Gelato Dreams.
Reader, let me tell you, there is perhaps only one other thing better than studying abroad in Italy.
It is studying abroad in Italy during a gelato festival.
It took every bit of my self-control to keep calm as one of my flat mates, who'd been living in Italy for a year by that point, informed the rest of us during breakfast that there was an annual gelato festival happening that weekend.
It was only our first weekend in Florence and I was smitten.
The Gelato festival is an 'on-the-road' event; it starts off in Florence at the beginning of the summer, and then tours different parts of Italy picking and choosing the best 'gelatician' and his unique gelato flavor, made specifically for the festival. The tour culminates back in Florence, where, during a three day event held at Piazzale Michelangelo, locals and tourists along with the judges get to sample gelato from each vendor and vote for their favorite. The winner is then honored with the title of 'Best Gelato in Italy.'
So basically, free gelato.
Okay, no, there was a small entrance fee, but then there were 28 flavors of gelato and I honestly would've given them my soul if they'd asked for it.
At the entrance, we were given a wristband and a pamphlet with a map on the outside to help us navigate our way through the different vendors. On the inside was the name of each vendor and the flavor they offered.
It was a hot summer's day, we had to walk up a steep steep hill in order to get to Piazzale Michelangelo, so the gelato was a soothing, chilling and refreshing welcome on my tongue. Flavors of raspberries and mixed nuts mashed into Greek yogurt, lemon, and sponge cake oozing with chocolate, flavors of mango and fresh milk complimented with just the right tickle of coconut, of salted peanuts and caramel paired with the perfect balance of coffee danced along my palate, slowly melting away in my mouth.
It's safe to say my taste-buds were baptized in the name of creamy, authentic, Italian gelato, and forever changed.
Truth be told though, I did not eat my way through each and every vendor's gelato sampling. Not because I had eaten enough gelato - There is no such thing as enough gelato - but because some of the flavors were a little less than appealing to my taste buds.
When I went to bed that day, I couldn't feel my legs from all the walking, but every ounce of the pain was worth it.
And as I slept that night, a kaleidoscope of cream and flavors lingered on in my mouth
And in my soul.
P.S: If, at some point you find yourself planning a trip to Italy during the Summer/early Fall, here is the link to the website for the Gelato festival for future dates! If you're a gelato fanatic like I am, it is definitely worth checking out:
http://gelatofestival.it/en/
It is studying abroad in Italy during a gelato festival.
It took every bit of my self-control to keep calm as one of my flat mates, who'd been living in Italy for a year by that point, informed the rest of us during breakfast that there was an annual gelato festival happening that weekend.
It was only our first weekend in Florence and I was smitten.
So basically, free gelato.
Okay, no, there was a small entrance fee, but then there were 28 flavors of gelato and I honestly would've given them my soul if they'd asked for it.
At the entrance, we were given a wristband and a pamphlet with a map on the outside to help us navigate our way through the different vendors. On the inside was the name of each vendor and the flavor they offered.
It was a hot summer's day, we had to walk up a steep steep hill in order to get to Piazzale Michelangelo, so the gelato was a soothing, chilling and refreshing welcome on my tongue. Flavors of raspberries and mixed nuts mashed into Greek yogurt, lemon, and sponge cake oozing with chocolate, flavors of mango and fresh milk complimented with just the right tickle of coconut, of salted peanuts and caramel paired with the perfect balance of coffee danced along my palate, slowly melting away in my mouth.
It's safe to say my taste-buds were baptized in the name of creamy, authentic, Italian gelato, and forever changed.
Truth be told though, I did not eat my way through each and every vendor's gelato sampling. Not because I had eaten enough gelato - There is no such thing as enough gelato - but because some of the flavors were a little less than appealing to my taste buds.
Maybe it's just me, but would you, reader, have scarfed down ginger or basil flavored gelato?
When I went to bed that day, I couldn't feel my legs from all the walking, but every ounce of the pain was worth it.
And as I slept that night, a kaleidoscope of cream and flavors lingered on in my mouth
And in my soul.
P.S: If, at some point you find yourself planning a trip to Italy during the Summer/early Fall, here is the link to the website for the Gelato festival for future dates! If you're a gelato fanatic like I am, it is definitely worth checking out:
http://gelatofestival.it/en/
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