries well with our from scratch, locally sourced kitchen.

There are few things we love more than local, hardworking food-crazed entrepreneurs with drive and great flavour sense. Schooled in cuisine, Pascal is self taught in the art of crème glacée thanks to her time on the garde manger and pastry lines in some of Ottawa’s finest restaurants.

“I love coming up with new flavour combinations. Sometimes it’s a hit and miss process, it might take me several batches to really nail it, but when it’s right, you just feel it.” – Pascal Berthiaume

Indulging her senses taught Pascale the science that is the emulsification of a creamy, rich frozen product.  Taking a chance on her ideas in 2008,  Pascale’s All Natural Ice Cream was born.  Now available in nine fine food establishments across Ottawa and found every Sunday at the Ottawa Farmer’s Market at Lansdowne Park, Pascal’s is quickly becoming a staple of fine living in our nation’s capital.

Ice cream is a summer essential.  It can make a bad day bearable and turn a good day into a lifelong memory.  So this summer we asked ourselves “what epic frosty memories can we make with Pascale’s amazing Ice Cream and Epicuria’s classic sweet treats?”

As it turns out this was a question well worth asking as a synergy of sweetness began to unfold. Partnered with Pascal, we came up with nine different combinations – from ice cream sandwiches to ice cold sundaes and gourmet floats. We hope you’ll be inspired to indulge, greatly.

Pascale’s Brown Butter Banana Ice Cream, Epicuria Caramel Sauce & Shaved Dark Chocolate
As sundae combos go, this is one of our favorites – banana, caramel, chocolate. Our version of the Chunky Monkey, made all the better with the deep, rich undertones of brown butter. It is – heaven.

Pascale’s French Vanilla Ice Cream and Epicuria’s Classic Granola
Natural decadence.  Pure cream flavour with the sweet crunch of our nutty, dried fruit granola. It’s the Birkenstocks and socks of ice cream sundaes (Honestly, we think this could be brunch.)

More Sundae Combos to try:
Pascale’s Vegan Coconut Ice Cream, Epicuria Raspberry Coulis & Fresh Mint (DF, Vegan) Bright and creamy with a blast of berry acidity, the perfect combination on the hottest day of summer.  Made with pure coconut cream, this is a big winner for the non-dairy crowd but the dairy freaks among us will never know the difference.

Pascale’s Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Epicuria Chocolate Sauce & Crumbled Chocolate Cherry Cookies (GF)  A chewy, triple chocolate blast for any chocoholic and it’s gluten-free. (If it’s gluten-free it MUST be good for you.)

Pascale’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Ice Cream with Epicuria’s Classic Ginger Cookies Ice Cream Sandwich
A rich chocolate ice cream, pressed between two spicy, sugar coated cookies is melt-in-your-mouth-and-run-down-your-elbows gooey good!

More Ice Cream Sandwiches to try:
Pascale’s Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Epicuria’s Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Ice Cream Sandwich
Peanut butter, a layer of caramel, a blast of chocolate and Isabel’s perfect cookie base and – instant foodgasm.

Pascale’s White Chocolate Pistachio Ice Cream with Epicuria’s Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Ice Cream Sandwich
Everything in this combination works; white chocolate against cranberry, pistachio, brown sugar and oatmeal. Also a good combo as a cookie-crumbled-on-top sundae for those fond of a sweet, but not too sweet finish.

Pascale’s Ice Cream Sandwich Build Tip: Temper your ice cream for about 15 minutes at room temperature first so that it’s slightly soft and easy to mold.  Form ice cream in an even scoop, place cookies bottom side up, center ice cream  on one cookie, gently press ice cream with a warm spatula to flatten slightly before topping with the second cookie, then freeze again (15 – 20 minutes) before serving.
Epicuria Serving Suggestion: A roll of paper towels.

What would an ice cream post be without an ice cream float, or two?!  We recently started carrying Ottawa’s Harvey & Vern’s Olde Fashioned Soda at the shop (because WE LOVE IT!). You can never go wrong with the standard Root Beer / Cream Soda Vanilla Float but… what else have we got for you?  Try one of these…

Pascale’s Passion Fruit Ice Cream with Harvey & Vern’s Olde Fashioned Lime Soda Float
Simply outstanding. The balance of a sharp, all fruit base with the overlay of just the right amount of lime. Showstopper. (Aldutify it with: Gold Tequila or Amber Rum.)

Pascale’s Dulce de Leche Cream with Harvey & Vern’s Olde Fashioned Ginger Beer Float
A bit of zip with that smooth caramel base, rim with combination of sea salt and course raw sugar, mixed half and half. (Aldutify it with: a shot of Rye Whisky)

If these ideas break the scale we’d like to apologize in advance.  Perhaps after a day of indulgence it’s back to salad, or maybe you could just burn it off with a game of tennis? If that fails, we think you should just toss out the scale and buy new pants.  You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.  Happy summer!

Visit us in-store to shop these delicious summer treats! Epicuria’s Ottawa food shop is located at 357 St Laurent Blvd, Ottawa, ON.