Experiencing Italy’s Finest Gelato in Massachusetts, USA, Pt. 1
When visiting Boston, MA one may undoubtedly arrive with the high expectation of experiencing the best pubs in the nation, the most authentic Irish food, the freshest seafood, and the tastiest clam chowder. But during my trip to Boston earlier this year to attend the New England Food Show, I found the city has a couple of hidden gems that might have a few raising their eyebrows in delight, and they were all centered around… gelato!
While in Massachusetts, I had the opportunity to explore its gelato scene and found four really amazing ways to enjoy authentic classic Italian gelato. We’ll post a four-part series detailing my gelato discoveries while there.
My first stop was Giovanna Gelato e Sorbet, a wholesale gelato and sorbet business in Malden, MA, where owner/gelato mastermind Eduardo Kriendel makes gelato in small batches, which are then delivered to hundreds of restaurants, pizzerias, and dessert shops across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In grocery stores like Whole Foods, you can find the distinctive red-rimmed cap on take-home pints.
Very soon into the conversation, I became impressed with how apparent his drive to create an authentic Italian gelato experience in every pint was. Eduardo was an architect by profession for 28 years in his native Argentina and the U.S., but his passion for gelato and his desire to create a gelato experience that is true to its Italian roots in his community drove him to retire from his desk job and, with his wife, open up his gelato business.
Now he spends his time thinking up inventive flavors for gelato lovers to discover like the Avocado Tequila Gelato he has made for several Mexican restaurants. His favorite flavor to make is Strawberry Stracciatella (chocolate shavings) Sorbet, a seasonal invention for Valentine’s Day that became so popular you can now find it in places like Whole Foods year round. After tasting the sweet, tart, and surprisingly familiar combination of chocolate dipped strawberries in this frozen treat, I could definitely understand why the demand for it was so high.
You can visit Giovanna’s website here to discover the many places you can find Giovanna Gelato e Sorbetto to either cool you down after a hot slice of pizza, or to take home to your comfy couch as you watch your favorite movie.
My Suggestion: Take home a pint of the Dulce de Leche.
Come back next week for Pt. 2 of my “Gelato Discoveries” in New Hampshire!