We are in May, the weather in Puglia is wonderful and I and Marika are pleased to announce that our ice cream season has officially started!
Italy is certainly the right place for ice creams lovers. Also, in Puglia there are many ice cream artisans (or artists!) who make delicious Italian ice cream, using only the best ingredients. Hazelnut is our favorite flavor, but we also like pistachio, dark chocolate and lemon. We love ice creams by the cone or the nocciolino (ice cream with warm espresso coffee on top).
However, what Italians from Puglia really die for when we come to ice creams, is the spumone. This is something not to be missed on your gourmet holiday in Puglia! Coming to Puglia and not having a spumone would be (almost!) like going to Rome and not seeing the Trevi Fountain!
Spumone ice cream is made of different ice cream layers (usually chocolate, hazelnut and zabaione) and has a little sponge cake with toasted hazelnuts in the middle. Spumone is prepared in little round bowls and then served on a plate. It is a bit harder than regular ice cream and so you need a spoon to eat it.
Of course I and Marika have our secret places where we have our favorite artisan spumone ice creams, but it would be impossible not to find a good one anywhere in Puglia.
Then, if you want to be not only local but also very cool, you have to ask for a spumone affogato: which is the spumone served with the local amaro or warm espresso coffee on top.
What is your favorite ice cream? where did you have it?
My favorite besides when I make it is in San Francisco Bi-Rite always great. The last time I was there i had vanilla malt with health bar, it was good. My all time favorite is coffee.