Gelato master John Crowl has been lifting the world’s gelato game since 2011.
WHO John Crowl’s passion for gelato began almost 25 years ago – long before he opened the Cow and the Moon dessert bar with his family in Sydney’s Enmore in 2011.”I picked up the skills while working in a Milanese gelateria and have continued to visit Italy every year since,” he says. Now, six years on, with four national awards and a world title under its belt, the gelateria is a major drawcard for the inner west. “We still get lines, especially after dinner,” says Crowl. “We recently renovated our space to make it more comfortable for people to sit and really enjoy our gelato.”
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WHAT There are 25 flavours made on site by a team of three gelato-makers led by John and his wife, Wendy. The shop also pays homage to the Crowls’ baking roots. “We used to own a small bakery down in Oak Flats, so we always have cake, pastry and chocolate offerings in store.”
HOW Crowl’s flavours are driven by fresh fruits and seasonal flowers: panna cotta with poached strawberries and balsamic vinegar sauce, for instance. “One of my favourites is the passionfruit flavour,” he says. “We do it with a milk base, passionfruit cream and rippled sauce.”
WHY The family maintains a close connection with producers and coffee importers to ensure the high quality of the ingredients going into their gelato. “I also work as an importer of fresh ingredients and my son works closely with our coffee suppliers to change up our single-origin supply each month,” Crowl says. “This way, we invest in staying true to the flavours rather than expanding into franchises.”
Cow and the Moon, 181 Enmore Rd, Enmore, NSW, (02) 9557 4255.
