What Gelato Is

Gelato means "the frozen thing"

In Italian, gelato simply means "the frozen thing". In Italy, this one word covers frozen desserts as a whole. So gelato is not the name of one special recipe. It is the broad name for the frozen desserts born in Italy.

At its center stands a culture: the small workshop in town, where artisans make each day's gelato that day. A gelateria is a shop that makes gelato and sells it. Most are not factories. In a workroom at the back, the mix is prepared daily, and the gelato reaches the case freshly made. So gelato pairs well with seasonal fruit and local ingredients, and its flavors change with the seasons. Freshness and ingredients — these two are the foundation of the frozen dessert called gelato.

How gelato differs from ice cream

So what separates gelato from the ice cream you already know? They look alike, but three differences stand between them. Each one shapes what you feel in the mouth.

① Less air

A frozen dessert is made by stirring the mix while it freezes. The stirring adds air. The amount of that air is called overrunThe amount of air incorporated into the mix during freezing. More air gives a lighter result; less air gives a denser, more concentrated one..

Ice cream is made with plenty of this air, so it is light and soft. Gelato keeps its air low. A scoop of the same size holds more substance, and each spoonful is denser. This is why the taste is concentrated, and why you feel it so clearly.

② Less fat

Gelato also holds less milk fat than ice cream. Fat makes the texture smooth. But when there is too much, it coats the tongue and traps the true aroma of the ingredients.

With less fat, the mouth stays light. The aroma and taste of fruit, nuts, or coffee rise straight. This is a deliberate subtraction: it puts the ingredients in the leading role.

③ A slightly higher temperature

Here is a surprise: gelato is served at a slightly higher temperature than ice cream. It is not frozen solid. It waits in the case in a soft state. A spoon cuts through it with ease, and it melts as soon as it enters the mouth.

The temperature works on the aroma too. When a dessert is very cold, the tongue senses less, and the aroma stays closed. In gelato's slightly warmer range, the aroma of the ingredients opens, and you sense more of it.

Rich, yet not heavy

Now put the three together — less air, less fat, a slightly higher temperature. Joined, they give gelato a character that seems to contradict itself.

Less air, so the taste is concentrated. Less fat, so the aftertaste is not heavy. A slightly higher temperature, so the aroma opens. Rich, yet not heavy — this is the first impression gelato leaves, and it is the heart of what gelato is.

A name, not a category

One more fact, and it may be the most surprising one in this chapter. In Japan, the law classifies cold dairy desserts by the amount of milk solids they contain. The categories carry names such as "ice cream", "ice milk", and "lacto ice". The word gelato is not one of these legal category names.

Gelato names something else. It names a way of making, and a way of thinking, born in Italy. That is why two shops can both say gelato and still design their recipes differently. The methods behind the name belong to the Advanced edition, the professional half of this book. The labeling rules in Japan are treated there too. This book follows the heart of the craft, and the reasons gelato tastes good.

The road ahead

Foundations is a walk through gelato for the person who enjoys it. You will trace its history (Chapter 2). You will see what gelato is made of, and what happens on the way to the case (Chapter 3). You will meet the two great families, crema and sorbetto (Chapter 4). And you will learn why gelato tastes good — and how to tell, standing at the case (Chapter 5).

By the last page, the gelato case you know will look a little different. Let us begin.