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Chef Collaborations, Local Ingredients & Three Must-Try Flavors at Stella Jean’s Ice Cream
When the pet store beside Pop Pie Co. closed, co-owner Steven Torres says the opportunity to expand their footprint felt like destiny.
Steven’s business (and life) partner Gan Suebsarakham had been thinking about making ice cream for years, so when opportunity knocked, the enterprising pair sprung into action.
Open since last October, the charming shop serves up 17 flavors made with locally sourced ingredients, including seasonal fruit from Good Taste Farm, Stehly Farms Organics, and Specialty Produce.
Yes, you’ll find classic varieties like double chocolate and mint chocolate chunk, but the creative flavors—like matcha pistachio, earl grey citrus tea cake, and mango sticky rice (one of six vegan options)—are what makes the shop special.
Start with a taste of the s’mores ice cream, which gets its signature light grey hue from blackened marshmallows and coconut ash, which is infused into the base before it’s blended with toasted mini marshmallows and crumbled graham crackers coated with milk chocolate. Steven notes that it’s the shop’s top-selling flavor and is especially popular with local chefs who often drop in with their kids.
The pink guava + oj sorbet, made with citrus from Good Taste Farm, is bright and refreshing, with palate cleansing properties. It would pair nicely with the salty caramel corn, a well-balanced sweet and salty flavor that Steven says is his current favorite.
To keep things fresh and fun, Stella Jean’s has invited local chefs to take a break from their daily grind and collaborate on limited-edition, small-batch flavors.
Chef Claudia Sandoval recently worked with Gan to create a Tres Leches Cake ice cream with a tangy cream cheese base and sweet strawberry swirl.
Soon, the shop will debut a new collaboration featuring “shitty chef-driven doughnuts” from Jason McLeod, Executive Chef at Ironside. Keep an eye on the shop’s Instagram feed to find out when it drops.
Stella Jean’s Ice Cream
4404 Park Blvd, University Heights
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