I need my gelato. Stat.

One of my favorite aspects of Italy is the authentic gelato. This frozen dessert is similar to ice cream, but it’s much richer in flavor (not to mention less fat and sugar content). Gelato comes in either a cup or a cone and its flavors widely range from creams to nuts to fruits. There are so many gelato shops in Rome; there’s practically one every corner. The dessert has to be eaten very fast outside because it melts rapidly under the searing weather. It can serve as a cheap, standalone snack or a perfect compliment to any meal.

Here’s a list of the flavor combinations I have tried thus far (matched with people back home):

• Vanilla + Chocolate = Traditional (Blanca, Shanny)
• Raspberry + Mango = Tangy Touch (Sundona)
• Blackberry + Lemon + Whipped Cream = Acidic (Heng, Gavin)
• Pistachio + Rice Pudding = Subtly Asian (Ryuji, Joanna)
• Mint + Turon = Silent Kicker (Stephanie)
• Hazelnut + Nutella = Brown Zest (Troy, Crystal)
• Orange + Milk = Youthful Youngins (Carsen, Michael)
• Fudge + Chocolate Chip = Rough Riders (Frankie, Vincent)
• Peach + Apple = Happy Go Lucky (Wilson)
• Ginger + Walnut = Sloppy Seconds (Vethyea, Nick)
• Sage + Sicilian Pistachio = Herbal Sanchez (Roger)
• Kiwi + Melon = Artificial Joker (Russell)
• White Chocolate + Caramel = Innocent Player (Carsen)
• Dark Chocolate + Pistachio = Rich Delight (Juanita)

I’ll update this list continuously. My goal is to sample at least 20 different flavors. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Gelato in a small cup.