(ge)Lato Knowledge about Ice Cream

Our tour guide the first day in Florence, Giovanni, taught us how to distinguish between good and bad gelato. The best gelato is made from milk, sugar, and other natural ingredients. These ingredients are churned slowly so that minimal air gets in it, which makes it thicker and richer. Compared to American ice cream, it has way less cream and eggs (or sometimes no eggs at all).

While all gelato is good, good is not good enough. There are ways to tell if you are eating the best gelato available. First, the colors should be natural looking, which means the brightest ones might not be the best ones. Also, if gelato is standing up in a big mound, it is not good. The best gelato will be displayed in a flat container in order to keep the natural ingredients cold. The brightly colored or tall gelato mounds contain chemicals. The best gelato is organic (or biological, as Italians would say). If it seems to be a bright shade, it is not only the color of the fruit or other ingredients crushed up. For example, pistachio gelato should be a pale green, not a vibrant green.

There are so many wonderful fruits and other ingredients for gelato grown in Italy. As a whole, Italians value what they grow in their country, and they eat their food without additives or other chemicals. The fact that some gelato shops add in chemicals to make it more appealing to customers is appalling and should not be allowed in a country with such fine cuisine.

 

-B.W.