COSE. International - The Appointment
Things seen and experienced from the world. Curated by Chiara Rebeggiani
The heat is slow to make itself felt, yet the gelaterias in the city center are overflowing with tourists. Each one with its own marketing strategies; some create long queues outside simply because the cash register is placed right after the doormat, others hide behind blackboards or inside shop corners where it's unimaginable to even think of a spoon, let alone an ice cream laboratory.
However, the concept of good, well-made gelato with carefully selected ingredients, expressed in countless variations, is deeply rooted in the Roman summer diet, even before the watermelon feast of Ferragosto and the prosciutto and melon served at all hours in the tourist trap restaurants in the city center.
At the moment, I can't consider myself a true connoisseur, but I know what I want. When a Roman leaves the house with the idea of enjoying a moment of relief from the heat and everyday life and treating themselves to an ice cream, their choice will certainly not be random. They won't be overwhelmed by the anxiety of savoring something refreshing to avoid succumbing to the Roman sweltering heat. Instead, they will head straight to a laboratory where they are certain and know what will bring relief to their burning palate, providing comfort to all their senses.
Ice cream is not a trio of colorful balls balanced on a wafer, it is something more. By the way, fresh off my lessons on journalistic professional ethics, let me tell you this: the speaker of the course talked about professional credibility. What does that mean? It means that if you are the first to do a bad job, setting aside your knowledge and focusing only on sales, how do you expect to gain credibility? In my opinion, the same applies to ice cream. A soggy cone and three balls perched on top, balls that are not at all creamy, without a hint of cream or milk, and with every lick, you find a thousand ice crystals scratching your tongue. When the choice of ingredients remains something only for connoisseurs, you are not aiming for credibility, but rather sales. And what you are selling me is anything but ice cream. Consequently, you will sell many ice creams, but not for the sake of tradition's taste, only for filthy money. In addition to the "scratching" taste, another way to understand that the ice cream you are about to eat is not artisanal is the color: never trust bright colors. Strawberry flavor is not fuchsia, and lemon flavor is not fluorescent. If you are attracted to colors, know that you are about to eat an ice cream rich in artificial chemicals; you are about to eat a fake ice cream. Another tip: the ice cream should be creamy and not icy, but it should also stay in place on the cone or in the cup. The quintessential artisanal ice cream is good, fresh, creamy, and not greasy.
But before we get to the highlight by listing the most popular gelaterias in Rome, let's go back to the opposite sides of this tradition.
To discover the earliest traces of ice cream, we need to go back in time to ancient China. Documents have been found that testify to the use of an icy beverage similar to ice cream, prepared with milk, rice, and snow. The Chinese indulged in these delicious cold treats as early as 3000 BC, but it was only a matter of time before this discovery spread beyond the borders of China.
It was during ancient Greece that ice cream made its debut in Europe. The Greeks used honey to sweeten their frozen desserts, mixing it with fresh fruit and ice from the mountains. This delicacy was considered a privilege of the rich and noble, who could afford expensive and rare ingredients.
With the rise of the Roman Empire, ice cream also arrived in Italy. The Romans were known for their love of delicacies and they took advantage of the Greek recipes for ice cream. However, they added their personal touch: salt. By adding salt to the ice water, the Romans were able to reach even lower temperatures and create a creamier and denser ice cream.
But the evolution of ice cream did not stop there. It was during the Renaissance that ice cream underwent a significant transformation thanks to the invention of a brilliant Italian: Bernardo Buontalenti. Buontalenti, a Florentine architect and set designer, was the creator of the first modern ice cream. In 1565, during a party organized for the visit of the King of Spain, he presented the sovereign with an unprecedented creation: a creamy and delicious ice cream made with milk, honey, eggs, and fruit. This ice cream soon became a success at court and quickly spread through the streets of Florence.
The spread of ice cream in Italy was rapid. The recipes spread from Florence to Venice, Naples, and Rome, conquering the hearts and palates of all Italians. It was in Italy that the first gelaterias opened, spaces dedicated exclusively to the preparation and sale of ice cream. These gelaterias became places of meeting and pleasure, where people could taste ice cream in its various forms and experience new and exciting flavors.
From that moment on, ice cream continued to evolve, with the introduction of new flavors and preparation techniques. Over the centuries, Italians perfected the art of ice cream production, creating unique and amazing recipes that spread throughout the world.
Today, ice cream is a symbol of Italy in the world, a delicacy that is appreciated and enjoyed by millions of people. The Italian artisanal tradition in the ice cream industry has produced true ice cream masters who passionately dedicate themselves to creating authentic sweet works of art.
Modern ice cream is a testament to its ancient roots and its evolution over the centuries. It is a gustatory masterpiece that continues to delight our taste buds and make us fall in love, taking us back in time to its ancient origins, when the world first discovered the magic of ice cream.
That being said, I discovered this year that RomaToday, in collaboration with Latte Sano, a leading company in the distribution and production of fresh milk, cream, and derivatives, has launched a hashtagged contest called "A Roma ci piace" (We like it in Rome) designed to discover the best ice cream in the Capital. Until June 19th, it will be possible to vote for the finalist gelaterias of the contest on the RomaToday website. I think that beyond the contest, it's worth taking a look at the complete list of the creamiest gelaterias in the Capital.
Otaleg!
Stefano Ferrara Gelato Lab
Torcè
PICO Gelato
These are among the most popular ones, and in fact, I can give positive feedback on them.
That being said, it's worth adding my personal note at the bottom of the page about what I don't like about the ice cream concept: nothing! Actually, to tell the truth, one thing I will never understand, even though it has been explained to me, is why, when it comes to choosing flavors, that is, once the flavors have been chosen, the shop attendant waits until I have finished the list. Why? I have to say that in choosing flavors, I am a rather simple customer. My choice is always the same and the most classic one: dark chocolate, strawberry, and lemon. Every time, the same three flavors, but tried in different gelaterias or, in any case, always two fruit flavors and one cream. Let's get to the point. Imagine the situation: me standing in front of the gelato display window, confidently presenting my three flavors to the attending salesperson. Strawberry, lemon, and chocolate, my holy trinity of choices. I arrange them in this particular order because I have a preference for how they should be mounted on the gelato. Strawberry at the base, lemon next, and, of course, chocolate on top. My selection is carefully calculated. I want to relish the taste of strawberry last, allowing that inherent freshness of fruity flavors to linger in my mouth. But, no! The salesperson looks at me, patiently waiting for me to finish listing my choices, only to begin with chocolate. Alarm bells start ringing in my brain. Something has gone awry. I take a deep breath and shoot a disapproving glance at the salesperson. They explain that the harder flavors should be placed at the base, as they serve as the foundation upon which the other flavors will stand. Can you believe it? Now I've learned my lesson: I start with strawberry and lemon, and then I wait a whole five minutes, pretending to be undecided, before finally choosing chocolate.
P.S. Adding whipped cream to the gelato is but a mere fancy.