Mentioning the word “Italy” brings many stereotypically dolce vita things to mind: piazzas, opera, Roman ruins, pizza, pasta, wine, fashion, meandering, and of course gelato. While not addicted to ice cream by any means, gelato certainly deserves some attention in our 100 day count-down! There is nothing more refreshing on a hot day (think 35C like it has been this week) then a gelato limone. (Unless, of course, you’ve had an aperol spritz.)
After my move to Italy in 2013, I began to peruse gelaterias throughout the Veneto, and discovered why I was meant to live here: You can order ice cream without any dairy in it! Better yet, you can order ice cream with no dairy or soy that has been made with only 3 ingredients! Yes, I was certainly enjoying the gelato scene, especially in the summers, when there’s no escape from the heat while sight seeing.
Keep in mind, though, that all gelato is not made equally. Chances are that if you are right next to the Grand Canal in Venice, you will not get as high quality ice cream as you would if you were standing on a small side street. My list of what to look for in a gelateria is short. I glance at the sign outside the place to find the words artigianale (hand-made) and biologico (organic). We’re really lucky that our neighboring town of Torri di Arcugnano has just such a place.
Upon entering Veronica’s Gelateria, you will be faced with the task of trying to choose a flavor. Usually, dairy-free flavors are made out of fruit, but Veronica’s has something else that’s both dairy-free and divine: Cioccolato Fondente, very dark chocolate! The thing that’s so great about Veronica’s is that most flavors are made with local ingredients, straight from this area. If you choose to get regular gelato, the milk has come from dairies in Vicenza, and the fruit flavors change depending on the season.
Sunday found us with one last opportunity to ride our bikes before needing to box them up. We came up with the idea of cycling to Veronica’s and we were not disappointed! Drew got one of his favorites, coco (coconut). As for me, I chose the special treat of ciliegie (cherries), paired with that delightful cioccolato fondente. Apparently in Italy, cherry season doesn’t last as long as in some parts of the States, so when cherries are in season, you have only a few weeks to enjoy them. What a great treat to enjoy gelato from the current season!
If you’re anywhere near Torri di Arcugano, Gelateria Veronica should be your go-to ice cream stop this summer!
Intentionally International 