A Life Worth Eating

Is there any image more evocative of la dolce vita of Italy than licking a cone of delicious gelato? Honestly, I’m not sure there is. I was lucky enough to spend nine weeks traveling all around Italy this past summer, and I had more than my fair share of gelato. 45 different gelaterie, 102 scoops of gelato, and 7 cups of granita, to be exact. During this, the first of three installments (see here and here), I’ll be sharing all of the tastiest frozen discoveries I made as I worked my way up the boot. That way, wherever and whenever you happen to find yourself in Italy, you will know a fantastic cone of gelato is never too far away. Enjoy!

PALERMO

I started in a city so far south that it is closer to Tunisia than to Rome. Palermo, Sicily was one of my favorite cities that I visited on this trip. Often considered to be the most conquered city in the world, its culture, its language, and its cuisine are completely unique. A beautiful amalgamation of Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Spanish, Norman, Muslim and Arab influences, there is no place like it.

I began my first walk in the city the same way I always do, in search of some food. It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon Antica Gelateria Lucchese, Piazza San Domenico 11. As you will soon see, pistacchio is the base flavor on which I rate a given gelateria (not unlike ordering pizza margherita to evaluate a pizzeria). This first cup of gelato in Italy certainly did not disappoint. Very creamy, and served neither too cold nor too warm, there was just the right amount of resistance as swept my small gelato spoon across the top to scoop up each delicious bite. This was a great introduction to real Italian gelato. I liked it so much, in fact, that I returned the next day before a lunch of pane cu’ meusa (no trip to Palermo is complete without one) to sample another distinctly Sicilian specialty, granita alle mandorle, or almond granita. While the consistency of this frozen treat varies from place to place, Italian granita is a far cry from the rock-hard snow-cone-like impostors I’d had before. If you have never been to Italy, you have never had granita. Period. One taste of this wonderful treat and you will quickly understand why the combination of granita and brioche is the Sicilian breakfast of champions.

During the rest of my time in Palermo, I was also able to sample the various locations of Spinnato. This place is clearly an institution in the city. Open since 1860, they now have five different stores, each with a slightly different focus, ranging from arancini to pasta reale to, of course, gelato. Having had something from four of those five locations now, I can definitely vouch for their consistency when it comes to both sweet and savory treats. The first gelato I tried was from Spinnato “Al Pinguino”, on Via Ruggiero Settimo 86. I had one of Sicily’s greatest gifts to mankind — the real ice cream sandwich. A fresh, golden brioche roll filled with pistacchio, fior di latte, and cassata siciliana. Believe me, it tasted as incredible as it sounds. The gelato was creamy; the brioche roll was buttery and eggy. The pistachio had a roasted-nut flavor that was very nice, the fior di latte tasted milky and fresh, and the tiny bits of candied fruit in the cassata siciliana were sweet without being cloying. A few days later, I went to Antico Caffè Spinnato on Via Principe di Belmonte 117 for another briosce con gelato, this time with just the pistacchio and cassata sicliana flavors. Maybe it being my last day in Palermo made it that much sweeter, but this was some wonderful gelato once again.

And now, friends, I will reveal a place that is very special to me. Pasticceria Alba, located in Piazza Don Bosco 7/c, is basically my idea of heaven. I literally cannot say enough good things about it. I’m going to go out on a limb here and declare it the best bakery/gelateria/bar I’ve ever been to. A bold claim, I know, but at some point I will should probably devote an entire post to the place, to tell about the fresh, hot arancina con spinaci e besciamella I tried, and the slice of cassata siciliana, and the cold, sweet and refreshing latte di mandorla. For now, though, let me talk about the gelato. A moment of silence, please, for this incredible treat… I can say, without ANY hesitation, that this is the finest gelato I’ve tasted in my life. A cone with two ridiculously delicious flavors, pistacchio di Bronte and Il Siciliano (mandorle siciliane e pistacchi di Bronte). Words cannot describe the flavor, but I’ll try. The pistachio had a distinctly roasted flavor, tasting of the purest natural essence of the nut, rather than any color or flavor additives. Il Siciliano was a wonderful symphony of flavors and textures. The slight bitterness of the Sicilian almonds, countered by the sweetness of the tiniest shards of candied almonds and pistachios. The perfectly creamy texture of the gelato was countered by the tiny intermittent crunches from chunks of roasted almond and pistachio. I was practically brought to tears it was so good. If you are simply looking for my recommendation for the best gelato in Italy, you can stop reading right now and go book your tickets to Palermo. If you ever find yourself in this city, or anywhere near it for that matter, this place undoubtedly warrants a special trip. It was only quickly mentioned in passing through my old Fodor’s guidebook, but this place is now bolded, underlined, and starred in my book, that’s for sure. Hands-down, the best food experience of a week spent eating quite well in Palermo.

NAPLES & POSITANO

In a city I visited mainly for the pizza, I still managed to find some good gelato. Much of what I sampled in the city was disappointing, especially given the wonderful gelato I’d had in Palermo. But Gay Odin on Via Croce 61 was definitely a standout. I had a cone of pistacchio and fior di latte. Both were ridiculously creamy. Served just a bit too warm, perhaps, as the picture shows. But wonderful flavor and great texture. The best I had in the area by a long shot.

Honestly, the beautiful Amalfi coast wasn’t really my cup of tea. Strikingly beautiful surroundings, no doubt, but so heavily touristed that at times it seems less like Italy and more like Disneyland. Making a few day-trips down from Naples, I spent time first in Sorrento on the way to Capri, later in Amalfi, and finally in Positano. It was in this last city that I made a delicious discovery. In an area famous worldwide for its wonderful lemons, it should have come as no surprise that there was fantastic granita di limone to be had there. My directions to find it are simple: from the main superstrada, slowly wander down Via Cristoforo Colombo, taking in the beautiful views along the way, then look for people crowding around a street cart piled high with huge lemons. This is it. Ask for a cup of refreshing granita, hand over your €1, and enjoy. Maybe I could used to this place, after all. The flavr was bright, tart, and sweet. If there is a better companion for a warm summer afternoon overlooking the cliffs of the Amalfi coast, I certainly don’t know it.