Ice cream flavours nowadays are quite complex on a technical level, especially for skilled ice cream makers. From tropical drinks to modern takes on traditional desserts, as well as sorbets featuring exotic fermented products and granitas infused with premium spirits, there's a diverse range of intriguing flavors to explore from Turin to Palermo. While classic flavours with a subtle alcoholic twist, such as trifle and eggnog, are making a comeback, some ice cream makers are taking it a step further, creating small trends. They are crafting creams, sorbets, and granitas using local spirits, wines, as well as fermented products from around the world, and summer-inspired beverages. Here we have selected a few options across Italy.
Granite al gin e amari — Gelato Amico, Turin
For 11 years, Marco Benenati from the Gelateria Amico in Turin has been serving his ice cream in Turin without any ingredients of animal origin or gluten. This summer, he decided to add some excitement to the evenings at the ice cream shop by offering an assortment of four flavors of granita on Friday and Saturday evenings. These granitas are perfect for an aperitif or after dinner, as they are based on ever-changing gin and bitters.
Mojito — La Gelateria della Musica, Milan
Fabio Brigliadoro from the Gelateria della Musica in Milan creates his unique flavors by drawing inspiration from songs, rhythms, or popular hits. For instance, Elettra Lamborghini inspired a combination of white chocolate, chopped almonds, muscovado sugar, and biscuits with a touch of rum. Another notable creation is the Mojito ice cream, a summer classic made with lime, fresh mint, cane sugar, and rum.
Frutta e liquori pregiati (Fruits and Liquor) — Cremeria Capolinea, Reggio Emilia
At the two Cremeria Capolinea sales points in Reggio Emilia, you can discover unique offerings that go beyond traditional ice cream cocktails and simple affogatos. They feature artisanal ice creams infused with a generous amount of high-quality liqueurs and spirits, with a different special flavor available every month throughout the summer. Some examples include strawberry, almonds, and Haitian rum Clairin; raspberry, rosemary, and Neve Terrae gin; coconut, lime, and Veritas Caribbean rum; and mango, basil, and Savanna rum.
Vino schietto e ciambelline al finocchietto (Wine & Fennel Donut) — Otaleg! - Rome
Marco Radicioni from the Gelateria Otaleg! in Rome, has already shared his love for the traditional snack made with peaches and wine. He enjoys experimenting with different ingredients, such as using 'pure wine' from Cerveteri and making fennel-flavored donuts to complement the alcoholic flavor. This unique flavor is available at the Trastevere ice cream shop, along with the more traditional chocolate and rum flavors. Additionally, the Monteverde branch always has zabaglione available with Marsala Riserva Florio 1840.
Piña Colada — Gelato d’Essai, Rome
Geppy Sferra, the founder of Gelato d'Essai (which has various shops in the capital), has a strong technical background in ice cream making. This enables him to create ice cream flavors with lower sugar content and to explore using alcoholic bases. This summer, he is working on a new flavor inspired by the Piña Colada, the famous Caribbean cocktail made with rum, pineapple, and coconut cream.
GELATO LAMPONE e CAMPARI - Cremeria delle Erbe Genoa
The Gelateria famous for its production of high quality artisanal ice cream Cremeria delle Erbe in Genoa takes great rigor in the choice of raw materials, combined with the many years of experience, passion and creativity of the Master Ice Cream Maker Mario Rivaro. Among the numerous exclusive flavors, the following stand out: FrescoLatte with the flavor of freshly milked milk, Il Noccioloso a round gentle three-lobed hazelnut variegated with a gianduia stracciatella, Whole Pistachio from Sicily, Black Forest Ayacucho Dark Chocolate, super Black Dark Chocolate, fruit, the unsurpassed semifreddos such as Torta Sacher, Sacripantina, Panera, Tarte Tatin di Mele, Strudel, Crema ai Canestrelli and many others. And the Campari Rasberry Gelato is a dream!
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