The writer was invited to visit APEM Creamery and Sorbetteria, and the gelato was complimentary.
Like most overheated New Jersey citizens sweltering during the dog days of summer, I scream for ice cream. However, I’m totally incommunicado when I eat gelato.
The smooth, creamy, delicious frozen confection requires my full attention. In other words, please leave a message or call back later.
APEM Creamery and Sorbetteria in Bloomfield is a dessert port of call that should appear on the map of all serious New Jersey gelato hunters. Entrepreneurs Jennifer Ko and Alex Saneski, two alumni of New York’s French Culinary Institute, decided to open the Essex County shop in the summer of 2019. They managed to navigate the Covid-19 crunch. Both are experienced restaurateurs and skilled chefs. Saneski, who grew up in nearby Passaic, became a manager at Il Laboratorio del Gelato, located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
The Back Story
In 2010 Ko and Saneski moved to the San Francisco Bay area (Ko hails from southern California) and opened Cremeux Ex Machina. Saneski said this enterprise, located on an organic dairy farm, produced gelato, ice cream, and sorbet for local restaurants. They also sold their products directly to consumers at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. After several years they decided to head back east, and they opened APEM. (The name is based on Saneski’s childhood nickname.)
Visiting APEM
Two visits to the Bloomfield creamery confirmed that consuming APEM’s sensational gelato, ice cream, and sorbet is joyfully habit forming. When it comes to diving into gelato, the complex taste is most alluring. But it’s the dense, luscious, mouth-watering texture that seals the deal.
The production magic at APEM happens in the shop’s back room. Saneski and Ko produce their gelato using Italian Cattabriga equipment, with a vertical-batch freezer. “In 1927 a talented Italian engineer, Otello Cattabriga, patented a mechanical system to make Italian-style gelato,” Saneski said. “The system actually imitated the stir-and-stick movement of Italian gelato makers of his time. Since then, Cattabriga has represented top quality in gelato and the source of major technological leaps in the industry.”
Not Your Average Flavors
The flavors range from the familiar—think chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla—to the curious. You can try Mrs. Patmore, named after Beryl Patmore, of Downton Abbey fame—a tempting conglomerate of lemon/vanilla ice cream, candied strawberries and meringue cookies. Another option is banoffee, inspired by the British namesake coffee/banana cream pie.
APEM also happily jumps to the truly exotic, with Yuzu, Vietnamese iced coffee, black sesame, Nirvana and Polvoron, which were featured during Asian week. Saneski said the flavor menu changes on a regular basis. They showcase distinct, global ethnic themes from England, Italy, the Philippines, the diverse regions of the United States, and other international destinations.
Perspectives
The business philosophy of Ko and Saneski revolves around the concepts of hospitality and simplicity. Sales involve “merch,” such as seasonal APEM T-shirts, takeout orders (hand-packed containers) and walk-in customers who drop in for a scoop or two, all of whom are enchanted by their gelato selections and leave with a smile.
“Keep it simple. Focus on what you’re good at,” he said. Saneski is a down-to-earth man of few words, but in a press release, he revealed his inner drive is similar to honorable, culturally rooted pizza makers and sushi chefs.
“I don’t feel like I’m part of the ice cream world,” Saneski declared. “Maybe I’m not in tune with the times, but I don’t really care. I want it to be part of a culture that grows into something whole and can stand the test of time. I love America, but I try to live like a Roman. APEM is my love letter to New Jersey.”
A Bit of Rock History
For those who might be interested, American rock-and-roll legend Eddie Cochran, who was born in Minnesota in 1938, died in a car crash on April 17, 1960, while on a 10-week tour in England. Tragically, Cochran’s career was brief, but after more than 60 years, he remains influential in the school of rock. So “C’mon Everybody”—next time you have the chance, order a cup of gelato and give a toast to the forever young virtuoso. The magical dessert would, most definitely, have cured Cochran’s “Summertime Blues.”
Store Hours
(Subject to change)
Thursday, 12:30 to 8 p.m.
Friday, 12:30 to 10 p.m.
Saturday, 12:30 to 10 p.m.
Sunday, 12:30 to 8 p.m.
APEM Creamery//Sorbetteria
870 Broad St.
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
973-666-0438
Website: apemcreamery.com
