Foodie Find: Lulu’s Nitrogen Ice Cream

Liquid nitrogen is taking the ice cream world by storm, and Miamians are lucky to be able to get a taste of the action at Lulu’s Nitrogen Ice Cream. The new ice cream spot in Edgewater celebrated its grand opening this past weekend, where customers were lined up out the door to watch their frozen treats get made before their eyes. Guests enjoyed 2-for1 specials with an option of 5 delicious flavors (Cookies ‘n Cream, Nutella, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, and Coconut), a photo booth, and a coloring table for the little ones.

But what exactly is nitrogen ice cream, and how does it work? Owner Luisa Santos gave us a quick rundown. “We make our own base in house from scratch, and then we take that liquid base and put it in a mixer,” says Santos. “As we start to mix the base, we add liquid nitrogen which comes out -320 degrees Fahrenheit, and that quickly freezes the base, creating the smallest size particle so you get the smoothest ice cream possible.” Since the freezing process is nearly instantaneous, you can be sure that the end product is as fresh as can be. But boasting the ability to create the creamiest, freshest ice cream isn’t the only benefit of using liquid nitrogen: it also puts on quite a show. Customers had their camera phones at the ready as they watched in fascination – the fog from the evaporating liquid nitrogen enveloped the entire area around the counter – proving nitrogen ice cream is just as much of a treat for your eyes as it is for your taste buds.

According to their website, Lulu’s Ice Cream contains no preservatives, stabilizers or emulsifiers. For Santos, all natural ingredients are key to her business model.

“We actually adopted a cow [named Lulu], and we get all of our milk and cream from her,” Santos says. “We also partner with nearby farmers to get local fruit…so it’s really cool because we’re bringing the farm-to-table idea into an ice cream shop.”

While the flavor selection was limited during Lulu’s grand opening, Santos tells us that they’ve already developed over 50 flavors and plan to rotate the flavors every Monday. And for the older crowd, Lulu’s has a full 21+ line of flavors that are available for event catering. Flavors range from things like Sangria Sorbet, Strawberry-Mint Prosecco and Maple Bourbon, to seasonal specials such as Pina Colada-flavored ice cream with tequila for Cinco de Mayo and ‘Naughty Nog’ (made with whiskey and bourbon) for Christmastime.

Lulu’s Nitrogen Ice Cream is located at 2001 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami.

For catering inquiries, email getthescoop@lulus-icecream.com