Milk Maid

Working across the street from a grocery store, sure has it’s perks. Getting groceries after work is very convenient and so is getting lunch. Brad’s Market has this little part of their freezer section that they have fun different frozen desserts in.

Most of the desserts are small, personal sized, reasonably priced and they change what flavors and brands are featured often.

It’s like a treasure trove of treats! Those are dangerous combinations for someone with a sweet tooth like me. It’s a huge plus that these are all delicious dairy products.

I really enjoy trying the different products and they help elevate my usual boring work day lunch. My favorite item I’ve tried lately is mint fudge cookie gelato.

It tasted like the middle of a mint Dairy Queen cake. Mmm!

The different variety they have has made me wonder what the difference is between gelato, ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Gelato is Italian for ice cream. But, it has a different taste and consistency than most ice creams. Both ice cream and gelato have similar base ingredients: water, fat (in the form of milk or cream) and sugar.

The ingredients are mixed together and churned. Gelato has more milk than cream compared to ice cream which means it has less fat.

Making gelato involves churning the mix at a slower speed than ice cream is churned. Churning the mix rapidly introduces air to the mix which makes the consistency fluffy.

The difference in technique results in gelato being more milkier and denser with less air while ice cream is creamier and will have more air in the consistency.

The higher density and lower fat composition means that gelato is better served at a higher temperature than ice cream otherwise the gelato would be rock hard.

Anytime I have any type of frozen dessert, my personal preference is to have it a little warmer with a little bit of melt to it.

Gelato, in my opinion, needs a little more warmth to serve it compared to ice cream or frozen yogurt, but all are tasty! Frozen yogurt is quite different from ice cream and gelato.

Cream is usually not an ingredient in frozen yogurt. Instead, cultured milk using good bacteria like Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus as the main ingredient.

These bacterium have probiotic benefits. Frozen yogurt is different than the “normal” yogurt you can also get in the dairy aisle.

The probiotic benefits of bacteria in frozen yogurt depend on them surviving the manufacturing process. If the frozen yogurt was pasteurized after the good bacteria were added, then they will have been killed off.

Every brand is a little bit different on their manufacturing process. If you experience lactose intolerance to some degree like me, frozen yogurt may be a better alternative for you because of the probiotic power that helps break down the lactose for you.

Whichever route you take, all the options in the Brad’s Market freezer treasure trove are all delicious treats!