Q&A: Eis Gelato, in the Running for a Denver A-List Nomination
By Erin Vanderberg / Editor
Ever since, the momentum has been building at Eis (pronounced “ice”), as more and more neighbors and folks further afield discover the small shop where gelato is made on site with organic ingredients and an espresso bar serves Novo coffee. Now, the shop is competing for Denver’s A-List award, and needs your vote before August 17.
The GPHN sat down with the Scherbls to talk shop, family and Fairfax Street.
GPHN: Why gelato, what makes it better than ice cream?
Eis Gelato: Gelato has less butterfat than ice cream, and has less air incorporated into it during the freezing process. This produces an ice cream with a denser consistency and bolder flavor.
GPHN: Where did you learn to make gelato? You have sorbet, too, how is that process different?
EG: Page learned to make gelato and ice cream cakes from our friend Werner, an Austrian pastry chef in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sorbets are made using fruit and water. The process is similar to making gelato, except the batch is not heated to high temperatures.
GPHN: Where do you make the gelato, how long does it take, and how quickly does the shop go through a batch?
EG: The gelato is made on site in our shop, the time it takes to make one batch depends on the intricacy and type of flavor. For example, berry flavors take longer because they use fresh berries which have to be processed through a food mill. It also varies how quickly we use a batch on its popularity, how many people come in, and so on. However, the range is one to three days per batch.
GPHN: What flavors will you be serving in August?
EG: My focus will be on seasonal fruits – such as peaches, melons, and cherries – herbs and spices. However, we also always have our staples – chocolate, vanilla and stracciatella, to name a few.
GPHN: Do you have thoughts of expanding?
EG: We dream of having some great outdoor seating space one day. Otherwise our focus is ‘klein aber fein’, which is German for ‘small but good’.
GPHN: How often does the gelato bike come out?
EG: The bike has been to a few local Park Hill events, such as the Park Hill Home Tour, the 4th of July parade and neighborhood birthday parties.
GPHN: Where are you from and how long have you lived in Denver?
EG: Anton was born and raised in Munich, Germany while Page was born in California but spent most of her childhood living in Concord, Massachusetts. We moved to Denver in 2004, to the Stapleton neighborhood, so that our daughters could attend the Denver School of Science and Technology, Denver School of the Arts and the Odyssey School.
GPHN: What is your day job, Anton?
EG: I work at Wells Fargo, downtown. I enjoy hanging out in the shop in the evenings and meeting all of our great neighbors.
GPHN: How did you settle on the Park Hill location?
EG: We have always loved the atmosphere of Park Hill, and were looking for a place closer to our home. Availability also played a role.
GPHN: Do gelato afficionados seek you out from far and wide?
EG: We have had customers from many states and abroad and love to hear their stories! For those who are not familiar with our tucked-away shop, they are usually relieved to have found us and surprised that this business area exists.
GPHN: How would you describe the business community on Fairfax?
EG: Growing. We love having Pary’s and the Ethiopian family who run the liquor store next door. Then there is the buzz created by the Bike Depot. CrossFit Park Hill seems to get busier each month. A&A Fish has been here forever, the Black United Fund and, of course, the Greater Park Hill Community offices. There is a lot more going on here between 28th and 29th streets than people realize!
Eis Gelato is located at 5023 E. 28th Avenue. The shop is open every day in the summer from 1 to 9 p.m., closed Mon-Tues in the spring and fall, and closed for the winter. Visit their Facebook page (Eis Gelato) to find a link to the Denver A-List Nomination. For more information, 720-440-8164.