Gelato.

I was recently lucky enough to take a cooking/cultural discovery vacation in Umbria. My Italian adventure began with a walking tour of ancient Rome, a city in which a marble ruin, a church or a gelateria can be found on every corner. Oh, and obelisks....there are quite a few of those in Rome as well.   

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, derived from the Latin word "gelātus" (meaning frozen). This delicious treat is made with milk, cream, sugar and a number of flavours, frequently chocolate or various fruit purees. Gelato is defined in English as a soft ice cream containing little or no air. I suspect this lack of air is why the texture of gelato seems different than that of ice cream. By statute, Italian gelato must have at least 3.5% butterfat, with no upper limit established. 

Perhaps I should have rethought the three-times-a-day gelato routine. Ah well, you know what they say, when in Rome......