You know what I love about Italy? Gelato. It’s an inexpensive culinary souvenir, an edible piece of Italian culture .
Gelato is a part of the Roman experience
No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to a traditional Gelateria where famous Italian ice cream is sold. Actually, I think that no single day of sightseeing in Rome is complete without having gelato at least once. And while there are gelaterie, or ice cream shops, on virtually every corner in Rome, not all of them are worth your euros.
How to know if the gelato is real or fake?
It must be quality gelato, made from scratch with all natural, fresh ingredients. How to know if the gelato is handmade? One is made every single day with fresh local milk and flavors, whereas the other is typically a powder mixed with sugars, artificial flavors and colors, and low-quality milk.
The easiest way to tell if the gelato is authentic is by its container. Is the gelato stacked high and topped with piles of fruit? Fake. If the top layer of the gelato is just slightly higher than or equal to its container, it’s real!
The differences in taste are easy to spot too. Real Italian gelato is much creamier than American ice cream, almost as if it has started melting.
What’s in season?
Checking for foods that are in-season is especially important with determining if gelato is authentic, too. Is there a watermelon flavor in the winter? There shouldn’t be. Also, pay attention to the color of the fruit gelatos, even if they aren’t your flavor of choice. If the lemon is a bright yellow rather than a translucent off-white, and the blueberry is a vivid blue instead of a darker purple, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the gelato on offer is a powder full of food-dye mixed with milk and ice.
How to choose???
I am adventurous in most things … with the exception of my gelato . When I am faced with all those incredible flavor choices in the gelato shop i am tempted to wander … but in the end – for me it’s got to be some combo of chocolate and coffee … I know I will never be disappointed. When in Rome… eat the gelato.