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Get taste of Italy at new gelato shop
Teresa Farney The Gazette
March 28, 2007 - 1:10AM
Merlyn and Frank Nocon have brought a taste of Italy to our city.
Their Nocon’s Gelatoria, 8816 N. Union Blvd., opened Tuesday, where the Nocons are serving up to 24
flavors of gelato, an Italian treat.
“Gelato” is Italian for “ice cream.” It has a denser texture than our style of ice cream because it doesn’t
have as much air whipped into it.
“We lived in Italy for several years,” said Merlyn Nocon, “and loved the gelato. We were interested in
opening a restaurant but thought this would even be greater for our customers. There wasn’t a gelato parlor
(Gelatoria) here, so we decided what a great time to open one in Colorado Springs!
They imported gelato machines from Italy for their shop. They’ll be serving espresso, cappuccino and latte,
too.
Teresa Farney The Gazette
March 28, 2007 - 1:10AM
Merlyn and Frank Nocon have brought a taste of Italy to our city.
Their Nocon’s Gelatoria, 8816 N. Union Blvd., opened Tuesday, where the Nocons are serving up to 24
flavors of gelato, an Italian treat.
“Gelato” is Italian for “ice cream.” It has a denser texture than our style of ice cream because it doesn’t
have as much air whipped into it.
“We lived in Italy for several years,” said Merlyn Nocon, “and loved the gelato. We were interested in
opening a restaurant but thought this would even be greater for our customers. There wasn’t a gelato parlor
(Gelatoria) here, so we decided what a great time to open one in Colorado Springs!
They imported gelato machines from Italy for their shop. They’ll be serving espresso, cappuccino and latte,
too.
On January 8th, 2007 Frank and Merlyn Nocon opened the doors to their new business, “Nocon’s Gelatoria Inc.” A
place to relax and have a good time while enjoying a tasty treat. With twenty-four different flavors to choose from, not
only are the Gelatos tasty, but they are low fat, lactose friendly and pretty to look at.
Frank, who recently retired after 28 years of service in the Air Force, was introduced to gelato while stationed in Italy .
“I use to be a Bryers guy for years, but after trying a Gelato I fell in love.” One taste is all it took to give Frank the
desire to bring the taste of Gelato home.
With his military days now behind him, Frank decided it was time to provide this unique product to Colorado Springs . It
wasn’t all smooth sailing however, as he experienced a bit of culture shock as he transitioned from his military career
to being a small business owner. Frank also had to overcome obstacles such as issues with the architects, city
planners, and not to mention Colorado ’s blizzards in December 2006 that all contributed to a delay in his opening day.
The process of creating a business plan as well as seeing if the plan was feasible was the hardest part. He spoke with
many lenders that were not too supportive, then he came to the CSSBDC and found a team that he said, “believed in
my vision.” The CSSBDC also gave Frank the informational tools he needed to get his business off the ground and
make it work. “You learn a lot as you grow,” Frank said. Much of Frank's success in life he contributes to being
surrounded by an all star team which he says includes his wife and business partner Merlyn, as well as the supportive
staff at the CSSBDC.
The challenges did not stop Frank’s quest for success. Now his Gelatoria is up and running, adding more culture and
yummy treats to the city of Colorado Springs . “Seeing my name on the building is a reward in itself,” Frank states. His
plans for the future are to continue to provide good service, open more stores, and pass on the business to his
children. All of his hard work and dedication paid off, and “Nocon’s Gelatoria Inc” is defiantly a pleasant and inviting
place people are sure to enjoy.
place to relax and have a good time while enjoying a tasty treat. With twenty-four different flavors to choose from, not
only are the Gelatos tasty, but they are low fat, lactose friendly and pretty to look at.
Frank, who recently retired after 28 years of service in the Air Force, was introduced to gelato while stationed in Italy .
“I use to be a Bryers guy for years, but after trying a Gelato I fell in love.” One taste is all it took to give Frank the
desire to bring the taste of Gelato home.
With his military days now behind him, Frank decided it was time to provide this unique product to Colorado Springs . It
wasn’t all smooth sailing however, as he experienced a bit of culture shock as he transitioned from his military career
to being a small business owner. Frank also had to overcome obstacles such as issues with the architects, city
planners, and not to mention Colorado ’s blizzards in December 2006 that all contributed to a delay in his opening day.
The process of creating a business plan as well as seeing if the plan was feasible was the hardest part. He spoke with
many lenders that were not too supportive, then he came to the CSSBDC and found a team that he said, “believed in
my vision.” The CSSBDC also gave Frank the informational tools he needed to get his business off the ground and
make it work. “You learn a lot as you grow,” Frank said. Much of Frank's success in life he contributes to being
surrounded by an all star team which he says includes his wife and business partner Merlyn, as well as the supportive
staff at the CSSBDC.
