Location: 2340 Council Ring Road, Unit 104, Mississauga
Website: https://pinochiicecream.ca/

The Arabic ice cream they’re serving at Pinochi is pretty fascinating; it’s made with mastic (which is actually the resin from a type of tree), and it has an unusual, ultra-chewy texture that’s surprisingly addictive.

If you’ve never had it before, however, it’s going to be a bit of a shock.  It’s so incredibly dense and chewy that it’s pretty difficult to eat with a spoon (a fork and knife are probably advisable).  It’s deeply springy, with an almost chewing-gum-like texture that eventually melts in your mouth.  It’s very, very different from traditional ice cream, but once you get on its wavelength, it’s quite enjoyable.

Pinochi serves it rolled and then sliced, with a generous amount of crushed pistachios on its exterior, giving it a great nutty flavour.  The mastic has its own flavour, too; Wikipedia describes it as tasting of pine and cedar, and yeah, that’s probably right.  The taste is quite subtle, but it definitely adds its own unique personality.

Pistachio ice cream is a tried-and-true flavour, but between the taste and texture of the mastic, this one is very much its own thing, and it’s great.