EXPERIENCE ON 45TH & WALNUT

Article by Brett Levy

Photos by Randy Bach

Nestled on the corner of 45th and Walnut Street lives Jezabel’s cafe, an authentic Northwestern Argentinian hub of culture and exceptional homemade meals. This homey setting is a living and breathing community which opens its arms to welcome visitors from all over. There is no better starting point in learning about the familial influences within Jezabel’s cafe than with Jezabel herself.

Jezabel has been serving up empanadas, chimichurri sauce, and lentejas made from high-quality ingredients for years. She comes from Palpala, Jujuy, in NW Argentina and arrived in Philadelphia to go to school at the University of Pennsylvania. She took pride in her studies, as she focused on hotel management, tourism, and sustainability which proved to be essential for her future business endeavors. Her café works around the clock to serve up fresh breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an open kitchen, and even offers a studio to make and sell home goods to customers. You can eat a creamy torta de ricotta and buy an Argentinian-inspired straw chair at the same time. Who wouldn’t say yes to that?

The array of empanadas are mouthwatering to even just think about. The creamy napolitana empanada is crisply toasted with ham, cheese, and tomato nestled inside and could make a grown-man cry. Complementing that with traditional chimichurri sauce, highlighted by a node of flamy red vinegar, is an essential one-two punch to knock your taste buds off your feet. Anyone who has a sweet tooth (or who is on an anything-goes diet) should pay attention to this next part: say hello to Alfajores de Maizena, a shortbread cookie sandwich filled with dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut. A silky, buttery cloud of sugar clad in coconut flakes is the perfect way to end a meal at Jezabel’s as it encapsulates the sweet and pure nature of her story and café. Working in an environmentaly and socially sustainable environment is a major pillar of Jezabel’s café. The most intriguing and special part of her café’s experience is the “If My Grandma Were to Cook for You” guest chef series. Conceived in 2019, this series consists of a guest chef cooking lunch and dinners inspired by their grandmother. Jezebel’s Café is decked out with handmade tabletops, and white walls, both distinct qualities which were present in her own grandmother’s house.

The guest chef series is an alternative way of showcasing some of her favorite chefs’ inspirations. The focus on familial influences and culture shines through in this unique dining experience which people from all the area should make a point of going to. Jezebel has produced a platform for chefs to cook something different than what they normally do for a living, commercially. Jezabel places the spatula, whisk, and knife into her guest chefs’ hands. Their ancestors wield it and teach us their influences from the past.

Article by Emily Truong

Illustrations by Olivia Tang

Spicy ice cream. That’s right.

Hey, hey — stop making that judgy face. Don’t turn the page. Spicy heat and sweet ice cream are a match made in heaven. Star crossed lovers. Soulmates. Pick your favorite cliché. They’re all true.

It sounds off-putting, I know. Why would you want to combine some mouth-burning, eye-watering, sinus-wrecking flavor with something as pure, creamy, and refreshing as ice cream? Somehow, though, adding spice to classically sweet ice cream only brings out the best of each.

If you want a more scientific answer, dairy ice cream — and just cold foods in general — are perfect pairings for spicy heat. The rumors

Hot Honey

My personal favorite spicy ice cream combo. The subtle, floral sweetness of honey already adds so much to your typical creamy vanilla ice cream, but chili-infused honey tops that off with a slightly delayed, tingly, back-ofyour-mouth heat sensation.

Tajín

If you like putting Tajín on fruit, why not try it on top of some fruity frozen treat? The mild chili, lime, and salt seasoning adds another level of flavor to something already amazing. Tajín and mango sorbet, anyone?

are true: cow’s milk is one of the best drinks to reach for when eating spicy foods. Milk contains a specific protein called casein that helps break down capsaicin (the stuff that makes spicy things taste spicy). The sugar and fat found in ice cream also helps our bodies handle spice. Even if you have a poor spice tolerance, you might still be able to enjoy spicy ice cream — as soon as you start feeling the tingly burn from the spice, the cold of the ice cream begins to soothe your tastebuds.

But if all that science talk just makes your brain melt, I’ll put it this way. Spicy ice cream is pure fun. It’s different, and surprisingly delicious. (Not to mention a bit of a flex to say that you like it.) When you add something spicy to ice cream, the heat doesn’t completely mask the cold, sweet sensation, and instead, the two flavors become layered and balance each other out. As the ice cream melts on your tongue,

Mexican Hot Chocolate

It’s truly the perfect amount of heat partnered with a deep, rich chocolate ice cream base, and all you need is some ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne or chili powder. Jazz it up with some marshmallows, cajeta, or dulce de leche!

Cheeto’s Flamin’ Hot

Crumble some Cheetos on top of some vanilla ice cream for a bit of crunch and contrast. It’s just like adding crumbled Oreos into ice cream, only spicier!

you’re able to enjoy the sweetness of the base flavor before being hit by the heat and having the two start to mingle. It’s so addicting.

Don’t tell me you’re not intrigued by now. Spicy ice cream doesn’t have to be your new go-to treat, but it’s totally worth a try. Believe it or not, spicy ice cream is a bit difficult to find at your local grocery store (or even your local artisan ice cream shop), but it’s no matter. It’s easy to DIY, and you can make your own flavor combos and control the amount of kick you prefer.

Chili Oil

Drizzle a bit of your favorite chili oil — or even some chili crisp! — on top of your ice cream. Now imagine it with some sesame ice cream… Absolutely magical.

(Any) Hot Sauce

Got a special bottle of hot sauce lying around that you’re not quite sure what else to do with? Ditch your usual caramel or fudge sauce and try drizzling some of your favorite hot sauce onto some vanilla ice cream. Bonus points for fruit-flavored sauces like pineapple habanero.

article by Emily Zhang illustrations by Wei-An Jin