An Ice cream a day...

An ice-cream a day.

That's one of the most common antidotes to the long, hot summers in Sardinia. And who am I to disagree with Italian experts who clearly know more about the subject than me?

Eating gelato, as ice cream is called over here, has been a popular pastime in Italy for hundreds of years. Even the ancient Romans enjoyed a scoop or two of snow and ice mixed with fruit, wine and honey.

It's not difficult to see why:

(photo credit: yud)

But if all those mouthwatering flavours don't tickle your tastebuds, maybe these will:

(photo credit: Lilian33)

And if they don't, there are always these:

(photo credit: Itsamish)

Needless to say, when you're in Sardinia to take part in one of our Absorbing Writing workshops, we'll be finding the time to eat some ice cream.

After six years in Italy, I've finally found my favourite flavour. I wonder what yours will be?

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Hmm, looks more like a total sensory experience than the apology for ice-creams we get over here!

Can't wait to try some :-)

Joanna

[Emma Bird]

Hi Joanna

You're absolutely right. Ice cream-eating in Italy is a total sensory experience. First you look at all those freshly-made ice creams and, while your mouth waters, make a shortlist of the ones you'd like to eat. Then, if the shortlist includes flavours that you've not tried before, you ask to sample them. Cue more mouth-watering and anticipation at savouring the new flavours. Two or three flavours is the norm rather than one so you've got to choose flavours that go together. Finally, you get to experience the taste explosion in your mouth.

Not a bad way to spend Eur1.80.

Emma

[Jennifer H]

Well, Emma, you said you had a favorite now, but you didn't say what it was! The suspense is killing me! :P

[Jessica, Italy Logue]

Yeah, what's your favorite flavor, Emma? And do you get that flavor by itself, or do you have a favorite flavor combination, too?

[Emma Bird]

Hi Jennifer, hi Jessica, hi Joanna (oooh, that's nice alliteration with the Js)

Sorry for not answering you until now but I've been having problems with accessing my blog as you might have realised. Everytime I tried to write a comment or visit the page it crashed.

My favourite ice cream is dark chocolate (with 70pc cocoa) laced with bits of orange. All the better if the oranges are freshly picked off the tree in the ice-cream maker's garden.

But that's quite a strong, intense flavour, meaning you need something much softer to go with it. I normally opt for a meringue semifreddo which is softer and creamier than normal ice-cream. The taste is more delicate, too. Or, I opt for a semifreddo made with goats cheese. It's a bit like a creamy cheesecake filling.

Sometimes, when I'm really daring, I mix the chocolate ice cream with my second favourite ice cream: fresh fig ice-cream laced with bits of walnut. That's a height-of-summer option though. You can't have fig ice cream until the figs are so ripe they're plump and ready to explode.

So there you go, not one but three of my favourite ice creams.

What are yours?

[Jessica, Italy Logue]

Oooh, I *love* dk chocolate orange. I like dk chocolate with just about any fruit (raspberry is another stellar addition). But yes, it's such a strong and rich flavor, you have to pair it with something more delicate and/or refreshing. I think that's a real skill, the artful pairing of gelato flavors. For instance, I really quite like licorice (liquirizia), but I'm always stumped as to what to pair it with. If only all the folks who worked in gelaterie were really gelato sommeliers... ;)

[Emma Bird]

Jessica

I love liquirizia gelato flavour, too. Not everyday, mind, it's too powerful a taste for that, but when you want something cleansing and refreshing, definitely.

I normally pair it with a nut-based ice-cream (the nuttiness balances out the taste) or torrone (nougat).

Gelato sommelieres are a great idea - maybe we should apply?!!?

[Joanna Young]

Hmmm... meringue semifreddo... that sounds delicious. Please make sure we have time to try some when I come out in September!

Joanna

[Pedro Martins]

I would probably say that my favorite flavor is straciateli. My Parents use to have an ice cream shop (or how we call here, one "gelataria") in the south of Portugal - for 20 years- Those were probably the most "tastier" years of my life. ;).

[Marsha]

This topic is a bit old, but I can't resist weighing in. On Tiber Island there's a small gelateria that sells a concoction I believe they label "Red Hot!"--chocolate gelato infused with spicy red pepper. One word--addictive!

For those of use stuck stateside, La Divina Gelateria on Magazine Street in New Orleans features Aztec Chocolate which is similar, but with an additional cinnamon kick.

Call ahead if you have your heart set though, as she frequently runs out. Transcript of actual conversation:

Me: You're out? You're kidding! I come all the way from New York for this!
Proprietoress: I make it in 20 pound batches, then it's just gone. I have to make other flavors!
Me: Um. . .why?

I like to pair either with a scoop of strawberry sorbetto. Somehow the sweet/tart strawberry makes both the chocolate and the hot pepper components pop big time.

[Aldo Caronia]

The best one are in Sicily. I go to italy about 5 times a year for work (lucky me!) and everytime I compare ice cream, the best one are always for sicily.
Last time in Palermo i spend about 2 hours in a huge "gelateria" and i did my first ice cream tasting! this ice cream shop has over 50 different tastes!
Well it was tough but worth the stomac hake!

I also tried the "panino gelato" gelato sandwich...a dream!

Ciao

[Rebecca Raymond]

Oh, those all look so good! I tried to sample as many as I could on my visit but that's been too long ago now. Sounds like there are some really wonderful flavors out there, now if I could just get my hands on some... :)