Sure, the heat dome might leave you drenched a mere five minutes after leaving the house, but to us, extreme weather just means more excuses to indulge in frozen treats. To satisfy our craving for something cold and sweet, we hopped over to our friends at Victory Garden, where owner Sophia Brittan treated us to her favorite off-menu sundae, the Aegean Summer Delight.  The base ingredient in any VG treat is goat’s milk, which has a host of health benefits in addition to being generally delicious.

 

...

 
Sophia’s love of Turkish and Greek flavors (as well as her burning desire to spend a summer holiday in each respective country) inspired the dessert, which is topped with sour cherry sauce, turkish delight, flossy halva, and pistachios.  “They’re so unexpected as a sundae topping - like little fancy jewels sitting there,” she explains.  

 
To host your own ice cream social, Victory Garden’s Goat Milk Gelato is available in select retail stores and online. With our Essential Glasses as your vessel, pick a flavor and invite a few friends over to sample their own Aegean Summer Delights.   

Good until the last spoonful. 

Aegean Summer Delight Ingredients:

Goat Milk Gelato of Choice: Salted Caramel, Chocolate Victory, Baah-nilla!, or Honey Lavender available at select Whole Foods Markets in NYC and online. 
Store Bought Turkish Delight
Sour Cherry Sauce
Chopped pistachios
Flossy Halva

Turkish Delight:
In lieu of baking your own, Brittan recommends ordering from NYC-based Mastiha Shop.

Sour Cherry Sauce:
Stem and pit the cherries.  For every pound of cherry, add 1 cup of sugar.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the juices are syrupy.  Strain out the fruits and further reduce the juices if you want a thicker sauce.
 

Add a touch of vanilla and lemon juice to taste.

 
You can also substitute Italian Amarena cherries or a store bought sour cherry sauce, commonly found in Middle Eastern grocers.  

Pistachios:

1/2 cup chopped will be enough for 4 sundaes

 

Flossy Halva:

1 package will be more than plenty for 4 sundaes, plus extra for munching. 

 
To make each sundae, scoop gelato into each glass.  On one side, layer the Sour Cherry Sauce.  On the other side, layer the Turkish delight.  Place a large pinch of Turkish Delight on top, then scatter the pistachios over them.