When the Food Network’s popular program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” decided to do a show on ice cream, it searched nationwide for three interesting ice cream shops.

One of those, it turns out, is right here in the East Valley. Aunt Lena’s Creamery in Chandler is featured in the episode entitled “Brain Freeze,” which debuts at 10 p.m. today (7 p.m. if you have the Food Network HD channel).

Aunt Lena’s offers a rotating selection of nearly 150 flavors of gelato, an Italian version of ice cream that owners Ray and Cheryl D’Ottavio (pictured above) say is more flavorful than traditional ice cream.

“Ice cream is made with up to 18 percent butterfat, which is basically heavy cream,” Ray D’Ottavio says. “It tends to coat your tongue and your tastebuds can’t really taste the ice cream as well.

“Gelato is only made with milk. Since it’s lighter, the flavors come out more. Plus, it has a third of the calories.”

Aunt Lena’s flavors range from Italian favorites (tiramisu, amaretto, torrone) to fruits (strawberry, pineapple, pear) to American sweets (Oreo, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup).

Seasonal varieties include gingerbread at Christmas and rose petal for Valentines Day. Aunt Lena’s even sells non-dairy gelato for dogs in several flavors.

The production company for “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” contacted the D’Ottavios last year. The couple had to submit photos, menus and recipes and undergo 26 interviews over the phone.

A television crew finally arrived to film for two days in December. The show’s flamboyant host Guy Fieri – “What you see on TV is exactly what he’s like,” Ray says – sampled about a dozen flavors.

Fieri’s favorite, according to Ray, was strawberry. He also enjoyed a Merlot gelato, one of several alcoholic versions the D’Ottavios aren’t allowed to sell to the public because they don’t have a liquor license.

Gelato is a passion for the couple – “We’re both Italian, so this is what our heritage is,” Cheryl says – but not a fulltime venture. Both have day jobs: He’s food service director for the state hospital; she runs a cleaning business.

In the evenings, Ray, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and served as an executive chef for Hyatt, makes all the gelato for the two-year-old, 1,500-square-foot shop. Cheryl, Ray says, “does everything else.”

The D’Ottavios plan to watch this evening’s episode at their Chandler home. A public celebration with screenings and activities will be held 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the store.

“Obviously, we’d like to see a larger customer base,” Ray says. “But it’s more fun for us than anything else. It’s exciting that we were picked.

“It lends credibility to the type of product that we make. We’re finally getting recognized for that.”

Aunt Lena’s Creamery
Where: 4040 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler (southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Ocotillo Road).
Open: 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Prices: Small gelato $2.95, medium $3.75, large $4.60
Info: (480) 802-1100 or auntlena.net

Posted in: Chandler |

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.