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Narsai David: Vegan Gelato Lets Ice Cream Lovers Skip The Dairy

BERKELEY (KCBS) - Genuto proves that it's possible to take the dairy out of gelato without sacrificing the rich, creamy texture that makes ice cream such a delicious treat.

The secret is using nuts to provide the richness that normally comes from butter fat, rather than more common dairy substitutes such as soy and rice.

KCBS Food And Wine Editor Narsai David:

The Madagascar Vanilla, for example, lists water, organic cashews, organic cane sugar, almonds, and organic vanilla extract as ingredients. All the flavors use Bacilus coagulans, a probiotic that's often used to thicken milk when making yogurt.

My favorite flavors are the double espresso, the chocolate cardamom and the crystallized ginger. That last one has absolutely delicious little bites of candied ginger mixed into it.

Genuto is showing up in some of the best stores. Most Whole Foods locations now stock it. So does Country Cheese on San Pablo Avenue at Addisson Street in Berkeley. And little by little, this 100 percent nut-based gelato is landing in stores all over the place.

Narsai David is the KCBS Food and Wine Editor. He has been a successful restaurateur, chef, TV host, and columnist in the Bay Area spanning four decades. You can hear him Saturdays at 10:53am, 12:53pm and 4:53pm, and at 2:53am Sunday on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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