Serendipity 3
If you live or lived in New York City or have visited the city sometime in the last sixty-eight years, at some point someone has probably told you that you MUST go to Serendipity 3.
And, on your first visit, you MUST have the frozen hot chocolate aka Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, Serendipity’s famous signature dessert.
I learned about Serendipity in 1977 from my treasured, lifelong friend, Eileen. We were roommates, right out of college, living in a $400-a-month apartment on the East Side.
Eileen’s worldly and wise older sister, Clare, was the best and most generous ‘big sister’ to both of us. She knew all the exciting places in New York that we needed to know about and Serendipity was one of them.
Serendipity, at the Start
In 1954, designer Stephen Bruce, dancer Calvin Holt, and writer Patch Caradine, were roommates in New York, living in a cold-water flat.
They were all trying to ‘make it’ in the big city and even without much money they managed to throw great parties.
The decision was made to open a small restaurant of their own with a gift shop. Patch saw the word ‘Serendip’ in a crossword puzzle, meaning ‘happy and unexpected discoveries found by accident’ along with an origin story, ‘The Three Princes of Serendip.’ That was it. The name Serendipity 3 was chosen for the new venture.
The café was and is unique and quirky. With dozens of Tiffany lamp shades, artwork everywhere, a giant clock and a delicious menu with dazzling desserts, it caught on.
The celebrities came. It was a Wonderland for kids, but Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Vanderbilt and Andy Warhol were also charmed. In the early days Warhol would pay his bill with drawings that were sold in the gift shop for $25 each. (WHAT?!) Years later, John and Yoko would come in. Jackie O brought her children for after-school treats. Cher was so enamored with the place she wrote the preface for one of the Serendipity cookbooks.
Celebrities still sit side-by-side with kids, New Yorkers and tourists. And since 2020, actor and singer Selena Gomez has been a partner and co-owner of Serendipity. The allure of this New York institution continues.
Finding the low door in the wall
Serendipity has always felt like stepping into another world. You have to literally take steps down to reach the entrance. It’s reminiscent of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, finding the small, low door in the wall behind the curtain — and opening it to discover a beautiful garden.
It’s that feeling of surprise and delight — plus, there’s frozen hot chocolate on the other side of this door.
The Star of the Show
The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is the showstopper. Here’s a recent post from Serendipity’s Instagram account — click on it and you’ll learn all sorts of delicious tidbits about this iconic dessert and more of the restaurant’s colorful history, including the recent renovations and reopening.
The Recipe
Ok — I love this. The recipe reminds me of when someone has a special secret family recipe and they kind of give it out, but you know that there’s something a little vague about it, something you can’t quite put your finger on.
That’s what I thought as I made the Frozen Hot Chocolate and when I read some of the comments on the recipe link below, I chuckled.
Recipe/Epicurious: Serendipity’s Best Kept Secret
The recipe was a secret for decades and the one that’s been shared both in the cookbook I have (50th Anniversary Edition) and the link above leaves some room for interpretation as you make it.
But that’s what is charming about it. It works beautifully, you get to decide what chocolate you use, so it still ‘feels’ like somewhat of a secret you’ve been let in on.
With that said, you can now buy Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix on the Serendipity website so I’m going to order some — excited to try it.
I was so pleased with my results and so were my taste testers. It was icy cold, slushy but not watery, chocolatey, creamy whipped cream, pretty to look at, fun to share and not hard to make. Nuthin’ not to like. But it wasn’t quite the same. Or maybe I’ve just forgotten. Or it could be it just tastes the most special when you’re surrounded by the magic of Serendipity.
I’ll just have to go home to New York for a visit soon.
Here are some notes:
The recipe does not specify any particular type of chocolate. I prefer dark chocolate, but for this recipe I went with Lindt Milk Chocolate.
For the chocolate dusting on top I used Ghirardelli’s 72% cacoa dark chocolate.
The recipe in my book calls for hot chocolate mix. The link says that, but also cocoa. I went with powdered Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix.
I only used a tablespoon of confectioners sugar in the whipped cream.
The recipe calls for 3 cups of ice. Next time I’ll use 2 1/2, that should do it.
It was delicious.
Last Word
I’ll be back on October 28 with the next Edition and October 25 with the next Tuesday Premium Edition.
Have a great weekend.
Till soon! ✨
Jolene
Sources:
Link: Selena Gomez has her own Ice Cream
Bruce, Stephen. Sweet Serendipity: Delightful Desserts and Devilish Dish. New York, Universe Publishing, 2004.
Love this, Jolene 😊 Warhol for $25?? Would that I had a time machine, I’d go back and buy 20! When I was in college, Serendipity 3 opened an outpost just up the street...and while the frozen hot chocolate was delicious, it just didn’t have the same magic as the original restaurant! I guess the presence John and Yoko, Jackie O, and Marilyn Monroe of imparted a je ne sais quoi over the years that just can’t be duplicated.
Oh yum, Jolene! Another reason to visit NYC, as if I needed one! The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate sounds delightful--a dessert drink! Kind of perfect for summer, fall or winter! Love the history of Serendipity and the reference to Alice, perhaps my favorite of all childhood heroines.