The challenges did not stop Frank’s quest for success. Now his Gelatoria is up and running, adding more culture and
yummy treats to the city of Colorado Springs . “Seeing my name on the building is a reward in itself,” Frank states. His
plans for the future are to continue to provide good service, open more stores, and pass on the business to his
children. All of his hard work and dedication paid off, and “Nocon’s Gelatoria Inc” is defiantly a pleasant and inviting
place people are sure to enjoy.
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Gelato facts and nutritional information:
Gelato is an Italian ice cream. Our Gelato is prepared from all natural, fresh ingredients, has a smooth
texture and is amazingly low in fat. Our Gelato consists of two main types: Fruit flavors and Cream Flavors.
Compared to traditional ice cream, Gelato has less air and is therefore more concentrated than ice cream.
You will enjoy a much more intense flavor! It also contains fewer calories and less than half the fat of
traditional ice cream.
For those of you who have tasted our authentic Italian Gelato, you will recognize it as Heaven on a spoon!
Fruit flavors are water-based with absolutely no dairy products and therefore, lactose free. Each serving has
less than 1 gram of fat and only 120-160 calories.
Cream flavors are dairy based with whole milk. They have only 4-8% butter fat. This means a single serving
has less than 8 grams of fat and only 140-180 calories.
Gelato is an Italian ice cream. Our Gelato is prepared from all natural, fresh ingredients, has a smooth
texture and is amazingly low in fat. Our Gelato consists of two main types: Fruit flavors and Cream Flavors.
Compared to traditional ice cream, Gelato has less air and is therefore more concentrated than ice cream.
You will enjoy a much more intense flavor! It also contains fewer calories and less than half the fat of
traditional ice cream.
For those of you who have tasted our authentic Italian Gelato, you will recognize it as Heaven on a spoon!
Fruit flavors are water-based with absolutely no dairy products and therefore, lactose free. Each serving has
less than 1 gram of fat and only 120-160 calories.
Cream flavors are dairy based with whole milk. They have only 4-8% butter fat. This means a single serving
has less than 8 grams of fat and only 140-180 calories.
What is gelato?
An Italian word literally meaning frozen, gelato is more commonly used by English speaking people to refer to Italian ice cream
Originally called mantecato, gelato is believed to have its origins in Northern Italy.
What is the difference between gelato and traditional American style ice cream?
There are 4 principal differences - fat content, key ingredients, texture and taste.
Gelato contains less butterfat - 4-8% compared to 10-18% in American style ice cream. Gelato's key ingredients are whole
milk, sugar (usually caster sugar), flavorings (especially fresh fruit) and sometimes skimmed milk powder (adds viscosity and
helps stop ice crystals building up). Most standard gelato recipes do not use cream or eggs but when cream is used, it's often a
good idea to ensure there are strong flavorings in the recipe to avoid the gelato becoming too bland. Gelato is not as frozen in
texture when served - it's more of a semi-frozen ice cream and is generally best eaten fresh on the day it's made. The taste of
gelato is generally agreed to be purer on the palate, especially gelato made with water (sorbetto).
Making Gelato
Gelato also has quite a low % content of air in the ice cream. Too much sugar in a gelato recipe will mean it won't freeze
properly (sugar lowers the freezing temperature) and too much alcohol in a gelato recipe will stop ice crystals from forming. So
getting the balance right of ingredients such as these can take a bit of experimentation.
Gelato Made With Water - Sorbetto
Non-dairy gelato originates from Southern Italy and is made with water and fruits - generally referred to as sorbetto. The
texture of sorbetto can vary depending upon the ingredients, especially the level of sugar content. Not enough sugar in the
sorbetto will produce a grainy texture but some people in fact prefer this because it allows the other ingredients to have a
stronger taste.
Before Serving Gelato
When you remove your gelato from the freezer it can sometimes be a little too hard. If this is the case, remove the lid and put
the container into a refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This should give your gelato a good texture that is
enjoyable to eat.
If you buy gelato at cafe or ice cream parlor you'll find it served from a different kind of freezer to what you normally see for
American style ice cream. It's called a forced air freezer which prevents the gelato from becoming too frozen.
Why is gelato so much better than ice cream?
Ice cream has a much higher fat content, higher sugar, and requires much lower temperatures to store (hence the carpal
tunnel of the servers who have to dig in the cases!). Gelato, by comparison, uses much less sugar, and is much lower in fat,
even though it tastes creamier than ice cream and is more delicious as there is no milky or fatty aftertaste.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Gelato
Serving Size:
* 100 g (3.5 oz.)
* Fat: 4-8%
* Calories: 140-160
* Carbs: 30 grams
* Sugars: 14g
Sorbetto *
Serving Size:
* 100 g (3.5 oz.)
