Delicooks

Jordi Roca, one of the most acclaimed and admired dessert chefs arrives for our interview on a bicycle from his nearby restaurant, which he runs with his two brothers in Girona.  El cellar de Can Roca is on the list of the World’s best restaurants which is only surpassed by the Danish Noma, it is a benchmark for national and international cuisine with a commitment to excellence.  Now Jordi has turned his attention to a new and imaginative project an ice-cream parlor!  Since its opening in April 2012 Rocambolesc, set in the middle of Girona has been redesigned by the interior designer Sandra Tarruella (she also designed El Cellar de Can Roca). The interior of  Rocambolesc is inspired by such films as Charlie and the Chocolate factory and Alice in wonderland.  The change is imaginative and daring which is what Jordi Roca is all about.

Delicooks wanted to know all about this new venture and of course wanted to try the ice cream!

Were you surprised by your success?

Very much.  And because of this we began to feel slightly optimistic.  In fact the day before we opened we looked up the second hand price we would get for the machinery if the project failed... (Laughs).

But a great idea could not go wrong!  How did you come up with it?

We draw inspiration from the dessert trolley at El Celler de Can Roca. I imagined it would be fun seeing a waiter walk the streets of Girona offering our petit fours. The idea was original but not practical and finally we decided to go for a central location ... Rocambolesc was born!

A daring and imaginative idea that bears your stamp...

All of the projects in El Celler come together with the commitment of the three brothers, but it is true that my involvement in this new idea has been especially intense. I was convinced that everything would work out and so far seems to be.  We prepare an average of 130 liters of ice cream a week, and fortunately we are selling it without any problems.

Part of the success of artisan ice cream at Rocambolesc is due to the use of the classic soft ice cream machines...
Yes we can guarantee a flawless creaminess and quality. We want the customer to enjoy a first class, fresh ice cream. So we opted for a short   ice cream menu, with popular flavors and ingredients which appeal to most people.

Which has been the most popular flavor so far?

All have sold well, although the dairy and baked apple is particularly popular probably because of the association with this classic dessert served at The Cellar.

From what I can see in the parlor, you offer much more than ice cream...
Rocambolesc also wants to show off the products we sell at El Cellar. In the store you can buy our books, all kinds of wines to go with ice cream, sweets and perfume Núvol Llimona, which captures the essence and the aroma of one of my desserts. And the ice cream, changes according to the season of different types of fruits, at the moment we are making fruit sorbets.

Unlike other European countries, Spain normally only eats ice-cream in the summer. Are you not a little concerned about this trend?

Our idea is to slowly change that attitude and promote the pleasure of taking home an ice cream as a dessert, whatever the season.

Ferran Adrià, Sergi Arola and Paco Roncero seek to "popularize” gastro bars. You are sort of doing the same but in a different way...

It is true that there is a trend of opening these types of bars but I didn’t want to do the same as everyone else. Standing out in this fashion may seem risky but it actually requires less investment and is a new concept that no one else has thought of yet.

When will a Rocambolesc arrive in Barcelona and ​​Madrid...?

At the moment we are cautious and want to wait and see if the business takes off and if we have to start selling the machines ... (laughs). No, seriously, we want to go slowly but surely.

Fancy an ice-cream?

- Chocolate ice cream. For lovers of fine chocolate. You can customize it with garrapiñada cocoa bean, chocolate, cocoa and cookie peta / choco.  Tangerine sorbet. Intense flavor and refreshing assembled from fresh citrus pulp, sugar and gelatin. You can give it a twist by adding orange slices, mandarin sauce or ground cherry along with small fruits with a nice, sweet and tangy flavor.

- Lactose free milk. Inspired by one of Jordi Roca’s desserts. Made from sheep's milk. Can be combined with guava jam, sheep's milk caramel and cotton candy.

- Baked apple ice cream. Based on a recipe from Montserrat Fontane, Roca’s mother. Made from Girona apple baked with a little sugar. Possibility of adding ice cream and caramelized fresh apple butter.

- Strawberry sorbet. Made with fresh fruit pulp, can be completed in a cloud of lychee and strawberry, red fruit jelly and berries.

- Vanilla ice cream. Made with vanilla from the island of Taha'a in French Polynesia, and brown sugar. Can be combined with toppings such as flourless chocolate cake, chocolate sauce and crunchy candy.

All are served in an ice cream cornet cookie or terrine and proposed toppings are interchangeable according to the personal taste of each client.

Do It Yourself

Trying some of the imaginative desserts Jordi Roca is now easier than ever.  Rocambolesc offers the ability to emulate the brilliant Catalan chef. The lactic Dessert is one of his most recognized. This is a kit containing all the ingredients (cotton candy, guava, sweet milk, sheep's milk yogurt and ice milk) and instructions for you to surprise your guests with a dessert by the author.