The difference between gelato and ice cream
Arabs brought what came to be known as sorbetto to Sicily often served half- way through a meal to act as a palate cleanser or intermezzo. Semifreddo (half cold) is made with gelato but has whipped cream folded in. Granita, slushy grainy water based ices, usually lemon or coffee is normally found in southern Italy bar/gelaterias. Gelato differs from ice cream in the amount of overrun or air content. Gelato runs between 5% to 20% overrun, while Ice cream ranges between 60% to 90%. The difference can be felt by picking up the same size container of each or by tasting it!. Lesser air makes for a denser mouthfeel. Another interesting difference is the 6% to 10% butterfat content of gelato versus the 14% to 20% content of butterfat in ice cream, making the gelato lower in calories and quicker to breakdown in the mouth because its not as solidly frozen, resulting in an instant burst of flavor.
At this espresso cafe you can learn all about gelato. Caffé Latte where Basilio has been serving it for more than twenty years along with many Italian specialties and of course Espresso, Cappuccino, Caffé accompanied by some of Bindi’s best selecrtions which are flown in directly from Italy. Making coffee is an art that is based on choosing the right coffee beans, grinding them as close to brewing as possible and at the right courseness which is dictated by the desired results and the percentage of humidity in the atmosphere. So you can do exactly the same thing with your coffee but the decisive factor will be if its sunny or not. Basilio knows what it takes to make the perfect Espresso and his clientele visits him at times twice a day to enjoy what by some is considered a work of art!
Caffé Latte is a true favorite amongst connoisseurs and offers a relaxing atmosphere that is informal yet elegant. Caffé Latte is located at 41 Cedar Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. Call (914) 674-0997 to make sure its open when you plan to visit.
