Select Page

A common question, when faced with choosing between gelato and ice cream is “what’s the difference?” Unless you are a food snob for either Team Gelato or Team Ice Cream, the correct answer probably lies somewhere between “quite a bit” and “not a lot.”

Although the ingredients in ice cream and gelato are similar, gelato contains more milk, but less cream and eggs. Gelato is churned at a slower rate than ice cream, causing it to have a denser feel than the fluffier ice cream. After gelato is made, it is stored and served at a warmer temperature than ice cream – which means special “gelato freezers” are needed to keep the gelato at its optimal storing and serving temperature. While you can keep your store bought gelato in your home freezer, the ideal cup or cone of gelato will come directly from the local gelato stand.

So why is Chow Public Market & Eatery opting to offer gelato over ice cream? The decision came down to two things: health and taste.

The Health to Live For

Ice Cream can have a fat content as high as 25%, whereas most gelatos are between 4% and 9%. Gelato will generally contain about 25% fewer calories and 25% less sugar than its ice cream counterpart. For example, a 3.5 ounce cup of gelato will generally contain about 90 calories, compared to 125 calories in ice cream. That same cup will have about 3 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar compared to the 7 grams of fat and 14 grams of sugar found in many ice creams.

A Taste to Crave

As it relates to taste, the higher fat content in ice cream will temporarily coat your tongue – preventing the flavors from shining through to your taste buds. Because gelato has a lower fat content (due to less cream being used), the flavors of the gelato will outshine the flavors in ice cream. Thus, a lemon gelato is going to taste more “lemony” than a lemon flavored ice cream. Fresh strawberries or raspberries are going to be more flavorful than if those same berries were placed in ice cream.

Chow Public Market & Eatery, opening in late May 2018, will feature a gelato stand Gelato 21 – using fresh and local ingredients. Many flavors will also change throughout the year – based on what fruits and other flavors are available from local Idaho and regional farms throughout the year.

Buon Appetito!