Skip to main content
Welcome to our newest digital offering, Snack of the Month, where we highlight one Oregon-made nosh that needs your seasonal (or evergreen) attention.
Since it’s summer, we’re kicking off with a sweet and cold offering: Bonta Gelato. The Bend-based company makes farm fresh, delectable scoops of creamy roasted strawberry, salted vanilla, lime cream and raspberry—the list goes on.
As of last month, Portlanders can enjoy pre-packaged pints at New Seasons ($9.99 per pint). So, we strolled over and picked up a pint of dairy-free lavender for WW tasters to try.
A lavender flavored treat can be divisive—the effect is often too perfumey and overpowering, or as one WWer put it, “like being punched in the face by a soap.” Bonta Gelato does no such thing with their floral flavor. The consensus of our nine taste testers? The lavender is beyond subtle, mildly lingering on the palette. It’s the coconut base of the non-dairy sweet treat that comes to the forefront, both in taste and silky consistency.
The gentle treat might be perfect as a humble, light snack for some, but the more adventurous palette might need a little more oomph. “It’s like the tofu of gelato, it needs to be paired with something,” another WWer notes.
Our pairing suggestions? Find a citrusy sauce to use as a topper—the acid and brightness will help balance out the flavor (a lemon curd could be bliss). And for those looking for something a hair richer, whip up a cherry compote to drizzle over the top—maybe even a sweeter Rainier cherry, to stay local and all.
