Amorino’s Macarose: A Rose by Any Other Name Wouldn’t Be as Sweet

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. A bunch of bodega flowers or brunch in the city might suffice for the woman who does everything, but there’s another, sweeter option. Take her for an afternoon stroll toward Amorino, where some unique roses have been cropping up: ones made of gelato and topped with macarons.

“The macaron in gelato thing started in Milan,” explains Anna Borin, Amorino’s U.S. training manager. “The story goes that a young boy was eating a macaron, but he wanted a taste of his mom’s ice cream…and as he went to take a bite, he put his macaron on top, so he had his hands free to hold the cone. Now, it’s become a very normal thing to have a macaron in your gelato — in the middle so that it looks even more like a flower. That’s why it’s called a macarose!”

It’s an Italian and French combo that suits Amorino — a gelato shop started by two Italian friends living in France — which now serves its signature gelato petals all over the world, with four locations in New York. “We make all the macarons in our factory in France, so we can be consistent with our product everywhere,” says Borin.

That consistency extends to the technique with which Amorino’s employees sculpt each of their macaroses.

“Part of my job is teaching people how to make the petals, so that we’re all doing it with the same look,” Borin says. “It takes a little bit of time to perfect, so that you know how much gelato you need and how to sculpt it so that every gelato is the perfect rose.”

It’s tempting to get as many of Amorino’s 23 flavors as you can onto one gelato rose, but Borin suggests restraint. “I think it’s best to pick three or four flavors that will go together,” she says, crafting her own macarose with orange ginger, chocolate, and pistachio sorbet with a raspberry macaron to top it off.

This Mother’s Day is a special one for Borin — it marks her first as a mother. “My mum is going to be visiting from Italy to see my baby, so I’m excited! We’re going to take him in his stroller to the Upper West Side, and eat gelato together!” Borin clarifies: “Well, not my son — no ice cream for him yet! But I’m really looking forward to it. What could be better than that?”