Olivéa, 719 E. 17th Ave., 303-861-5050, www.olivearestaurant.com.

Yasmin Lozada-Hissom fell in love with smooth mascarpone cheese while living in the Lombardy region of Italy 10 years ago. Today, the pastry chef, a co-owner of Olivéa, makes this sweet delicacy from scratch and showcases the cheese’s creamy consistency in a semifreddo (“half-cold” in Italian) that comes alongside a lemon croustillant with berries. The dessert’s unusual flavors and textures—partially frozen mascarpone, summery berries, and paper-thin, black pepper-flecked cookies sandwiched with light lemon cream—present a study of contrasts that surprise and delight.

This article was originally published in 5280 August 2009.
Amanda M. Faison
Amanda M. Faison
Freelance writer Amanda M. Faison spent 20 years at 5280 Magazine, 12 of those as Food Editor.