Angelo Brocato's
Encyclopedia
Angelo Brocato's Italian Ice Cream Parlor (often called Brocato's) is a family-owned ice cream parlor located in the Mid-City
neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana
. Founded in 1905, it is regarded as a New Orleans institution. Severely damaged by flooding after Hurricane Katrina
, its 2006 reopening was reported as a significant advance in the rebuilding of the Mid-City area.
, in Sicily
, and at the age of 12 became an apprentice at an ice cream shop in Palermo
. He later came to the United States; after opening a small ice cream store on Decatur Street, in 1905 he opened a larger ice cream parlor in the 500 block of Ursulines Street in the French Quarter
. In 1921 the establishment moved to a larger space at 612-614 Ursulines, a white-tiled space with ceiling fans, modeled after fashionable parlors in Palermo. This area of the French Quarter was an ethnic Italian neighborhood at the time, but the Italian population moved away over the years.
Angelo Brocato died in 1946. The business continued under his wife and children. Angelo Brocato, Jr, died in 1982; the store is now run by his son, Arthur Brocato, along with other family members.
The Ursulines store remained open until 1981; Brocato's also maintained a presence on Jackson Square
for some years thereafter. The present location in Mid-City, near the corner of North Carrollton Avenue
and Canal Street
, was purchased in 1978.
Brocato's expanded its facilities in 2003 and celebrated its centennial in July 2005. Two months later, Brocato's Mid-City neighborhood found itself under five feet of water when the city's flood control systems failed after Hurricane Katrina. The store was severely damaged and for a time it was reported that it might not return. The store did finally reopen in September 2006. Welcomed by large crowds, the reopening was reported as an important step in the rebuilding of the Mid-City neighborhood.
In 2007, the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute
at Nicholls State University
gave the staff and owners of Brocato's its Lafcadio Hearn Award, which "honors individuals who have had a long-term, positive influence on Louisiana and U.S. cuisine and culture".
In the pilot episode of the HBO television series Treme
, set in New Orleans three months after Hurricane Katrina, the character Creighton Bernette declines an offer of lemon ice at another (fictional) restaurant, saying that he would feel disloyal to eat lemon ice anywhere else while Brocato's was still closed. In the first episode of the second season, set in November 2006, Bernette's wife and daughter are shown eating, and talking with the real-life Angelo Brocato III, at the now-reopened Brocato's.
, Italian ice
s, cannoli
, cookies, and other desserts. According to the Brocato's website, lemon ice is the "best-seller".
Mid-City New Orleans
Mid-City is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Mid-City District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: City Park Avenue, Toulouse Street, North Carrollton and Orleans Avenues, Bayou St. John and St. Louis Street to the north, North Broad...
neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Founded in 1905, it is regarded as a New Orleans institution. Severely damaged by flooding after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, its 2006 reopening was reported as a significant advance in the rebuilding of the Mid-City area.
History
Angelo Brocato was born in CefalùCefalù
Cefalù is a city and comune in the province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina...
, in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and at the age of 12 became an apprentice at an ice cream shop in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
. He later came to the United States; after opening a small ice cream store on Decatur Street, in 1905 he opened a larger ice cream parlor in the 500 block of Ursulines Street in the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
. In 1921 the establishment moved to a larger space at 612-614 Ursulines, a white-tiled space with ceiling fans, modeled after fashionable parlors in Palermo. This area of the French Quarter was an ethnic Italian neighborhood at the time, but the Italian population moved away over the years.
Angelo Brocato died in 1946. The business continued under his wife and children. Angelo Brocato, Jr, died in 1982; the store is now run by his son, Arthur Brocato, along with other family members.
The Ursulines store remained open until 1981; Brocato's also maintained a presence on Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square may refer to:United States* Jackson Square, New Orleans* Jackson Square, San Francisco* Jackson Square, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts** Jackson Square * Jackson Square * Jackson Square Park, New York City...
for some years thereafter. The present location in Mid-City, near the corner of North Carrollton Avenue
Carrollton Avenue
Carrollton Avenue is a major thoroughfare stretching across the Uptown/Carrollton and Mid-City districts of New Orleans. South Carrollton Avenue runs from St. Charles Avenue in the Riverbend in a northeast lakebound direction through Carrollton and into Mid-City...
and Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
, was purchased in 1978.
Brocato's expanded its facilities in 2003 and celebrated its centennial in July 2005. Two months later, Brocato's Mid-City neighborhood found itself under five feet of water when the city's flood control systems failed after Hurricane Katrina. The store was severely damaged and for a time it was reported that it might not return. The store did finally reopen in September 2006. Welcomed by large crowds, the reopening was reported as an important step in the rebuilding of the Mid-City neighborhood.
In 2007, the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute
Chef John Folse Culinary Institute
The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute is an academic college of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The namesake of the college, Chef John Folse, is known as "Louisiana’s Culinary Ambassador to the World".-Curriculum:...
at Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
gave the staff and owners of Brocato's its Lafcadio Hearn Award, which "honors individuals who have had a long-term, positive influence on Louisiana and U.S. cuisine and culture".
In the pilot episode of the HBO television series Treme
Treme (TV series)
Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans...
, set in New Orleans three months after Hurricane Katrina, the character Creighton Bernette declines an offer of lemon ice at another (fictional) restaurant, saying that he would feel disloyal to eat lemon ice anywhere else while Brocato's was still closed. In the first episode of the second season, set in November 2006, Bernette's wife and daughter are shown eating, and talking with the real-life Angelo Brocato III, at the now-reopened Brocato's.
Desserts
Angelo Brocato's first product was torroncino, a cinnamon-almond gelato. Brocato's still serves it in the same sliced-block form as in 1905. The business now sells a variety of gelatiGelato
Gelato is the italian word for ice cream and sorbet. Italians use the word gelato to mean a sweet treat that is served frozen. Indeed, gelato, just like ice cream, is made with Milk, cream, various sugars, flavoring including fresh fruit and nut purees....
, Italian ice
Italian ice
Italian ice, also known as water ice, is a sweetened frozen dessert made with fruit or other natural or artificial food flavorings, similar to sorbet. Italian ice is not shaved ice that is flavored; rather, it is made by the same process by which ice cream is made: freezing the ingredients while...
s, cannoli
Cannoli
Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo , meaning "little tube", with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine...
, cookies, and other desserts. According to the Brocato's website, lemon ice is the "best-seller".
External links
- Erroll Laborde, "Understanding Brocato's", New Orleans Magazine, August 2005.