The Gelato Guide: How to Find (and Order) One More Scoop

Of all the things Puffin likes to stretch out, a summer evening with a cone in hand is near the top of the list. There is something about the slow walk, the dripping edges and the debate over flavours that makes time behave differently. So when we told him we were writing a gelato guide, he insisted on doing „research“. Many cups later, here it is.

Gelato vs ice cream: what’s the difference?

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, but Italian-style gelato tends to differ from many other ice creams in a few ways:

• Less fat: gelato generally uses more milk and less cream, so the flavours taste brighter and cleaner.
• Less air: it is churned more slowly, so it is denser and silkier.
• Served warmer: gelato is kept at a slightly higher temperature, which makes it softer and lets the flavour come through more quickly.

That is why a good gelato feels smooth and almost elastic on the spatula, rather than hard and icy.

How to spot good gelato

Not all gelaterias are equal, and a few clues help you choose wisely.

Look at the colours

Natural ingredients give natural colours. Real pistachio gelato is a muted, slightly brownish olive green, not bright neon. Banana should be pale and creamy, not bright yellow. Mint made with real mint is usually white, not electric green. If the display looks like a box of highlighter pens, be suspicious.

Look at the height

Giant, sculpted mountains of gelato piled way above the tins look impressive, but they often rely on extra stabilisers and air. Good gelato is usually level with the tin or just slightly above.

Look for covered tins

Some of the most traditional gelaterias keep their gelato in deep, round metal tins with lids, called pozzetti. You cannot see the gelato at all until they open the lid. It looks less flashy, but it protects the gelato from air and light and keeps it at an even temperature. If you see a row of shiny lids and a short menu, you may have found a gem.

Check the seasons

A gelateria that changes its fruit flavours through the year, strawberry in early summer, fig and peach later, chestnut in autumn, is usually working with fresh produce.

The classic flavours

• Pistachio: the benchmark. Many people judge a gelateria by its pistachio, and Sicilian pistachios from around Bronte are especially prized.
• Nocciola: hazelnut, toasty and rich. Hazelnuts from Piedmont are famous.
• Stracciatella: milk gelato with thin shards of chocolate, created in Bergamo in the early 1960s.
• Fior di latte: „flower of milk“, a pure, simple milk flavour. A great test of quality, because there is nowhere to hide.
• Cioccolato fondente: dark chocolate, deep and intense.
• Limone: lemon sorbetto, wonderfully refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Ordering etiquette

Ordering gelato in Italy is easy and friendly, but a few habits help:

• Pay first, sometimes. In busier places you pay at the till, get a receipt, then take it to the counter and choose. In smaller ones you just order directly.
• Cup or cone? A coppetta is a cup, a cono is a cone. Cups are tidier for walking; cones are more fun.
• Choose by size, not by scoop. Sizes are usually priced by size rather than scoops, and even the small one often lets you pick two flavours. Larger sizes allow three.
• Pair wisely. Nut flavours go well together; fruit sorbets go well together. Mixing lemon with hazelnut is allowed, but the staff may raise an eyebrow.
• Panna? You may be offered whipped cream on top. It is lovely on chocolate.
• Taste first. In many gelaterias it is fine to ask for a little taste on a tiny spoon before deciding. Just do not taste ten flavours with a queue behind you.

„I never ask for a big scoop. I ask for a small one. Then, later, nah… just one more small one. It lasts longer that way.“ – Puffin

Puffin’s „one more scoop“ rule

Puffin’s approach to gelato is the same as his approach to sunsets and night trains: never rush, and save the best for the encore. His rule goes like this:

• First cup: a classic, to judge the place. Pistachio or fior di latte.
• The walk: eat it slowly while wandering. Find a fountain, a bench, a view.
• The return: if it was good, go back for one more small cup, this time with the most unusual seasonal flavour on the menu.

Two small cups, one long evening. It is not about having more. It is about having the moment twice. He tells the full story of his most memorable cone in his diary entry One More Scoop.

Puffin’s tip: the evening passeggiata, the slow early-evening stroll many Italian towns take, is the best time for gelato. Join the crowd, walk at their pace, and let the cone drip a little. Stay a little longer.