COMFORT CHAMBER CHAT
When you have just finished that delicious sandwich or salad or pizza and are craving something sweet, what to look for and where to go? Well, consider a visit to Comfort.
Here you will find several wellknown food spots whose menus include that sweet treat, and where you will find something brand new. Read on.
Fajita Street, at 1004 Front St., offers a wide array of cakes, cheesecakes and even flan. Finish off your Mexican meal with a serving of flan – something you cannot find just anywhere. And on the corner of Eighth and High streets, Comfort Pizza serves Blue Bell ice cream, the perfect treat on a hot summer day.
Comfort is home to a couple coffee shops that complement their coffee and other drinks with easy-to-grab food items including muffins, scones and other tasty treats.
We have Comfort Coffee, located just inside the 8th Street Market, at 523 Eighth St., and the Lobby Coffee Shop is exactly one block away, at 523 Seventh St.
Not to be missed is the restaurant grand-daddy of Comfort, High’s Café, where the dessert items include fabulous cookies, mini-cakes and sumptuous bars. Located at 726 High St., you will be tempted by more than the dessert.
A bit further down the road, at 429 Front St., is Bella Sera, where you can enjoy Italian cuisine followed by a nice selection of cheesecakes. And more from Italy is La Calabria, just off Hermann Sons Road at the Riven Rock Ranch. Their desserts include tiramisu, mostro biscotto and spaghetti ice.
There is one more — a brand new kid on the block. Welcome, Skyline Gelato, just opened at 2 US Hwy. 87.
Proprietor and expert gelato maker Jim Beaver didn’t try to take the easy way out. He went to Bologna, Italy, where he enrolled in and graduated from the Carpigiani Gelato University. And we get to reap the fruits of his labors.
For the history buffs among us, gelato was invented in Florence, Italy, in the 16th century. Apparently, “gelato” is the Italian word for ice cream. But here, it is a distinct item.
What makes gelato different from ice cream? The answer has to do with content and process. Gelato in the U.S. contains between 4-9% butter fat, which is less than ice cream. In fact, ice cream must have at least 10% fat to be able to be called ice cream.
Eggs are another factor; ice cream has them, gelato may or may not. Also, gelato is churned at a lower speed than ice cream, so the result is denser than ice cream because there is less air.
Skyline Gelato also serves sorbet, a fat-free water-based gelato made with fresh fruit, containing no dairy.
Skyline Gelato’s location is also noteworthy. A triangular-shaped property lies a bit south of where U.S. Hwy. 87 crosses FM 473. On that spot, you will find a beautifully renovated structure that sports a couple of old yet shinny gas pumps.
Known as the Rathskeller, this building has been home to a filling station, restaurant, biergarten, law office and more. According to Google, “rathskeller” is defined as a tavern below street level featuring beer.
Looking ahead, Sept. 21 is this year’s date for Comfort Empty Bowl. Ticketholders exchange each ticket for a hand-crafted bowl, and receive, as a bonus, a scoop of (you guessed it) Skyline Gelato.
All Empty Bowl proceeds are given to the Comfort Table and Food Pantry.
In the meantime, when your sweet tooth tells you it’s hungry, come to Comfort and sample any of the delicious, sweet treats, and be sure to check out Skyline Gelato.
You’ll know why we say that you can always find Comfort in Texas.
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