Ice Cream: Paris v. Rome

Modern, chaotic Italy can be traced back to the 5^th century development of pizza and ice cream; hardened Roman soldiers, used to austere diets of buckwheat pancakes, now glutted on these delicious new developments from the imperial kitchen. Stuffed, they found themselves unable to conquer the far side of the street, let alone remote countries. Lean, Germanic barbarians raised on Atkins-friendly sausage diets invaded southwards in search of plunder and better weather, and the once-great Roman Empire fell into a turbulent miasma of toppings, frozen fruit flavours and upset political stomachs. (Historical note: the preceding paragraph may not be entirely accurate).

But surely, as the home of gelato, the very best ice cream is still to be found in Italy? In among the classical fruit flavours of yore, we’ve noticed some herbier, more savoury flavours appearing. Basil or the sage and raspberry at Gelateria del Teatro (Via di San Simeone 22a, Rome) are delicious, but the blowaway winner in my book is the amazing fennel and liquorice at Gelateria Fatamorgana (Via G.Bettoli 7, also at Via di Lago di Lesina 9/11, both in Rome.)  

Can more genteel Paris compete? Maison Bertillon (29-31 Rue Saint Louis en l'Ȋle, on the charming if a little touristic Ȋle Saint-Louis) is the undisputed master of French ice creams, whose wares were so good last weekend that they salved my stomachache. I loved the almond milk flavour, which was really ice cream that tasted of marzipan, and salted butter caramel; but the flavour which we had three times in the course of two days was the incredible combination of marron glacé and rum.

Bertillon makes a sweeter, creamier style, which works better for the chocolate and alcoholic flavours; it is less good for the fruit flavours at which the Italians excel. Bertillon is not serving its ice cream quite cold enough, so it melts a little too quickly. By a small margin, the fennel-and-liquorice at Fatamorgana still has it; so the decline and fall of the Roman Empire may have been worth the Dark Ages.