New Regina store brings fashionable touch to ice cream
Dandy’s Artisan Ice Cream, a new parlour in Regina, Saskatchewan has an unusual set of inspirations when making the popular dessert.
Its owner and operator, Daniela Mintenko, grew up in Colombia and once pursued a career in the fashion industry. That same aesthetic touch is now being applied to frozen desert, creating a gourmet, artisinal version of a family favourite.
Mintenko creates each batch by hand and places special emphasis on the toppings, or in her terms “inclusions.” In addition to the usual array of flavours, customers can choose options like ‘Coconut Ash Honeycomb’ and ‘Rosemary Caramel Popcorn’.
The store opened on Albert Street this February during the coldest week of the year – an inauspicious start for an ice cream shop. But dessert connoisseurs may still find themselves craving a scoop, no matter how unseasonal.
Mintenko, who studied food science at Penn State, has committed to using local ingredients as a homage to the homemade ice cream she ate growing up in South America. She argues that her small-batch product offers more flavour than store-bought ice cream.
For those still determined to get something warm, Dandy’s also sells a variety of coffee, including an affogato dessert that combines the bean with ice cream.
As with any new business, getting the word out, through both satisfied customers and advertising tools like poster printing and flyer printing, will be essential. The store offers vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free varieties of its signature desert.