* Fat: Less than 1%
* Calories: 120-160
* Carbs: 25 grams
* Sugars: 12g
Why does ice cream sometimes have ice crystals in it?
To begin with, your home freezer is not as cold as a commercial freezer. When you open and close the freezer door, the ice
cream thaws slightly, and the warm air that comes in condenses and forms ice crystals.
A sub zero freezer would better conserve your ice cream and limit if not eliminate the formation of ice crystals.
What's the difference between ice cream and other frozen treats?
To be called ice cream, a frozen dessert must contain a minimum of 10% milk fat: economy brands might have 11 or 12%mf,
and super premium ice cream might have up to 16%mf. Less than 10%mf makes it ice milk or light ice cream. Sherbet is a 2%
milk fat product, with a lighter texture and refreshing fruit flavours. And gelato is similar to sherbet, but without any fat. Frozen
yogurt has a similar texture to ice cream, but has lower fat and an active bacterial culture.
Gelato is simply ice cream, Ice cream the way it was before the American Industrial Revolution blew it full of air and artificially
flavored it.
An Italian word literally meaning frozen, gelato is more commonly used by English speaking people to refer to Italian ice cream
Originally called mantecato, gelato is believed to have its origins in Northern Italy.
What is the difference between gelato and traditional American style ice cream?
There are 4 principal differences - fat content, key ingredients, texture and taste.
Gelato contains less butterfat - 4-8% compared to 10-18% in American style ice cream. Gelato's key ingredients are whole
milk, sugar (usually caster sugar), flavorings (especially fresh fruit) and sometimes skimmed milk powder (adds viscosity and
helps stop ice crystals building up). Most standard gelato recipes do not use cream or eggs but when cream is used, it's often a
good idea to ensure there are strong flavorings in the recipe to avoid the gelato becoming too bland. Gelato is not as frozen in
texture when served - it's more of a semi-frozen ice cream and is generally best eaten fresh on the day it's made. The taste of
gelato is generally agreed to be purer on the palate, especially gelato made with water (sorbetto).
Making Gelato
Gelato also has quite a low % content of air in the ice cream. Too much sugar in a gelato recipe will mean it won't freeze
properly (sugar lowers the freezing temperature) and too much alcohol in a gelato recipe will stop ice crystals from forming. So
getting the balance right of ingredients such as these can take a bit of experimentation.
Gelato Made With Water - Sorbetto
Non-dairy gelato originates from Southern Italy and is made with water and fruits - generally referred to as sorbetto. The
texture of sorbetto can vary depending upon the ingredients, especially the level of sugar content. Not enough sugar in the
sorbetto will produce a grainy texture but some people in fact prefer this because it allows the other ingredients to have a
stronger taste.
Before Serving Gelato
When you remove your gelato from the freezer it can sometimes be a little too hard. If this is the case, remove the lid and put
the container into a refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This should give your gelato a good texture that is
enjoyable to eat.
If you buy gelato at cafe or ice cream parlor you'll find it served from a different kind of freezer to what you normally see for
American style ice cream. It's called a forced air freezer which prevents the gelato from becoming too frozen.
Why is gelato so much better than ice cream?
Ice cream has a much higher fat content, higher sugar, and requires much lower temperatures to store (hence the carpal
tunnel of the servers who have to dig in the cases!). Gelato, by comparison, uses much less sugar, and is much lower in fat,
even though it tastes creamier than ice cream and is more delicious as there is no milky or fatty aftertaste.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Gelato
Serving Size:
* 100 g (3.5 oz.)
* Fat: 4-8%
* Calories: 140-160
* Carbs: 30 grams
* Sugars: 14g
Sorbetto *
Serving Size:
* 100 g (3.5 oz.)
* Fat: Less than 1%
* Calories: 120-160
* Carbs: 25 grams
* Sugars: 12g
Why does ice cream sometimes have ice crystals in it?
To begin with, your home freezer is not as cold as a commercial freezer. When you open and close the freezer door, the ice
cream thaws slightly, and the warm air that comes in condenses and forms ice crystals.
A sub zero freezer would better conserve your ice cream and limit if not eliminate the formation of ice crystals.
What's the difference between ice cream and other frozen treats?
To be called ice cream, a frozen dessert must contain a minimum of 10% milk fat: economy brands might have 11 or 12%mf,
and super premium ice cream might have up to 16%mf. Less than 10%mf makes it ice milk or light ice cream. Sherbet is a 2%
milk fat product, with a lighter texture and refreshing fruit flavours. And gelato is similar to sherbet, but without any fat. Frozen
yogurt has a similar texture to ice cream, but has lower fat and an active bacterial culture.
Gelato is simply ice cream, Ice cream the way it was before the American Industrial Revolution blew it full of air and artificially
flavored it.