AC and I recently ventured to Northern Italy for 10 days of culture, architecture ... okay, who are we kidding, FOOD.
While we probably saw no fewer than 30 gothic and romanesque churches, palaces, and other medieval structures, it was our meals that ruled the course of each day. And certainly, the Italian creation of creamy gelato was a must in each city. So once we had our fill of savories, the hunt was on for some something sweet. One of the coolest things about shopping for gelato is that the list of flavors is always different from shop to shop. There are some you can always count on: pistachio (more on that later), bacio, chocolate, fiordilatte, and others. But each place will always throw you a few curve balls. There's even a place in Venice that offers off-the-wall choices like artichoke gelato (?). The unknown makes the hunt for the best gelato that much more exciting.
Because there is only so much we can cram into our stomachs, we decided we would only eat the best gelato available, so we found ourselves checking things out at many gelaterias and moving on. The lesson here: Not all gelato is created equal. If you're the type who doesn't want to waste a single calorie on mediocre gelato (like us), you would be wise to ignore those travelers and guide books that tell you: "It doesn't matter where you go, all the gelato is amazing."
Not true. At all.
Now, we don't profess to be experts on this topic, but we learned quickly a couple of major things to look for in shopping for a gelateria. First of all, if you're in a heavily touristy area, such as Florence's Ponte Vecchio, that's usually a sign that the frozen treat is made to accommodate sheer volume, not discerning, gourmet palates. Another key giveaway along those lines is that the volume businesses pile the gelato in these enormous unsightly mounds, like a foot high, again to keep the product stocked for hundreds of tourists funnelling through the high-traffic areas. And let's be honest, a huge mound of frozen treat does not look A. at all tasty and B. clean or safe. We imagined little ice crystals forming at the top of the mound of the flavors that weren't getting as much love such as the fake pistachio.
And speaking of fake pistachio, as you're approaching the gelateria (most places are semi-exposed to the street so you don't have to commit to going inside before checking out their creations), make sure to get a good look at the pistachio. Even if you don't usually go for it, the color of the pistachio will tell you right away if the establishment is worth patronizing. If the gelato is between olive green and brown in color, you know it was made with the love and care of a professional; if it's lime green, it's just a bunch of flavoring and food coloring, and you should run for the hills. You can then extrapolate this methodology to the other flavors. Amarena will explode with fresh cherry flavor, and the chocolate will be a deep, rich flavor. This worked for us every time.
That's not to say finding excellent gelato was easy. Many places are of the huge-mound and lime-green pistachio variety, especially on the beaten paths. But when you find a place that passes all of our tests, you'll be glad you did your homework.
Our favorites: AC enjoyed the creations of Veneta Gelateria in Lucca, a very small, walled town in Tuscany. We had viewed a few gelaterias with no success until we turned on a quiet street (it's always a quiet street where you find the best stuff, eh?), and we stopped in. One of our favorite flavors is fiordilatte, or ice milk, a flavor akin to sweet cream. Here we also tried a pineapple with pignoli (pine nuts), a pear sorbet and Spagnola, a rum and cherry mixture, which reigns as one of our top gelato discoveries.
Nannini: In Siena, Alessandro Nannini is known for his magnificent pastries and old-fashioned coffee and gourmet shops. After a long hike through the stone-paved city, we were excited to come across a Nannini gelateria. Though it was mobbed, we had a feeling this shop would be a winner. And once I saw there was banana, I was committed to ordering some gelato (for those who are keeping score, the banana was off white, not yellow). I paired that with dark chocolate, creating the most profound gelato combination I have ever had. We went on to Venice and Milan after two days in Siena, but sadly, came across no more banana gelato. What gives?
If you'll be traveling to Lucca or Siena, try out these capital gelaterias:
Veneta Gelateria
Via Vittorio Veneto, 74, 55100
Lucca, Italy
+39 0583 467037
Nannini
Via Banchi di Sopra 99
Siena, Italy
—AKC
