Gelato al Limone

After a strenuous session with the cute though slightly smelly kiné, I decided to stop by my favorite Italian traiteur for a little caffè. One thing led to another and when Francesco proposed a taste of the freshly made (by a Chinese dude might I add) pistachio gelato, I gave in without much hesitation. I don’t usually like pistachio or any nut unless it’s in the form of Nutella, but when it’s gelato and it’s free, I do not say no.

I should have remembered that my food-willpower is really quite below average. After tasting the fresh, creamy non-nutty pistachio gelato, I had to spring for a trio of lemon gelato made with fresh lemons from Sorrento in the south of Italy, a streaky soft caramel gelato and of course Bacio (from the famous “Baci by Perugina” chocolates, made from dark chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts). I of course dug in with gusto before remembering to whip out my crackberry to record the moment...

What started this “débauche” were the damn lemons. I didn’t think of myself as a picky eater but I’m actually not a lemon person either. However, seeing the basket of beautiful Sorrento, also called “femminello” lemons (what a luscious sounding name to the untrained ear!) on the counter, convinced me to give the lemon gelato a try. At first I was not taken with its tanginess, thought I don’t know what else I was expecting from something lemon-flavored…then I was pleasantly surprised by a slightly sweet aftertaste which rounded it all out nicely.

As a non-lemon expert, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to taste anyway, but I have a hunch that what made this gelato special is the use of those gorgeous Sorrento lemons, which reminded me of a past sun-drenched vacation along the Amalfi coast. These lemons have earned IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) recognition and are most commonly known for making limoncello liquor (I’ll have another!). The fruit is medium- to large-sized, elliptical in shape, very fragrant and has a characteristic combination of citrus acid and sugar. They are only grown in the Sorrento peninsula and on the island of Capri, of Blue Grotto fame.

I must have looked quite happy savoring my mountain of gelato because I managed to convince another customer to join in my gourmandise and subsequently share his life history with me… Guess that guide to schmoozing really came in handy! It also earned me the comment that women are the source of all temptation and that the Chinese are going to take over the world, but that’s another story!