It’s rare to see today an interconnected community of artisans, chefs, farmers, and artists. It feels as though such fraternity is of a bygone era; something belonging to a European medieval market town where the butcher, baker, and blacksmith would all collaborate in bringing handwrought wares to the people. However, this sort of interdisciplinary alliance is, in fact, not dead. It is alive and well in modern-day Rhode Island, exhibited by the Gather collective.
When I was first asked to profile Gather Glass Café’s ice cream, I’d imagined something like a little hole-in-the-wall creamery where I’d be buying a cup of frozen dessert and giving it a try. Instead, I found myself signing up for a sixty-minute, six-person ice cream-making class. The ice cream room where the class is hosted was, much to my surprise, just beside the Gather glass-making studio. Thick windows separated temperatures of 2,100 °F and -321 °F, and through them we could see orangy molten silica being molded into various artifacts: wine glasses, necklaces, sculptures, ornaments, and more, which can be bought online or created during a class with one of Gather Glass’s master instructors.
Meanwhile, in the café, we poured chilled, silky cream into shiny metal bowls. Then, we separated egg yolks, added sugar, and added ingredients of our choice (berries, cookies, etc.) to make our own unique flavors. As we stirred everything together, the blend thickened into gooey goodness, reminding me of the oozing glass – the juxtaposition making my mouth water. When we added everything to a mixer, our instructor poured in liquid nitrogen, creating a smoke more satisfying than that of the dried ice drinks at Sugar Factory in Foxwoods. And while our ice cream froze, we learned about all the other events Gather Café offers, like the bar takeover every Tuesday night where music is played and floats, boozy ice cream, and dessert cocktails are served up. Finally, it was time for a taste. Our flavors ranged from honey lavender, strawberry, mint chip, and mocha, just to name a few. The ice cream was simply amazing. Its consistency and texture were smooth and velvety. The taste was fresh and clean. And while the reward was satisfying, the process itself had been enriching, the class engaging, informational, and fun, the hour-long event perfect for a date or day with family and friends.
Though I’d originally anticipated the ease and simplicity of everyday American consumerism: walk up, buy, leave. I was delightfully surprised to find myself a little more challenged, learning new skills and recipes that now I can use at home. But this surprise continued as I started to learn more about Gather. As it turned out, the ingredients that we used to make our ice cream all came from the local Gather Farm on Greenville Ave in Johnston. Here, Gather offers an assortment of other festivities and activities, like goat hikes on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, or “root down yoga” classes, farm dances, community meditation, or kids’ birthday parties in a greenhouse where local pizza, farm-grown salad, and handmade ice cream is served. The farm also sells the ice cream outright, as well as grown seedlings, cage-free eggs, flower bouquets, and pure maple syrup. And then there’s the newest component of Gather, Gather Wealth, which offers financial planning, tax planning, and business consulting. The Wealth group often makes an appearance at Gather Glass Café to present to patrons while they drink, eat ice cream, and enjoy glass-making. The best way to learn more about these events is to follow Gather on their various social media pages, or by emailing them directly. gatherglass.com, gatherfarm.com, gatherwealthmanagement.com
Overall, I was delighted and surprised by just how vast the Gather brand is, finding a whole host of fun new things to try. After the hour-long ice cream class was over, I walked out with my leftovers in a take-home pint, which I’d planned to store in my freezer, but finished on the car ride home instead. It was simply too good not to. What made the desert so irresistible was the effort and passion we put into making it. The secret ingredient to all delicious food, after all, is love. And there seems to be a lot of love in Gather. •
Photo by Mara Hagen
