ITALY: Traditional and innovation ice makers compete to perfect Italy's gelato

Record ID: 1471887

  • Title: ITALY: Traditional and innovation ice makers compete to perfect Italy's gelato
  • Date: 2nd August 2007
  • Summary: (L!3) ROME, ITALY. (JULY 26, 2007) (REUTERS) PEOPLE BUYING ICE CREAM INSIDE ICE CREAM SHOP PEOPLE WORKING BEHIND COUNTER CONTAINERS FILLED WITH ICE-CREAM ICE CREAM BEING PUT ON A CONE GIRL EATING ICE CREAM ICE CREAM BEING GARNISHED WITH WHIPPED CREAM WAITER CARRYING ICE-CREAMS ON A TRAY
  • Embargoed: 18th August 2007 18:30
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA73POCV1Y8T449MFQCNMQYAHLB
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Traditional and innovative ice cream makers use different methods but agree the "secret" for a good gelato is fresh, natural ingredients with no chemicals.
    The warm Rome weather and slower lifestyle certainly lend themselves well to an ice cream culture with many ice cream sellers stay open until after midnight.
    The Italian gelato has a more intense flavour and denser texture than ice cream in other parts of the world, and it is also generally lower in calories and fat than its American counterpart.
    The heir of one of Italy's ice cream dynasties said ice cream is eaten differently in Italy as in people eat it out and not buying to bring home.
    This means that no preservatives are needed allowing for the freshest ingredients to be used.
    Nazzareno Giolitti is one of the current owners of Giolitti, a traditional and extremely popular gelateria, has been at its present site near parliament since 1930. Giolitti was brought up in the family ice cream business.
    "We came to Rome around the year 1870 together with French Army who wanted to chase the Pope away from Rome. We provided food, we had the cows, we made the milk, that was our job." he said "We fell in love with the town and decide to settle down here."
    Nazzareno started off as a child, helping his mother to sort out chocolate chips. He does not regret it, and hopes his 15-year-old son will soon be part of the fifth generation to continue the business.
    The Giolitti kitchen, filled with the smell of ripe cantaloupe melons being peeled and sliced, still contains the same machines used by Giolitti's grandfather.
    The history of San Crispino, another worthy contender for the title of best gelato maker in Rome, is much shorter. Pasquale Alongi and his brother opened their first store just fifteen years ago.
    "We were not professional ice cream makers when we started, and instead of learning from who was already in the field, we made like those who first started, thinking let's try with the milk, let's try with the sugar," Alongi said.
    San Crispino has introduced less traditional flavours into the market.
    Their signature flavour, 'Il gelato di San Crispino' is flavoured with honey from a nature reserve in Sardinia.
    Other unusual ingredients include ginger and cinnamon, and chocolate meringue, which is based on a Northern Italian specialty consisting of a meringue filled with cream and covered in chocolate.
    "We refuse the law of economy stating that we are supposed to produce what the market asks for, we offer what we like, and until now people like it too," Alongi said.
    "So, we reversed this situation, we are presumptuous, we don't want suggestions." he added.
    Giolitti and Alongi both insist that there is no secret to making good ice cream, but that the key to success lies in what goes in. "There's no magic trick for it, there's no secret ingredient, our secret is the choice of the primary products and our determination in making ice creams with genuine elements and not prefabricated tastes,"
    said Giolitti.
    Alongi said his priority was "top quality ingredients, with no cost-cutting".
    Freshness is also crucial, both receive ingredients and produce ice cram daily.
    Both ice cream producers want to spread their brand's fame outside of Rome. Giolitti has opened outlets in South Korea, Denmark, and Connecticut, USA. San Crispino has no branches abroad but recently opened one in Rome airport.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register