When the scorching summer sun comes to town, Philadelphians have traditionally reached for an ice-cold cup of water ice to cool off. And while water ice continues to be a popular summertime treat, there is a new summer specialty in town and its name is gelato.
The name may sound familiar to you. In our region, alternating layers of water ice and soft serve ice cream have been sold as “gelati” for years. This “gelati” bears little resemblance to the true Italian gelato that is slowly establishing itself as one of Philly’s favorite foods.
True Italian gelato is like ice cream, with a few major differences. First, gelato is never served frozen solid the way ice cream is. When you eat a spoon full of frozen ice cream, the first thing you taste is cold. Only after the ice cream melts in your mouth do you get to appreciate the flavor. With gelato, it is always served a little melted so that you taste the flavor of the gelato the moment it touches your tongue.
Second, unlike ice cream, no air is infused into gelato. Ice cream is made with up to 40% air, making the cream lighter but also diluting the flavor. Gelato is made without the infusion of air, making a denser, more flavorful dessert.
Despite being denser, gelato is much lower in fat than ice cream. This may seem hard to believe, but it is true. Gelato has less fat than ice cream! Even still, gelato is a very heavy treat, which is why it is traditionally served with tiny plastic shovels and not big spoons. Gelato is not to be eaten in mass quantities like a glutton but enjoyed slowly like a connoisseur.
In order to enjoy good gelato, you must find a good gelateria, which is the Italian name for a store that specializes in selling gelato. A good gelateria makes their own gelato, using only the highest quality and freshest ingredients. In Philadelphia, we are lucky to have two gelato masters among us, in addition to a handful of very good gelaterias.
The gelato masters are Stephanie Reitano of Capogiro and Pietro D’Abbraccio of Café Toscano. Both Reitano and D’Abbraccio learned their craft back in Italy and offer Philadelphians true Italian gelato. By using top quality, fresh ingredients, both Reitano and D’Abbraccio create a cold, creamy treat that is simply stunning.
Stephanie Reitano of Capogiro is the current darling of the Philadelphia food world. Not only is she a true artisan but whenever possible she uses locally grown ingredients in her gelato, bringing well deserved respect to our locally grown fruits and vegetables. In addition, her husband John runs the Capogiro business with the style and vision of a major corporation. Their two locations in Philadelphia offer visitors a stylish retreat from the bustle of the busy day while serving up one of the most deliciously cool treats in town.
Over at Café Toscano, Pietro D’Abbraccio makes more traditional flavors such as Baba Rum and Panna Cotta and sells them to tourists just around the corner from the Liberty Bell. Unfortunately, many Philadelphians deliberately avoid the traffic and congestion near the Liberty Bell, which means they miss out on D'Abbraccio's hand crafted gelato. With any luck, D'Abbraccio will be opening a new location in South Philadelphia, making his gelato available to those who live in Philadelphia, not just to those who visit.
Both Capogiro and Café Toscano are huge additions to Philadelphia’s food scene, but they aren’t the only places in town where gelato is sold. Traditional cafes such as Café Varallo and Anthony’s Italian Coffee House make gelato available in the summer months, as do the DiBruno Brothers in Center City. Across the region, other gelaterias keep opening up and every year brings new artisans to the scene.
If you are unfamiliar with gelato or haven’t tasted it since your last trip to Italy, stop by Capogiro or Café Toscano or one of the city’s other gelaterias. Savor the fresh, creamy flavors. Appreciate the skill that went into making each batch. But most of all enjoy a unique and delicious treat that we’re lucky to have in our area.
The name may sound familiar to you. In our region, alternating layers of water ice and soft serve ice cream have been sold as “gelati” for years. This “gelati” bears little resemblance to the true Italian gelato that is slowly establishing itself as one of Philly’s favorite foods.
True Italian gelato is like ice cream, with a few major differences. First, gelato is never served frozen solid the way ice cream is. When you eat a spoon full of frozen ice cream, the first thing you taste is cold. Only after the ice cream melts in your mouth do you get to appreciate the flavor. With gelato, it is always served a little melted so that you taste the flavor of the gelato the moment it touches your tongue.
Second, unlike ice cream, no air is infused into gelato. Ice cream is made with up to 40% air, making the cream lighter but also diluting the flavor. Gelato is made without the infusion of air, making a denser, more flavorful dessert.
Despite being denser, gelato is much lower in fat than ice cream. This may seem hard to believe, but it is true. Gelato has less fat than ice cream! Even still, gelato is a very heavy treat, which is why it is traditionally served with tiny plastic shovels and not big spoons. Gelato is not to be eaten in mass quantities like a glutton but enjoyed slowly like a connoisseur.
In order to enjoy good gelato, you must find a good gelateria, which is the Italian name for a store that specializes in selling gelato. A good gelateria makes their own gelato, using only the highest quality and freshest ingredients. In Philadelphia, we are lucky to have two gelato masters among us, in addition to a handful of very good gelaterias.
The gelato masters are Stephanie Reitano of Capogiro and Pietro D’Abbraccio of Café Toscano. Both Reitano and D’Abbraccio learned their craft back in Italy and offer Philadelphians true Italian gelato. By using top quality, fresh ingredients, both Reitano and D’Abbraccio create a cold, creamy treat that is simply stunning.
Stephanie Reitano of Capogiro is the current darling of the Philadelphia food world. Not only is she a true artisan but whenever possible she uses locally grown ingredients in her gelato, bringing well deserved respect to our locally grown fruits and vegetables. In addition, her husband John runs the Capogiro business with the style and vision of a major corporation. Their two locations in Philadelphia offer visitors a stylish retreat from the bustle of the busy day while serving up one of the most deliciously cool treats in town.
Over at Café Toscano, Pietro D’Abbraccio makes more traditional flavors such as Baba Rum and Panna Cotta and sells them to tourists just around the corner from the Liberty Bell. Unfortunately, many Philadelphians deliberately avoid the traffic and congestion near the Liberty Bell, which means they miss out on D'Abbraccio's hand crafted gelato. With any luck, D'Abbraccio will be opening a new location in South Philadelphia, making his gelato available to those who live in Philadelphia, not just to those who visit.
Both Capogiro and Café Toscano are huge additions to Philadelphia’s food scene, but they aren’t the only places in town where gelato is sold. Traditional cafes such as Café Varallo and Anthony’s Italian Coffee House make gelato available in the summer months, as do the DiBruno Brothers in Center City. Across the region, other gelaterias keep opening up and every year brings new artisans to the scene.
If you are unfamiliar with gelato or haven’t tasted it since your last trip to Italy, stop by Capogiro or Café Toscano or one of the city’s other gelaterias. Savor the fresh, creamy flavors. Appreciate the skill that went into making each batch. But most of all enjoy a unique and delicious treat that we’re lucky to have in our area.
