And on the Third Day, God Created Gelato

As anyone who really knows me can tell you, ice cream is my weak point. I can be two weeks or two minutes into a diet and one turn past Union Dairy and it's over. After working at Culver's for the past four years, I can name my top 30 flavors and their ingredients. Brownie Batter Blizzards, strawberry malts, ice cream drumsticks, ice cream cake, spumoni, banana splits, oreo dessert, egg nog shakes, etc. L-o-v-e them all. And now, here in Roma, I have found the creamy treat that tops them all: gelato.

My first gelato experience was a few years ago in France. I have also had it in Mexico. As delicious as they both were, nothing could prepare me for the Roman "gelaterias." Gelato stop #1 was near Vatican City. I somehow made it to my third day in Rome before caving in and buying some. There were so many flavors from lemon to cappuccino to Nutella! I decided on the latter. The creamy goodness could not even be explained. The chocolate and hazelnut tones were just perfect. There was no way it could get better than this.

Ohhhh but it did. Just two days later I once again couldn't resist the temptation. This time I went to a little shop just down a side street from school. I don't know what flavor I got for sure (some long Italian word-- I will write it down on one of many return trips), but it was like a vanilla cream with fudge ripples. To make it even better, the owner dipped the scoop in brittled chocolate sauce! Yum! This gelato made me almost forgot about the first helping. Alright this time was truly the best. Nothing could possibly beat this gelato.

Wrong again. My third and most recent gelato experience was truly heavenly. This time I decided on two flavors: amaretto and tiramisu. It was ambrosia-- nectar of the gods. After scraping out the bottom of the dish, I had to avoid panic by remembering I had four months to enjoy the amped-up ice cream. I have learned my lesson though: never assume you have had the best gelato in Rome. Instead, just keep getting more!

Ciao!