Visiting a gelato parlor in Italy is always an adventure. Each gelato maker strives to stand out by creating unique flavors, or "gusti," that you will not find anywhere else.

Yet, the classic flavors have remained unchanged for decades. Learning to say these in Italian might be your first step into this beautiful language: vaniglia (vanilla), fragola (strawberry), limone (lemon), cioccolato fondente (dark chocolate), cioccolato al latte (milk chocolate), nocciola (hazelnut), stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate chips), and crema (custard).

In addition to these timeless classics, the best gelato makers offer seasonal flavors made with freshly harvested fruits. For example, in the summer, you might find fico d’India (prickly pear) and melone (melon) and fall features kaki (persimmon) and castagna (chestnut). In winter, mandarino (tangerine) is a popular, flavor,while spring brings ciliegia (cherry) and albicocca (apricot).

Did you know that Italy has a Gelato Institute? It was established in 1991 and it has the purpose of researching gelato consumption and establishing quality standards among national producers.

Their surveys reveal the favorite gelato flavors among Italian consumers.

Top 5 Gelato Flavors:

• Cioccolato (chocolate)
• Nocciola (hazelnuts)
• Limone (lemon)
• Fragola (strawberry)
• Crema (egg cream)