by Sheryl Borden Gelato in Italy
I recently had the opportunity to tour the entire country of Italy! Not only was it wonderful to see the cathedrals, buildings, sculptures, painting, etc., I also enjoyed trying new foods and finding out how to make some of them.
My all time favorite new food is really not new – but it seemed to taste better sitting in a little outside café in some city in Italy surrounded by history!
This food I’m talking about is Gelato or “their” version of homemade ice cream. After I returned from my trip, I purchased a cookbook titled “Gelato!” by Pamela Sheldon Johns. The reason I bought this particular cookbook is because when I was in Florence, I ordered gelati at Vivoli, and while visiting with the clerks, they showed me an article in this cookbook about their store! In fact, their pictures are included with the article about how the father-daughter duo preside over the laboratorio, or workshop, while the mother and another daughter work the counter. Vivoli is quite well-known in the gelati-business, and I can say “first hand,” I believe I enjoyed the best gelati of all from Vivoli’s.
Gelati and its fruit-based cousins, sorbetti and granite, are richer than ordinary ice creams and sherberts, yet less fattening and sweet.
For Italians, pausing to enjoy a scoop of intensely flavored, velvety gelato is a favorite pastime that requires no special occasion. Even as a tourist in their country, we looked for opportunities to try this delicious taste treat in each town we toured. Each proprietor uses only premium ingredients and age-old techniques to handcraft the world’s best ice cream.
As with most foods in Italy, each region has its own special flavors and interpretations. Many offer seasonal specialties and family recipes that have been handed down for generations. And, even though we are now into Fall, the weather is still quite warm here in the southwest, so I’ve enjoyed making this delicious treat at home – and my family is enjoying it as well! The following recipe was one of my favorites. Nicciola, or hazelnut, is a classic Italian gelato flavor. The nuts are grown in Turkey, Spain, Greece, the United States, and Italy. The preferred variety is tonda delle Langhe, from Piedmont, full of fragrance and long-lasting flavor. Too bad the gelati doesn’t last that long.
1/2 cup (4 oz.) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned HAZELNUT GELATO
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy creamIn a food processor, combine the hazelnuts with 1/3 cup of the sugar and grind until fine. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and salt. Add the ground hazelnuts and heat the mixture over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Return to a saucepan and heat until bubbles form again.
In a blender or food processor, beat the remaining sugar and egg yolks together until very thick. With the machine running, gradually add the hot milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and set the pan in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes to cool the mixture. Stir in the cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 1 1/2 quarts; serves 6.
Eating gelato, like drinking espresso, is a favorite Italian pastime. It is an opportunity to linger for conversation and people-watching, and a way to cool down from summer’s unrelenting heat. In southern Italy, gelato is even eaten for breakfast, served in a fresh brioche with a steaming cup of rich, black coffee!
You know, maybe we could interest more people in having breakfast in this country if gelato was included. Enjoy!
Sheryl Borden is the Producer and host of the PBS series, Creative Living with Sheryl Borden. Celebrating its 23rd year, the magazine-formatted "how-to" show is produced by KENW-TV in Portales, New Mexico and is carried in 40 states and 100 markets. It airs on KENW (Channel 3) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon, Tuesday evenings at 9:30 PM, and on Saturdays at 2 PM.
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