Mission Gelato: Complete

I would like to officially thank Taylor the Journeyman for taking us to her personal favorite gelato shop in Garbatella. It was affordable, it wasn't over-crowded, and it was different.

We braved the masses twice at Gialitti, the classic 1902 gelateria in the heart of tourist Rome. It was delicious, sure, but one's stomach (and wallet) can only take so much of that. It was time for a change. So Taylor took us to a nice shop in a park near her apartment, where I tried a completely new combination:

Apple Cinnamon
Plasmo (lady fingers)
Kinder Bueno White (white chocolate candy bar)

Oh my! Every bite was like apple cobbler on a tiny plastic spoon! I must mention that this was my second gelato of the day, which I excused because I missed the day before and must leave Rome having eaten one gelato for every day in Italy.

Before we visited Taylor's neighborhood, my first cup that day was pistachio and chocolate near our hostel, just off the Metro Bologna stop near a university, and right down the street from a Chinese restaurant where I found a slug on the bottom of my plate.

Out of all the gelaterie we visited, this nameless shop in Bologna was my favorite. It had one small counter for frozen yogurts, and the main counter which couldn't have been any longer than I am tall. One door for going in, another for going out, and no space for more than four or five people at a time. There weren't any exotic or innovative flavors, and no fancy coated cones. So why was it my favorite? A small "piccolo" cup or cone (small being quite a mountain of gelato) with 3 flavors only cost 1.50 euro. Amazing!

We ate here several times, nearly every day while we stayed in this neighborhood, and each time I was served by the same charming young lady who I'm quite sure could've been my bosom friend if we'd only had more quality time. She had a casual demeanor, and the gift of being friendly without saying much. On our last visit I ordered caffe, chocolate, and... I can't remember. *shame* Straciatella, maybe? As if it were a secret, my server friend mentioned, "Would you like cream? We have also today chocolate cream..." She grinned at me. I always have some kind of chocolate flavor in the mix. Sometimes the whipped cream on top is a little much, but I felt like this was her way of saying, "I remember you from the past four days, and I like you crazy American tourists." The chocolate cream was a good choice, and Gelato Girl laughed when I asked for a picture with her, but she obliged. My last gelato in Italy was delightful.

I'm not finished yet! But It's late in Tennessee, and my body is telling me it's almost dawn in Roma, so I better get some sleep.

I just remembered... the third flavor was Biscotto! Mmm, cookies.