Gelato Festival on the Road

An enthusiastic audience welcomed the first stages of Gelato Festival 2017, the traveling event that aims to spread the culture of the high quality artisanal product.
This year, for the first time, the competing gelato artisans are divided into two categories: Masters, for the already established professionals, and Juniors, reserved for new up-and-comers. At each stage each participant proposes his or her best, exclusive, and innovative flavour. The winner of each category is decided by the combined vote of the technical jury and the popular jury made up of all those present at the event. Each winner receives the medal created by the goldsmith Paolo Penko and earns the right to participate in the European Finals that will take place in Florence on 14-17 September.
The first stage took place in Florence, where the Master category was won by Carmelo Pannochietti (Arà: è Sicilia gelato shop) with his Aztec Ricotta Cream with Bergamot, which combines ricotta from the Iblei Mountains of Sicily and Modican chocolate, of Azteca origin. The Junior category was awarded to Roberta Rabatti’s Ettamo Strawberry from the gelato shop of the same name, a 60% strawberry sorbet with balsamic vinegar glaze and dark chocolate flakes.
The challenge then moved on to Rome, where top honours went to Vincenzo Lenci (Bar della Darsena gelato shop, Master category) with his A Proposito strawberry and bell pepper sorbet, and Emanuele Alvaro (Re Sole gelato shop, Junior category) with his Classic Zabaione flavour made with milk, cream, eggs and Marsala wine.
The next stage in Turin was won by Nicolo Arietti of Gelati d’Antan (Master category) who proposed the sorbet Gelato del Vignaiolo with raspberry and sweet Malvasia wine. Francesca Marrari from the Golosia gelateria took first place in the Junior category with the taste Miami Vice made of coconut, pineapple, and fresh strawberries.
It was then Milan’s turn, where the top spot on the podium in the Master category was awarded to the Mio Primo Latte flavour made by Massimiliano Scotti (Vero Latte gelato shop) made with fresh milk of the day, Rosa Marchetti rice, and mixed flower honey. The Junior category was won by the Femminello IGP sorbet by Michele Guerra (Marea gelato shop), made with a variety of Sicilian lemons and Toritto almonds.
The Gelato Festival is still ongoing, travelling abroad with stages in London, Warsaw, and Hamburg (July 28-30), and then returning to Florence for the final in September.