cool dessert
The Flavor of
Happiness
�orld�class gelato is a walk away in Upper Montclair �RITTEN �Y R���CCA ��N�
Jon Snyder , owner of Il Laboratorio del Gelato , has been approached countless times about franchising his gelato and sorbet business based inthe Lower �ast Side of Manhattan Snyder , who deals mostly in wholesale , has always refused . Until now . Upper Montclair is now home to the first franchised Il Laboratorio del Gelato location in the United States . �There ’ s one other � in Shanghai . �
“ I ’ ve always taken pride in what we make to afault ,” he says . “ I didn ’ t want to spread myself thin and leave control insomeone else ’ shands in case the �uality suffered .”
What changed� Snyder says slow business due toCOVID-19 gave him some e�tra time to develop franchising relationships . After working with aShanghai-based couple , hewas contacted by Michael Kurt of wholesaler �ve ’ sBakery in �ast Rutherford .
Coincidentally , Snyder , who grew up in the Bron� and Westchester , just moved to Montclair , amile away from where Il Laboratorio del Gelato is located inthe classical , columned space at 598 Valley Road . “ I probably would have said no to anyone else ,” Synder says . “ I ’ m so close , Ican keep aneye on it , though
��TT�N� T�� �COO� Among the ��� �avors rotating through Il Laboratorio del Gelato ’ s NYC offerings are mascarpone , chocolate with thai chili , black sesame and �ve varieties of �g .
Michael is the owner . It was kismet .”
The Il Laboratorio del Gelato location in Montclair will operate as an ice cream shop with three standard �avors� vanilla , dark chocolate and salted caramel . The other �avors �made with fresh fruits and fruit purees� will rotate in and out of the store and use seasonal ingredients , such as Concord grapes in the fall and blood oranges in winter . Il Laboratorio makes about �00 �avors in its main New York City location� varieties in demand include toasted marshmallow , chocolate bourbon and hazelnut using house-roasted nuts .
Snyder ’ s gelato is made with less butterfat than traditional ice cream . �Butterfat , Snyder says , can mask the �avor of the ice cream . � Gelato is churned slowly , which whips less air into the product , creating a dense , creamy te�ture . And though he ’ screated his own recipe for gelato , Snyder
COURTESY OF LIZ CLAYMAN
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MAY 2021 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE