"...that ice cream thing."

May 31, 2017 1:30 PM

Meredith Kurtzman gave New York its taste for gelato, but even now, on the verge of retirement, no one knows her name. Pastry chefs rarely receive the same amount of credit, attention, or success as their savory counterparts. But in the face of overwhelming critical acclaim, and a small but crucial role in building the B&B domain, Kurtzman’s anonymity seems more remarkable than most — and, with true retirement looming, all the more glaring. After a reluctant return to the professional kitchen last year, moonlighting at cherished Park Slope institution Al Di La, she is set to put down her spatula again later this summer — this time, perhaps, for good. (Previously)
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? (7 comments total)

I knew her younger sister. All she ever told me about her older sibling was that she was once a bartender at CBGBs during its heyday in the 70s. I had no idea of her culinary background. And yes, their father is that Harvey Kurtzman.
posted by cazoo at 1:47 PM on May 31, 2017 [2 favorites]

Thanks for sharing! I have always been amazed by Otto's gelato but never knew about its creator. (I love Charlotte Druckman's writing, too, so that was a bonus.)
posted by ferret branca at 1:52 PM on May 31, 2017

In his 2012 memoir, Restaurant Man, Bastianich extolled the virtues of Kurtzman’s gelato: “It’s made by a crusty, West-Village hippy lesbian. She’s probably 60 years old. I don’t like her very much; she hasn’t been nice to me. She’s crotchety. But her ice cream is unbelievable — she’s obsessively consumed. She’s a genius, a true artisan in the classical Italian spirit. She uses only seasonal fresh fruit, and everything is worked by hand. The Otto ice-cream experience is truly amazing. It’s a work of art. There’s nothing quite like it. No one in the United States of America is even fucking close.”

Christ, what an asshole. The first thing you need to know about this woman, of course, is that she has not been nice to Joe Bastianich. And then who would think that crusty old lesbians could do anything, let alone make decent gelato?

NB That's not the article, it's a memoir quoted in the article. The article itself is about how she don't get no respect.
posted by Hypatia at 3:15 PM on May 31, 2017 [3 favorites]

Her most iconic creation was that olive oil variety — inspired by a recipe she came across sometime in the '90s, by the French chef Jacques Chibois — which spawned countless imitations. On its own, the scoop was bizarrely wonderful, voluptuously creamy and out-of-left-field fruity in the way that savory olives are. “Who can forget her original olive oil coppetta with silken taffy-pull olive oil gelato, passion fruit granita, fennel seed brittle, and basil syrup, all drizzled with Sicilian olive oil and sprinkled with Maldon sea salt?” her former boss, Batali, recently asked, reverently, via e-mail. “It changed gelato in NYC instantly and forever.”


i have eaten this gelato - the copetta described above
it made me 'gasm twice
once for sheer deliciousness - a common enough 'gasm
once for originality - a rare event in this jaded man's mouf

this is the work of cullinary inspiration
posted by lalochezia at 3:23 PM on May 31, 2017 [1 favorite]

This little corner of Vox, where Curbed and Eater live, has been producing some great writing. Maybe I should add some cities to my RSS feed.

Christ, what an asshole. The first thing you need to know about this woman, of course, is that she has not been nice to Joe Bastianich

There's a question on the green right now asking for reality show suggestions and someone mentioned MasterChef Junior. I couldn't think of any other shows to add, but I swear I wanted to say, "Yeah, even Joe Bastianich is nice."
posted by Room 641-A at 4:15 PM on May 31, 2017

I'm so glad you posted this fabulous article about this fabulous woman and her fabulous gelato.
posted by MovableBookLady at 8:50 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]

New York’s Master of Gelato Has Moved to MilkMade in Brooklyn
posted by lalochezia at 1:17 PM on June 22, 2017