On summer evenings, the Italian gelateria (ice cream shop) is the busiest part of town. The shop teems with people inspecting the mounds of gelato on display, choosing their favourites, deciding which two or three to sample tonight (that’s right, you can get THREE flavours in one cone!). Outside, the pavement is blocked with locals congregated to eat their ice cream, or just to hang out. You might run into a relative or a friend here and stop for a chat. Whatever else you’re doing, treating yourself to an ice cream is an important part of the evening.
So you can experience a bit of the magic, here are twenty of the most common ice cream flavours (gusti). Which would you choose?
1. Panna (cream): also known as Fior di Latte, this plain ice-cream is a hit with adults and children alike
2. Cioccolato: good old chocolate. Sometimes this comes in two versions, cioccolato and cioccolato fondente (extra dark chocolate)
3. Limone: fresh, tangy lemon flavour is perfect for hot summer days (and nights)
4. Pistacchio: another favourite, look out for the home-made version with real nuts
5. Zuppa Inglese: the title translates literally as ‘English soup’ but the flavour is more like custard. It gets its name from an Italian dessert which is thought to be inspired by English trifle
6. Bacio: the name means kiss, and bacio is a mixture of hazlenut and chocolate…yum!
7. Frutti di bosco (fruits of the forest): a mixture of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries
8. Caffè: for lovers of espresso and cappuccino here is the dessert version
9. Pesca: fruity peach flavour tastes just like the real thing
10. Crema: Italian crema is a pale yellow colour and more like custard than cream. This is the frozen version
11. Fragola: Quite different from the pale pink, creamy versions of strawberry. This one has the deep pink colour of crushed strawberries
12. Cocco: White, creamy and very coconutty
13. Stracciatella: chocolate chip
14. Banana: Italians divide ice cream flavours into two groups: creme (creamy flavours) and frutte (fruit flavours). Banana lies somewhere between the two – fruity and creamy at the same time
15. Amarena: Plain ice cream with swirls of cherry sauce
16. Menta: bright green colour, fresh minty taste
17. Melone: Another super-fruity flavour. Like eating a fresh, sweet melon straight out of the fridge
18. Ricotta stregata: literally ‘bewitched ricotta’ (a type of cheese). Ricotta stregata is softer than normal gelato, because it actually contains ricotta. Definitely one to try if you fancy something different
19. Liquirizia: I’ve never tried liquorice flavour. I’m curious, but there’s always so much else to choose
20. Nocciola: Hazlenut – my favourite!
Is ice cream popular where you live? What’s your favourite flavour?
Read more:
The cappuccino rule: fact or fiction?
Patat frites: a popular snack in the Netherlands
Summer rituals in New Zealand
Cioccolato fondente for me, anytime…
Wow, this makes my mouth water. When we went to Italy, I remember, we had ordered 6 different flavours. They were served to us in a small box with 6 cups decorated inside – yummy!!
How is it possible to choose one????? I want them all!
yea i agree, they make us feel a child again, awesome. i’s blend em all and devour lol
haha I have been known to eat one per day… that way you can easily try them all in a week!
It’s the middle of winter where I am right now, but I still want a scoop of bacio.
Cioccolato and Limone are my favourites.. every summer I try Bacio but I just haven’t acquired the taste yet – I find it really strong!
Pistachio ice creamin Italy is divine!!!!
i like he flavoures of ice-cream
sup everyone hahhaha
hello my real name is joe