Article written for the former Helium.com
You say potato, and I say potato. You like ice cream, and I like gelato. Potato, potato, ice cream, gelato, let’s call the whole thing off. Or, perhaps we can take the road less traveled. Let’s be mature adults, and try to understand and appreciate our differences. In order to do so, it’s essential to know the difference between ice cream and gelato.
The first difference between gelato and ice cream revolves around the ingredients. In a recent article in The New York Times, Giorgio Klinar, the owner of Caffè Gelateria Sotto Zero, discusses gelato. Although he currently lives in the United States, he is a native of Rome; and, gelato originated from Italy. As stated in The New York Times article, “Authentic gelato is made in small batches with milk, containing 3 to 4 percent butterfat, giving it a silky, not too buttery texture.” Ice cream, on the other hand, contains a greater amount of butterfat. With that said, ice cream tends to have a higher amount of fat than gelato.
The second difference between the yummy treats is the way in which they are made. There is little to no air whipped into gelato. While premium ice creams tend to withhold little air, cheaper ice creams tend to have a decent amount of air whipped in. The difference in the amount of air impacts the density of each. Because gelato has less air whipped in than ice cream, it tends to taste a lot richer and creamier, even though it contains less fat. Additionally, gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream.
The third difference revolves around the way in which each are served. Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream. Because gelato has a greater density, the warmer temperature enables the gelato to taste closer to soft serve ice cream. Due to the temperature, as well as the lower fat content, gelato tends to melt at a quicker rate.
All in all, in order to appreciate the differences, it’s highly recommended that you give the two delectable treats an equal chance. You’ll never know unless you give it a try. Moreover, there are so many different types of ice cream and gelato; one type of gelato may taste entirely different from another. In other words, if you encounter a bad cup of ice cream or gelato, do not give up. Although the two desserts are different, there’s one way in which they’re similar. They both have the same name; gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. In the end, we all are just the same, despite our differences.
