L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS into deeper, more interactive r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h t h e d e s s e r t ; w a l k s l i k e t h e D e s s e r t W a l k i n g T o u r w i t h G e l a t o T a s t i n g s guide visitors through gela- t e r i e a n d h i s t o r i c p a s t r y shops, combining narrative and discovery along the way. Small-group gelato-making c l a s s e s o f f e r y e t a n o t h e r layer, with visitors stepping behind the counter, learning t o c h u r n t h e i r o w n , t h e n tasting the results. T h i s e x p e r i e n t i a l s h i f t coexists with the city's most iconic gelaterie. Places like Perché No! (since 1939), Arà è Sicilia (with its dis- tinctive Sicilian flavors), and Vivoli (established in 1929) have dazzled tourists long before craft tours became trendy, also thanks to their c r e a t i v i t y – s e s a m e o r matcha at Perché No!, for example, or jasmine at Arà. While Florence teaches appreciation, Bologna is w h e r e g e l a t o b e c o m e s a structured discipline. The Carpigiani Gelato Uni- versity, established in 2003 in Anzola dell'Emilia, focuses on the professionalization of gelato-making. Each year, m o r e t h a n 7 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e , from hobbyists to restaura- teurs, take part in courses t h a t r e v e a l t h e s c i e n c e b e h i n d f a t r a t i o s , s u g a r chemistry, vegan bases, and pasteurization. Many public Tourist Classes are designed for visitors: three-hour ses- sions that include a Gelato Museum tour, a hands-on lab, a gelato recipe booklet, and the opportunity to taste freshly made flavors, all for around €40 ($43). The adja- c e n t G e l a t o M u s e u m C a r p i g i a n i c e l e b r a t e s frozen dessert history with vintage machines, posters, and recipe books, with guid- ed visits typically ending in the testing room, where cre- ations such as Parmigiano gelato and balsamic-pineap- ple sorbet can be enjoyed. This bridging of science and taste is also present in Bologna's artisan scene. Self- guided gelato maps lead visi- tors under the city's porti- coes to some standout shops: at Cremeria Santo Ste- f a n o , pistachio is stone- ground on-site and made into richly textured gelato, alongside rotating flavors f e a t u r i n g s i n g l e - o r i g i n chocolates and herbs, while Sorbetteria Castiglione offers artisanal blends like r i c o t t a - p e a r s f o l d e d i n t o aged Sangiovese reduction. B o t h e a r n a c c l a i m f r o m guides like Gambero Rosso, which awards both of them a Tre Coni rating. You won't find creativity and innova- tion only in historical cre- m e r i e o r i n u n i v e r s i t y , though; in Bologna, even n e i g h b o r h o o d b a r s n o w o f f e r m i n i g e l a t o c o n e s a l o n g s i d e a p e r i t i v o , a demonstration that the city h a s e m b r a c e d i n n o v a t i v e ways of offering it in more than one way. D o w n S o u t h i n s u n n y Sicily, it feels like learning gelato's native language, one spoken casually, instinctive- ly, and without too much overthinking. Here, frozen desserts are part of the day, part of the landscape: in Palermo, you can eat almond granita for breakfast, served in a glass with a soft brioche, and no one bats an eye; in Messina, granita is still made by hand e a r l y i n t h e m o r n i n g , scraped into glass bowls and eaten before the heat sets in. E l s e w h e r e , g e l a t o g e t s tucked into a warm bun and passed across the counter w i t h t h e s a m e r o u t i n e rhythm as an espresso. But for visitors, that very ordi- n a r i n e s s h a s b e c o m e t h e attraction, if it's true that, in r e c e n t y e a r s , g e l a t o a n d granita have made their way into the itineraries of food tours across the island. In Palermo, some guides walk you from the markets where the pistachios, citrus, and almonds are sold directly to the gelaterie that use them. Others include short tastings o f f l a v o r s l i k e j a s m i n e o r mulberry, or invite you to watch as granita is mixed and chilled right in front of you. In Noto, Caffè Sicilia h a s b e c o m e a q u i e t l a n d - mark thanks to its owner, C o r r a d o A s s e n z a . H i s gelato, like his pastries, is built around ingredients that are close by and in season: a l m o n d m i l k s t i r r e d w i t h wildflower honey, lemons, jasmine. Don't expect grand s t o r i e s b e h i n d A s s e n z a ' s work, just careful attention t o d e t a i l a n d a r e f u s a l t o o v e r c o m p l i c a t e w h a t ' s already good. The truth is that, today, gelato is no longer a simple way to cool off on a hot day o r i n d u l g e i n s o m e t h i n g sweet and creamy: it crosses t h e b o u n d a r i e s b e t w e e n street food, fine dining, edu- cation, and tourism, and it's expanding its role, becoming a reason to travel, a subject t o s t u d y , a p l a t f o r m f o r regional identity, while still remaining a little pleasure you can hold in your hand. In doing so, gelato is gaining a new kind of cultural weight without losing the immedia- cy that made it beloved in the first place. W h i l e I t a l y m o v e s t h r o u g h a n o t h e r J u b i l e e year, and travelers through the country for reasons both sacred and secular, gelato is there too: softening the heat, slowing down your day for a moment, and reminding us t h a t r e i n v e n t i o n d o e s n ' t h a v e t o m e a n f o r g e t t i n g where you started. In 2024, Italy's gelato sector generated nearly €3 billion ($3.3 billion) in revenue, with more than 600 million servings sold. The country now counts over 39,000 dedicated gelato outlets and employs more than 100,000 people in the sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 A traditional ice cream cart (Photo: Marktucan/Dreamstime) A delicious granita Siciliana with its unmissable "brioche col tuppo," both a staple of the summer months (Photo: Sverni/Dreamstime)

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