The ice cream shop Naranja-Piña Gelato, located in the heart of La Pequeña Habana, brought Cuban flavor to the American semifinal of the World Gelato Championship, recently held with participants from the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Cuban Miguel López, founder of the ice cream shop, submitted his exotic Mojito Gelato to the international competition, inspired by the iconic cocktail of the island.
“ We were selected among the top in the competition in Florida and then among the most outstanding in the semifinal. I didn't manage to qualify for the regional final, which will take place in Los Angeles, but I will try again next year,” said Miguel, proud to be the only Cuban in the competition.
His proposal surprised the jury and received praise for its creativity and flavor. “It’s like you’re having a mojito, but in the texture of an ice cream,” Miguel explained in exclusive statements to CiberCuba. The recipe includes Ron Bacardí and adheres to the classic ingredients of the drink.
Naranja-Piña Gelato offers a unique product they have named "cuban gelato", blending the Italian tradition of gelato with Cuban flavors, such as mantecado, cream cheese with guava peel, and of course, the naranja-piña, which sets them apart.
This business of Cubans in Miami offers more than a hundred flavors, and its products are already available in various restaurants throughout the city. Their ice cream shop has become a landmark in Florida, known for its quality, excellent service, and authenticity.
In the World Gelato Championship, there was another participant from Florida, the Argentine Agustín Giménez from Quore Gelato in Miami Beach, who competed with a blend of cheese, pistachio, and eastern citrus, which he named “Cheestacchio Yuzu Dream.”
Miguel López regrets not being in the final this year, but he celebrated the excellent reviews he received for his Mojito Gelato and especially enjoyed bringing the essence of Cuba to such a prestigious international showcase, demonstrating that the island's flavors can also conquer the world from Miami.
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