Black is Back: The Secrets of Bamboo Charcoal
Never one to shy away from innovating and experimenting, Gelato Secrets is ecstatic to be the first to introduce bamboo charcoal gelato in Indonesia. Taking the culinary world by storm, the bizarrely edible bamboo charcoal has hit the bakeries and kitchens of Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia and the USA and is spreading like wildfire worldwide.
Bamboo charcoal, also known as takesumi in Japan, has been used for centuries in the East, with a long history dating as far back as 1486 AD during the Ming Dynasty in China. This form of activated charcoal is produced by burning bamboo plants five years or older in an oven at a temperature of over 800°C. In its charcoal state, it is delicate yet heavy, porous and full of minerals, making it at least ten times stronger than any other charcoal.
The age-old tradition of making artisanal Italian gelato is as much an art as it is a science. This Italian version of ice cream contains less sugar, less fat and less air, which generates a stronger flavour than normal ice cream. Inspired by their childhood memories and a shared love for gelato, Maria Indah and Gregory Carlo Lentini, founders of Gelato Secrets, first brought this wonderful classic Italian treat to Bali with their inaugural gelato shop in Ubud in 2009. Since then, they have dedicated their lives to creating the most exquisite gelato and sorbetto on the island.
Their gelato secret is simple: they use only 100% natural, fresh ingredients from carefully selected suppliers, free from artificial flavouring, colouring and preservatives, comprising both Italian classics and exotic Indonesian flavours derived from seasonal local fruits, spices and desserts. They highlight these premium ingredients in their innovative, avant-garde recipes with their signature twist, lovingly recreated from authentic Italian recipes, meticulously crafted by expert artisan hands to achieve the purest of flavours, allowing the natural essence of each ingredient to shine through. The proof is in each exquisitely creamy scoop balanced on their yummy homemade waffle cone (or in a cup).
Since bamboo charcoal itself is flavourless, Gelato Secrets has sourced the best vanilla beans in Indonesia to highlight Asia’s famous magic detox powder and created the Organic Sulawesi Vanilla and Bamboo Charcoal Gelato from their Secrets Studio in Bali. The result: a delectable, healthy and innovative gelato that is bursting with the sweet aroma of vanilla and an interesting, unique texture.
Dubbed the “black diamond”, bamboo charcoal holds many benefits including absorbing air pollutants, deodorizing, purifying drinking water, adjusting humidity, guarding against magnetic waves and ultra infrared rays, curing food poisoning, reducing intestinal gases, detoxifying the body, promoting metabolism and blood circulation, lowering cholesterol levels and even preventing hangovers! It absorbs toxins from various organisms, takes the load off the liver and kidneys and thus acts in an anti-ageing fashion. It is widely applied in food, cosmetics, spa, clothing and household and lifestyle products.
Gelato Secrets has an extensive collection of gelato and sorbetto flavours with new innovations every month in their shops in Ubud, Sanur and Seminyak. Delicious, wholesome and creative, consumers are taken on an exquisite sweet journey with their original homemade gelato and non-dairy sorbetto. Savour favourites such as Chocolate Valrhona, Salted Butter Caramel, Coconut Pandan, Guava Strawberry, Passion Fruit, Chocolate Chili and Ispahan or be among the adventurous first to try the Organic Sulawesi Vanilla and Bamboo Charcoal Gelato in their shops in Ubud, Sanur, Seminyak and Jimbaran in Bali!
Gelato Secrets
Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali
Jalan Raya Ubud, Ubud, Bali
Jalan Danau Tamblingan, Sanur, Bali
Jalan Raya Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali
www.facebook.com/gelatosecrets
Photos by Meliana Salim.