Blog #20 - Gelato Heaven

Gelato is Italy's variety of ice cream - a treat we grew to love so much that we coined the phrase "Give us this day our daily Gelato".  Whenever we got a little tired from all the walking, it was usually easy to spot a Gelateria near by where we could find dozens of tasty flavours.  One day we were walking around one of the hill towns in Tuscany when we were dragging our feet and realized that we hadn't had a gelato in two days.  We quickly found a remedy and were then on our merry way.

A typical selection of gelatos from a "gelateria", which is Italian for "ice cream shop".

Here are some interesting facts we learned about gelato and why it is different and much better (and healthier) than North American ice cream.

1. Gelato has a lower butterfat content, typically 4-8% vs. 14% for many ice creams.
2. Gelato has lower sugar content, typically 16% vs. 21% for many ice creams.
3. Gelato is frozen quickly in small individual batches vs. the continuous assembly line freezing used in North America, which results in a denser product with more flavour.
4. With its higher fat content, North American ice cream can be stored for many months, whereas gelato can only be stored for a few days, which is why it is always fresh at the gelateria.

An upscale gelateria in Rome near the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, major tourist attractions.  Location, Location, Location - they were able to sell their fancy gelatos at a premium price.

I couldn't resist ordering one of the fancy gelatos.  You know what they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", so I did.

And then the bill came --- €16 ($23 CA)!  When I cried out in surprise, they thought I was complaining, but I was just in shock, so they threw in a smaller one for free for Sandy.  This one may not have been worth €16 and I doubt I would have ordered it had I known the cost, but the high price didn't stop me from throroughly enjoying the treat.

We bought these gelatos in Florence for a more reasonable and more typical price of €3 each.  I got my favourite two flavours of dark chocolate and strawberry (with a wafer stuck in for decoration) and Sandy got her favourite flavour of mint.

A closer look at the cone selections in the gelateria in Rome.