Joining the ranks of sports cars and designer handbags, America’s favorite summer treat, ice cream, has gotten a sexy Italian upgrade. New gelato shops selling the slow-churned Italian dessert—traditionally richer and made with less sugar and butterfat than ice cream—are popping up in Chestnut Hill and Back Bay, and the new Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca is serving up a housemade version in flavors like corn, cantaloupe, Harpoon stout and even olive oil. “It’s so unique,” says pastry chef Kazimir Puntarovic, “and the flavor is incredible.”
And in West Roxbury, 23-year-old Pamela Bardhi has opened Ria Cafe, a European-style gelato cafe that also offers locally made pastries and Lavazza espresso. Bardhi grew up around restaurants (her family owns West Napoli Pizza next door), but she developed her own business model as a senior at Stonehill College to fill a void she saw in the market. “The nearest gelato shop is miles away from here,” she says, “so I figured I wanted to bring something unique to my culture.”
Bardhi sources Ria’s gelato from a supplier in Malden who makes fresh batches at least twice a week. The signature flavor is the indulgent Champagne-dipped strawberry with milk chocolate shavings, but the shop also has non-dairy fruit sorbetti to round out its 16 rotating options. Sweet treats further abound with gelattes—lattes made with gelato—and imported Belgian chocolates. Says Bardhi, “It’s like a dessert heaven.”
Frozen Fever
By Meghan Kavanaugh | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | May 15, 2015
Whole Gelato Love
Joining the ranks of sports cars and designer handbags, America’s favorite summer treat, ice cream, has gotten a sexy Italian upgrade. New gelato shops selling the slow-churned Italian dessert—traditionally richer and made with less sugar and butterfat than ice cream—are popping up in Chestnut Hill and Back Bay, and the new Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca is serving up a housemade version in flavors like corn, cantaloupe, Harpoon stout and even olive oil. “It’s so unique,” says pastry chef Kazimir Puntarovic, “and the flavor is incredible.”
And in West Roxbury, 23-year-old Pamela Bardhi has opened Ria Cafe, a European-style gelato cafe that also offers locally made pastries and Lavazza espresso. Bardhi grew up around restaurants (her family owns West Napoli Pizza next door), but she developed her own business model as a senior at Stonehill College to fill a void she saw in the market. “The nearest gelato shop is miles away from here,” she says, “so I figured I wanted to bring something unique to my culture.”
Bardhi sources Ria’s gelato from a supplier in Malden who makes fresh batches at least twice a week. The signature flavor is the indulgent Champagne-dipped strawberry with milk chocolate shavings, but the shop also has non-dairy fruit sorbetti to round out its 16 rotating options. Sweet treats further abound with gelattes—lattes made with gelato—and imported Belgian chocolates. Says Bardhi, “It’s like a dessert heaven.”
By Meghan Kavanaugh | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Outside the Cup
Opened in late March, Newbury Street’s Amorino offers 24 flavors of gelato, but they aren’t just scooped into the expected cups and cones—they also wind up atop waffles and inside frozen macarons, crepes and brioche. “We’re always researching ways to expand Amorino’s offerings while staying focused on our expertise—gelato,” owner Léa Sasportes explains. The macarons, made exclusively for the European-based chain, come in eight flavors, including chocolate, pistachio, caramel and the Nutella-like L’Inimitable.
By Meghan Kavanaugh
The Inside Scoop
Chef Morgan Morano spent six years mastering gelato making in Florence before opening her Morano Gelato shop in Hanover, New Hampshire. A second location is set to open in late May at the Mall at Chestnut Hill, but in the meantime, you can take a page from Morano’s cookbook, The Art of Making Gelato, which hit shelves last month. She shared some DIY know-how:
· “Truly traditional ingredients start with fresh and ripe local fruit and then quality ingredients from Italy that contribute to common gelato flavor profiles, such as pistachios from the Bronte region of Sicily… and hazelnuts from Piedmont.”
· “Scooping with a spade—‘spatola’—not only shows a respect for the art of serving Italian gelato…but it also indicates a warmer temperature of the product.”
· “At home, most counter-top machines do not differentiate between gelato and American ice cream—instead, the recipes help distinguish between the two.”
View All Events
Related Articles
A Final Bow
If you’ve ever had a Hoodsie Sundae Cup...
Tigers Love Pepper, They Hate Cinnamon
Artisan Approach
Building Something New in Allston...
Comfort, Enjoy
A stalwart expands to a neighborhood in transition...
28 Days Later
The evil genius behind jm Curley’s foie gras-glazed jelly donut may not seem the likeliest candidate to co-found a wellness app...
Ports to Call
Whoever loves chocolate (and who doesn’t?) needs to know about port...
Architect of a Meal
Scelfo's Designs for Alden & Harlow...
Spice Route
With bold Turkish fare, Sarma makes an impressive debut...