Photos: Chris Emeott
Orso Bianco Gelato brings authentic Italian gelato to downtown White Bear Lake.
There are some moments in life when one realizes how lucky they are to do what they do. For me, the realization came on a chilly weekday afternoon in early December. There I was, sitting at a round table in the newly opened Orso Bianco Gelato, surrounded by cups of gelato and the anticipatory gazes of co-owners Mark Schwartz and Cinzia Falcomata. All I could say, over and over again, was, “Wow.”
To find great gelato in the United States is like finding a needle in a haystack—not that I have tried. In fact, it never occurred to me after my gelato-rich European excursions to search locally for the international flavors I’d once enjoyed. Alas, I would’ve been disappointed to find few gelaterias in the state, according to Schwartz’ own search. But here, now, on Third Street in the heart of downtown White Bear Lake is a little taste of Italy.
Visitors will no doubt be encouraged to sample every flavor, from traditional options like hazelnut stracciatella and lemon sorbetto to new creations like salted caramel or the Orso Bianco Signature, a white chocolate stracciatella.
Over a ridiculous (and much enjoyed) amount of gelato and even an espresso and gelato float, the husband-and-wife duo were happy to share their story and the experiences that led to opening a gelato shop in Minnesota, of all places.
Their paths crossed far from their small town childhoods (Schwartz in North Dakota and Falcomata in Italy) while meeting through work in Paris. After their marriage in 2010, international and cross-country moves, the birth of their twin sons and leaving their corporate careers, they decided that White Bear Lake was the perfect community to pursue their creative dreams.
“It’s fun to just be close to the community and to work with [Falcomata].” Schwartz says. “… We saw an opportunity here to do something we really love but to bring something unique to White Bear Lake, which was authentic Italian gelato.”
Cinzia Falcomata and Mark Schwartz
Every day at Orso Bianco brings a new customer, many of whom wonder: What’s the difference between ice cream and gelato? The difference, Schwartz shares, is that gelato has a very different technique and makeup than ice cream. Both are made of milk, milk fat, milk solids and sugar. The texture and flavor differences come down to percentages, with gelato having a lower amount of fat, sugar and air than ice cream. Gelato is also served at a warmer temperature than ice cream and has smaller ice crystals. “All of those things contribute to what I call a flavor explosion when it hits your tongue,” Schwartz says.
Gelato is Italy’s version of ice cream. Translated into English, gelato means “frozen,” Falcomata explains. Order strawberry flavor and, traditionally, it should taste exactly like picking up a strawberry. “It’s funny because I barely eat ice cream here because I’d never been a fan of it,” Falcomata says. “In Italy, you ask for ice cream and they give you gelato because it’s translated like that. It took me a while to understand the difference because, in Italy, ice cream like it is here doesn’t exist. Everything is gelato.”
Upon opening the shop on Mother’s Day weekend last May, they got the validation they needed when an Italian customer came into the shop. They had a feeling she was testing whether they were “authentic” when she ordered the quintessential Italian flavor: hazelnut.
“We still remember her face … She tried [it] and her face, ah,” Falcomata says. “She remembered when she was a kid in Italy eating [gelato]. After all those years, she could remember the flavor … That was the answer that we were on the right path.”
Now, a year later, they’ve built a base of loyal customers who are encouraged to sit and chat for a while, offer feedback and even make suggestions on flavors. “It’s like a giant experiment, and it’s fun because you can involve other people to become interested and passionate about it as well,” Schwartz says.
Despite the occasional Americanized flavor, Orso Bianco is devoted to doing right by Italian flavors and techniques. And while there’s still work to be done (crafting and selling gelato, chatting with customers and doing dishes for Schwartz; and marketing, tasting, teaching and baking for Falcomata), they are happy to finally be doing what they love in a community they cherish.
“I like to have people come in and taste it. I always tell them, ‘I don’t even care if I sell it to you, come in and taste it.’ The payoff is looking in their eyes when they taste it,” Schwartz says. “… Gelato makes people happy. You stand behind that counter, you’ll want to get a job application.”
Glossary
Orso Bianco: the gelato shop’s name and signature flavor translates to White Bear in Italian.
Sorbetto: a non-dairy version of gelato that achieves a dense, rich flavor oftentimes from fruit with the same consistency as gelato. This offering also has a lower fat content and, like gelato, contains less air than ice cream.
Stracciatella: From the Italian word stracciare, which means to tear or rip. A variety of gelato flavor characterized by thin, irregular chards of chocolate.
Gelato vs. Ice Cream
Every day at Orso Bianco brings a new customer, many of whom wonder: what’s the difference between ice cream and gelato? “I always ask them when they walk in, do you want the short explanation or the long explanation? The short explanation is, well, gelato is [an amazing experience]!” Schwartz says, letting loose a hearty laugh.
The long explanation, Schwartz shares, is that gelato has a very different technique and make up than ice cream. Both are made up of milk, milk fat, milk solids and sugar, then combined. The texture and flavor differences come down to percentages, with gelato having a lower amount of fat, sugar and air than ice cream. Gelato is also served at a warmer temperature than ice cream and has smaller ice crystals.“All of those things contribute to what I call a flavor explosion when it hits your tongue,” Schwartz says. “It just gives you this indescribable flavor that you won’t get from eating some other frozen item.”
Gelato is Italy’s version of ice cream. Translated into English, gelato means “frozen,” Falcomata explains. Order strawberry flavor and, traditionally, it should taste exactly like picking up a strawberry. “It’s funny because I barely eat ice cream here because I’d never been a fan of it,” Falcomata says. “In Italy, you ask for ice cream and they give you gelato because it’s translated like that. It took me a while to understand the difference because, in Italy, ice cream like it is here doesn’t exist. Everything is gelato.”
Orso Bianco Gelato
2216 Third St., White Bear Lake; 651.207.4922
Facebook: Orso Bianco Gelato
Instagram: @orsobiancogelato
