When your friends come home from a trip to Italy, what are they most excited about? Most likely it is the food and even more likely the ice cream. Italian ice cream, called gelato, is recognized by many experts as the best ice cream in the world. However, ice cream is not really the same as ice cream, because it has a lower percentage of fat than ice cream and it has less air as it shakes more slowly, giving it a richer texture.
Where to find it
Especially in the warmer months, ice cream is everywhere in Italy. There isn’t a simple snack bar or restaurant in Italy that lacks the cheerful, chilled ice cream display case, either selling prepackaged ice cream bars (usually pretty good) or hand-picked gelato from bathtubs. An ice cream parlor, called a gelateria, often sells homemade gelato and can make a variety of specialty ice cream dishes, such as ice cream. Some ice cream parlors act like old-fashioned ice cream parlors, where you can order a menu and sit down to eat.
Others are little places with holes in the wall where you order your ice cream to eat and eat it while you walk. Remember, you will generally pay more to sit down and eat your ice cream, especially in larger cities.
Want to look for signs that proclaim fatto gelato at home (homemade), produzione own (our own production) or Artiginale (artisanal). These indicate a higher quality of ingredients and finished product.
Here’s a tip for finding a good ice cream shop: Check out the pistachio flavor. If the color looks like a very artificial bright green, it’s probably not a good place to eat. The flavors should resemble the real food they are made from, so avoid brightly colored ice cream that is stacked to impress you.
How to order it
If you don’t speak Italian, don’t worry. Often times, signs that name gelato include pictures of the main ingredients, so you should be able to figure out what they are. Point out what you want if you have to. If you can’t decide which flavor to try, try several; Even in a small cone, you can generally choose two flavors. You will have to specify if you want a cone ( cone ) or a cup ( coppa ). Ice cream is priced by the size of the cup or cone, or by the number of flavors you select.
The fruity flavors, made with real fruit, are especially refreshing in summer. Limone (lemon) and fragola (strawberry) are among the most popular flavors in all of Italy. These days, you’ll also find more creative flavors in some stores, especially in big cities, using ingredients like basil, ginger, or cinnamon, or even making gelato savory instead of sweet. Some ice cream shops also offer yogurt or soy milk ice cream.
Vocabulary to know
- ice cream – ice cream
- ice cream parlor – ice cream parlor
- cone – cone
- Coppa -cup
- gusti – flavors
- sorbetto – sorbet or sherbert
Tours and classes
Do you want to learn more about ice cream while you are in Italy? In Florence, you can take a pizza and ice cream class or ice cream and wine tasting, both available to book through Select Italy. Near Venice, Mama Isa offers a class of artisan gelato.
Food tours, such as Eating Italy Food Tours in Rome or with The Roman Foodie, include a stop at a favorite ice cream parlor.
