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Sometimes, journalists get to use their investigative prowess to dissect matters perhaps considered trivial to the general public but close their own hearts. It is finally my turn to do just that, exploring a niche topic in the name of journalism, tackling an issue that has been plaguing my culinary sensibilities since first moving to New York from Italy in 2005.
Specifically on my mind has been the virtual lack of proper fior di latte gelato across town. Why do local ice cream shops find it so hard to offer this quintessential Italian flavor on a regular basis?
Although it looks and potentially sounds like plain old vanilla, fior di latte is so much more than that. Literally translating to "flower of milk," the treat is, indeed, a love letter to dairy that is made using only cream, sugar and milk.
It is sweet enough to taste like a true dessert but not too sweet as to overpower your palate for hours on end. It oddly makes for the perfect accompaniment to any other gelato flavor (my favorite combination? Lemon and fior di latte—try it) because of its consistency as well: silky smooth but heartier than vanilla ice cream.
My decision to go on a quest to find the most authentic form of the ice cream in New York was made a few weeks ago when, among the hundreds of emails regarding theater openings! Restaurant deals! Upcoming concerts! TikTok trends! I noticed a message about a new gelato shop opening downtown.
At first glance, despite its Greenwich Village location, my very favorite neighborhood, I didn't think much about the debut of Pamina Dolci e Gelato. I then realized, though, that the press release mentioned fior di latte as one of the classic flavors on offer at the new space.
Of course, I had to try it. And so, my unofficial search for traditional gelato began.
At Pamina, I got to delight in some fior di latte straight from the gelato machine in the basement. The experience was, of course, glorious, and the treat itself was on the right track. The consistency of the gelato was there and the flavor was similar to the original, yet not as sweet as I thought it should be, perhaps leaning more towards the tartness of some vanilla ice cream options that New Yorkers are used to.
Following a tweet and over 20 cold calls to self-defined gelaterie (which are not the same thing as ice cream shops), I was equipped with a pretty solid list of spots that guaranteed me that they serve the flavor. After Pamina, I headed to Gelateria Gentile just a couple of blocks away, where the fior di latte was, oddly enough, the exact opposite version of what I had just enjoyed at the former spot.
The texture was way too light to be considered remotely close to authentic, but the flavor was, indeed, closer to the fior di latte I just had on a trip to Italy this past summer. Two other notes: the dessert was served too cold (remember: gelato isn't supposed to give you brain freeze!) but the Italian radio station playing in the store added to the experience as a whole.
Upon my return to the office, I was met with two pints of the stuff from a couple of local spots that were on my list—one of which ended up becoming the crowned winner of this little experiment of mine.
Il Laboratorio del Gelato kindly dropped off a pint that really resonated with me on a gastronomic level. At first impact, the fior di latte actually tasted like nocciola—the hazelnut-like flavor that’s also popular in Italy. It was a bit too sugary to completely resemble tradition but, surprisingly, it was delicious in its own right … perhaps even more appealing than other options on my list that stayed truer to the original.
But it's Dolce Brooklyn's gelato that I can confidently say tastes the most authentic among the few fior di latte options in New York—just the right amount of milky and sweet. The texture is also on point, politely caressing the palate with each spoonful without completely debilitating your taste buds. Fun fact: the shop is owned by French people. Talk about embracing, and honoring, another culture.
I'd be remiss not to also mention the delectable fior di latte-inspired treats from Biddrina Gelato that I also got to taste. Although certainly not traditional in look or aroma, the rosemary fior di latte with fig jam and the turmeric and amarena version that the gelateria kindly offered me knocked my socks off, with the latter specifically reminding me of the sorts of flavors that Italian treasure and that Americans don’t always encounter.
Alas, my mission is complete just as the weather in New York turns colder. Good news, though: forecasters are expecting temperatures to reach 80 degrees next week—the perfect time for some fior di latte gelato!