I Scream for Gelato

Gelato is a healthier option than the conventional ice cream as it has less fat,since it is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream. This difference (gelato’s 5-7 per cent fat as compared to ice cream’s 10 per cent),as well as the fact that gelati are a lot softer and creamier,have boosted the Italian dessert’s glory. Chandigarh-based baker Monica Sood,who runs one of the oldest Gelato parlours,admits the “low calorie count” has boosted its popularity.

Restaurants,especially different contemporary cuisine eateries,now regularly feature ice creams,gelati,sorbets and parfaits to accompany their main dishes or act as palatecleansers between courses. Says celebrity chef and restaurateur Ritu Dalmia,“We use gelati extensively in our restaurants and cafes. In Diva for example,we have a tomato and basil sorbet,which accompanies a tomato salad. Plus,of course,desserts are enhanced with flavours such as beetroot and balsamic vinegar or a candied orange and ricotta. It is no longer about just regular flavours,it is about an experience. When I eat a wild berry gelato,I should be able to smell and taste the forest.”

Given the weather,“cold plates” are also in vogue.

Akshay Batra,COO of Gelato Vinto,deconstructs the concept. “Built on the principle of a hot plate,a cold plate emanates cold waves instead of heat. So,we can set it up at caterings,with a variety of flavours of gelato and different toppings and fillings. And then,we can mix them on the counter and customise gelato sundaes,” he says. For instance,at Sen5es at the Pullman in Gurgaon and Nik Baker’s in Chandigarh,the concept is being marketed as an ice cream teppanyaki station. Schauss says,“Incorporating the teppanyaki style to customise ice creams appeals to the child in all of us. The indulgence of adding one’s own choice of treats -— marshmallows,jujubes,M&Ms,chocolate bars or sweet sauces — to one’s favourite ice cream flavour is a pleasant trip down memory lane,to a childhood when one tried to enhance the “special treat” to make it last longer.”

Also offering a “traditional” take is Squista (pronounced Squeezta),the all-new Italian gelato cafe in Sector 10,Chandigarh. Squista offers a selection of flavours like hazelnut,pistachio,vanilla,mango,chocolate and strawberry. But it’s gelato served in an unusual way on a stick,like popsicles and is referred to as “biteables”,that really works. “It’s quite a fun way to eat gelato on the go,” says owner Pushi Chowdhry.

On the other side of the coin though,there is also an upswing in incorporating Indian flavours into the Italian dessert. “This season,in order to provide a wider choice to consumers,we launched a range of Super Coolers range — Cola,Kala Khatta,Pineapple,Orange,Kokam,Kacchi Keri and Black Grapes. Being introduced for the first time under the gelato umbrella,these flavours did extremely well and got a great consumer response,” says KS Narayanan,CEO,Pan India Food Solutions Pvt Ltd and spokesperson for Gelato Italiano.

(With inputs from Jagmeeta Thind Joy)