Aww . . . Ice cream. This creamy, sugary treat is nearly irresistible. But it really isn’t your fault that ice cream is so tempting—it’s science. Anyone who’s experienced cravings or pangs of hunger for an ice cream cone can attest that even before the sugar and fat melted on their tongues, it fired up dopamine and other feel-good chemicals in their brains, triggering that incorrigible Cheshire cat smile on their faces.
“When you break down the perfect chemistry behind ice cream, you realize why it is so good and why it makes people so happy,” says Colombian chef, Angela Fernandez. Her latest creation, Angie’s Epicurean, is a gourmet, plant-based ice cream that’s now the craze at Rosemary Square in Downtown West Palm Beach. Vegans and non-vegans alike love Angie’s mouthwatering concoction. It’s that good!
To make sure it is creamy and delicious, the ice cream has to have the right amount of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, says Fernandez. It took her two years to perfect the mechanics of substituting cashew milk and coconut milk for cow milk and mixing other raw ingredients into her ice cream, but once it debuted in 2020, it became a sweet success.
Aside from its incredible taste, what sets Angie’s Epicurean apart is the fact she’s been serving this artisan ice cream from a classy, 1950’s Citroën H Van, produced by the French automaker between 1947 and 1981. After the idea for Angie’s Epicurean came about, she and her husband traveled to England looking for the right food truck to deliver the goods. Today, their business has grown to the point where people come from miles around for that exceptionally fresh, creamy taste.
How did you develop the look and feel of Angie’s Epicurean?
While I was developing recipes, we were also figuring out the identity of Angie’s Epicurean—the color, the feel, the experience—everything. I wanted to do something beautiful, sophisticated, and most importantly, where there would be no animal cruelty involved. I wanted to bring the earth’s natural vitamins to the table. I know my contribution to save the planet is not big, but a little something goes a long way, I think.
What led you to go into making ice cream as a business?
I went to culinary school, so I’m into food and eating healthy. It’s my passion. When I met my husband, we both knew we wanted to do some type of business together. We traveled, trying to find an original concept. One day, my husband said. “You’re into eating healthy, why don’t you make vegan ice cream? “That’s a great idea,” I said, and that’s how we got started.
When and where did you develop your idea?
In 2018, I started developing my recipes. We were living in Boca Raton, so I converted my whole kitchen and dining room area into a lab. It took me two years to develop my ice cream creations.
Why not a brick-and-mortar place? Why an ice cream truck?
My husband and I wanted to do something unique. Different. We looked for food trucks but we did not like the food trucks from America. They don’t look . . . pretty! So, we Googled the food truck market and found this one in England. We went for a week and the last place we visited is where we found our truck. This is a Citroën H Van from the 1950s. Back then, people used this truck to deliver baked goods to different parts of France.
Well, she looks like a classy lady.
She didn’t look like that when we found her! She was destroyed so we kept the front’s original part but we rebuilt the back to make it work as a food truck.
How long will you be at Rosemary Square?
This is a weekend pop-up until October 31, right across from True Food Kitchen Restaurant. We love it here. It’s the perfect match. Rosemary Square, and West Palm Beach in general, is very beautiful. And we feel that Angie’s just belongs in Rosemary Square!
Where were you before?
We were in Brickell City Center in Miami. We were supposed to be there for three weeks and we ended up staying for four months. Pop ups are supposed to activate the areas, so that’s why we left, and are now grateful for the opportunity to be here.
Ice cream takes people to a happy place. Why do you think that is?
That’s a very good question. Ice cream offers something special. If you think about it, everybody from little kids to people who are older get excited about ice cream. What I can tell you that makes me happy is that we’re in the business of happiness… of making people happy, if only for a little while. And so, what makes me very, very happy is knowing that people who love ice cream but for some reason or other couldn’t have it, now they can. Maybe it’s a medical condition like diabetes, allergies to dairy, etc. So, when they find Angie’s, and they realize that they can eat ice cream again without the guilt, or experience ice cream again is just amazing!
People send me messages on Instagram saying thank you for our ice cream and how they now can eat it again. Going to eat ice cream is the perfect excuse for people to get out and do something fun. When they want to celebrate birthdays, they go and eat ice cream. If they go on a date, they find the best ice cream place . . . If they want to get together, they go and eat ice cream!
How can ice cream tasting this good actually be good for you?
Well, for one thing, we use high-end, uncommon products that delight, excite, and intrigue. Secondly, our ice cream doesn’t taste vegan, meaning, there’s nothing lacking in this ice cream. Not the flavor or creaminess. People often tell me, “I can’t believe the condense milk is vegan.” And we tell them, “Yes, it is! It’s made from coconut condensed milk.” Like our menu states, Angie’s charms the curious and conscious taster with uncommon ice cream and epicurean delights. We believe the experience of taste is best savored with the experience of beauty. And so, our gourmet confections are constructed from the finest organic, plant-based ingredients and are provided in a beautiful environment.
“Angie’s charms the curious and conscious taster with uncommon ice cream and epicurean delights. We believe the experience of taste is best savored with the experience of beauty.”
So, what’s next for Angie’s Epicurean?
Angie’s second truck is ready to go. Soon, it will be available for events, including weddings, birthdays, and any other special occasion. We’re also building a beautiful Italian bicycle that will be available for events. We will also be adding more products. Right now, the truck has space for ten flavors but soon we will be adding more gourmet confections to our menu. So, come and enjoy our premium plant-based ice cream. It’ll make you very, very happy!
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Angie’s Epicurean: A delicious scoop of pure beauty
