Cole Gaude is the owner and head ice cream maker of Social Club Creamery (138 N. Main St, Concord, 333-2111, socialclubcreamery.com).
“I have a degree in fine arts,” Gaude said. “And I had about a six- or seven-year career in graphic design, and at one point was living in the middle of New York City. And then … kind of fell in love with food and fell in love with ice cream. And then once I moved back to New Hampshire — because I’m originally from Laconia — I just kind of started thinking more and more about it. And so after a few years of living here, I took the plunge to open an ice cream shop and then opened Sunday Scoops … in Concord, and then over the last four years it transformed into Social Club Creamery.”
What’s your must-have kitchen item?
I would say probably a coffee maker. I drink a lot of coffee, and you need it to work the long hours. I mean, we’re doing 12-hour shifts, so I actually didn’t drink coffee until we opened up these shops and now I’m having about four cups a day. I like a light roast, the grassier the better.
What would you have for your last meal?
Some garlic green beans, something like that, and a little baked potato.
What’s your favorite place around Concord to eat?
Probably Sour Joe’s Pizzeria. I absolutely love it. It’s a pretty rare treat for me. I maybe go like once every two months or so, but it’s so good. He did this apple pizza with bacon jam a month ago. It was amazing. It’s just more like — I don’t want to say like upscale pizza, but more like specialty pizza. He doesn’t do a pepperoni pizza — every flavor is unique.
Who is a celebrity you’d like to see eating your ice cream?
… Jeremy Allen White. I just watched The Bear a couple weeks ago. I like him. He’s a cool dude. I think that’d be real cool, seeing him with an ice cream cone. It’s kind of the opposite of the character he plays.
What’s your favorite thing on your menu?
My favorite thing, which is probably one of the least-ordered things that we sell, is actually the oatmeal raisin cookie. I love oatmeal raisin cookies. That’s probably the reason we still have it on the menu — because I refuse to get rid of it; it’s my favorite thing. I love just that combination of fruit and sweets with a little bit of salt. It’s the salt that makes it for me. Huge salt. Like anything, any type of ice cream that we do with salt in it, I just absolutely love.
What’s a food trend that you notice in the ice cream world?
A little bit ago, it was the croissant cookie, which I haven’t been seeing much anymore. The crookie, I think it was called. I never got to try one, but I saw that everywhere. I think right now there’s Dubai chocolate that I’m starting to see.
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Probably tacos. I make good tacos. I like steak tacos with a hard shell and a little cilantro. I like to keep it pretty simple. A big hard shell is pretty much like eating a portable nacho. I love it.
Honeycomb Candy
Needed: food thermometer and 8×8-inch pan
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) light corn syrup
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
2½ teaspoons baking soda
Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Once mixture begins to boil, don’t stir any longer.
Without stirring, cook to 300°F (149°C). Once mixture reaches temperature immediately remove from heat and stir in your baking soda (heads-up! It’s going to bubble up quite a bit). The mixture will immediately begin to foam; stir until baking soda is completely combined and the color turns golden, but don’t over-stir or you’ll end up deflating your candy and won’t have any holes.
Once foaming stops and baking soda is dissolved into the mixture, spread into prepared pan. Cool at least 1 hour before breaking into pieces.
Featured Image: Cole Gaude. Courtesy photo.
