The History of Gelato

Gelato is a fabulous frozen dessert that claims its origins in modern-day Italy. In fact, the name “gelato” is derived from the Italian words meaning “frozen” and “milk”. Legend tells us that gelato is a compilation of several recipes and ingredients originating from cultures as far away as China, Moorish and other Arabic-speaking peoples, and the present-day Italians.

No one knows for sure, but we are told that modern gelato is a combination of recipes from the northern and southern regions of Italy. In the north, gelato was made by the people in the cold, mountainous regions of the Dolomites and northern Tuscany. Gelato in this region was primary a dairy-based product made by people that went into the mountains to herd cows. They utilized the milk to make wonderful cheeses and stored the milk overrun in the snow for later use. Hence, came the moniker of frozen milk – “gelato”. It is said that they flavored the gelato with naturally and locally found flavorings such as honey, and berries found in the mountain forests. Gelato became a well-known treat from the people of northern Italy and gelato artisans soon spread the gelato manufacturing expertise to other nearby mountainous areas of Europe.

In the very southern parts of Italy, gelato was introduced in a different form via the people of Sicily. The pre-modern gelato product was predominately water-based, flavored with fresh fruit or syrups, and having a high sugar content. The southern form was equally robust in its flavor and taste as its northern cousin. It is said that the Arabic-speaking Moors introduced this fruit-flavored (sorbetto) concept to the Sicilians. Even today, the word “sherbet” is accredited to Arabic origins.