Gelato: A Quick History of a Tasty Treat

On our first quest, sitting on Newbury St. on a crisp Sunday-afternoon, we felt like ladies who lunch. However, sitting there, eating our delicious gelato, we realized that we didn't know very much about the treat. Of course, it's not ice cream---but what are the differences? What is the history of gelato? Alas--a quick history lesson, readers (if we have any at this point).

While the history of gelato is not known exactly, it is believed that China first invented a frozen dessert using fruit, shaved ice, or mountain snow. These first frozen treats were not ice cream because there was no diary. Enter Italy to remedy this. Frozen fruit and ice treats are good, but gelato is better. Thank you, Italy.

Two distinct frozen treats came from Italy: sorbet in the south and gelato in the north. In the south, the frozen treat was water-based with a higher sugar content but less fat. Called sorbetto in Italian, it is now known as sorbet in English. In the Dolomite region of the Alps in northern Italy, however, the wise-Italians added diary and gelato was born. Gelato was made with milk, sugar, eggs, and natural flavors. Again, thank you, (northern) Italy.

As we quest around Boston, we are thinking that walking a few steps from a T station to a gelato shop is not enough physical exercise to burn off the calories we consume during each tasting. However, as gelato is made with milk rather than cream, like ice cream, this tasty treat is much less caloric than ice cream. Thus, as you follow along with us on this quest, perhaps we will not have to purchase new jeans or settle for only wearing elastic-waisted pants. Of course, if we sample all of these flavors, even the lower calorie count might not save us.