I live in Italy – here’s how to pick the right gelato while on holiday & the ice cream shops to avoid
AN Italian has revealed how to pick the right gelato and which ice cream shops to avoid altogether.
Travel-mad Jasmine Pak uploaded a clip of her friend Val, who is a Roman native, how to spot hidden gem dessert spots to TikTok.
First of all, Val said that good gelato comes in flat containers, often with a lid on.
She warned against being taken in by overfilled cartons with the confectionary piled high, as you may actually get less than you think.
Val explained: “If you see the big mounds what are they trying to do? Impress you.
“But also they whisk it up so it grows with the air and it goes down in the evening.
“So you’re paying for air, literally.”
Next, Val urged holidaymakers to closely examine the colour of their gelato to see if it is authentic.
For example, banana gelato should be off-white rather than yellow, while pistachio should be “earthily dull” and mint a light green.
Bright colours suggest that the gelato is “fake” according to Val as it has likely not been homemade with only natural ingredients.
She added: “If you enter a gelateria and let’s say only one flavour is fake, [for example] a blue gelato…if one is fake they’re all going to be like it.”
Finally, she urged tourists to avoid places with too many different flavours, despite the attraction of variety.
Val explained: “There’s one close to the Pantheon with 150 flavours.
“They cannot possibly be homemade, they’ve got to be industrially produced.”
A great way to spot authentic gelato is that it will melt quicker than normal ice cream, as it is made using milk rather than cream, she concluded.
Social media commenters loved the tips.
One wrote: “I can listen to her explain gelato all day.”
Another added: “She just politely dismantled the entire gelato industry in one conversation, now this is a real girl boss.”
It comes after another Italian local revealed the mistakes that tourists always make when buying ice cream.