Eat a dream
That would be the flavor Sogno at Los Andes, an excellent gelateria in Padua which I am adding to the Tour del Gelato hosted by Ms. Adventures in Italy.
(Sogno ingredients: coconut and almonds)
Click here for the official Tour del Gelato blogroll.
As the name Los Andes reveals, the owners have a passion for South America and ice cream. Their delicious flavors include the normal line-up of vanilla, chocolate and fruit varieties, as well as Tierra del Fuego in honor of Chile's landscape and Mar del Plata. The South American tastes often include the ingredient Dulce de Leche, for an exotic flair.
The locals stop here on a Sunday afternoon while biking or strolling along the riverbanks nearby that cross through Terranegra, the neighborhood that houses Los Andes. During the week when school is in session, mothers and children get in line at the end of the school day from the English Language School of Padua. This means that lots of the kids found at Los Andes can speak English so they could even help you order your own cup or cone. I took this picture during the unofficial "children's hour" with tons of tots wandering around and salivating over their gelato.
If you are fending for yourself and need some pointers about how to order a good gelato on your own, consult this link from WhyGo Italy for excellent advice on vocabulary and gelato philosophy.
Outside Los Andes, at the corner of the Residence Terranegra
The husband and wife owners, Donato and Angelica, in front of their fruit shake section. This is a favorite for the ladies who want to eat something fresh without the guilt of a caloric gelato. Los Andes offers about 20 combinations with apple, orange, kiwi, pineapple, banana, ginger and more! Fruit shake is centrifuga in Italian.
The owners with their gelato assistant John from Colombia. The partitially-covered sign on the wall reads "il gelato artigianale per passione" (homemade ice cream with passion) and the flavors at Los Andes prove that statement both in the quality of their ingredients and obvious dedication.
Don't worry about fall and winter's arrival. Los Andes has special themes and launches for the changing seasons. Halloween will inspire flavors like la zucca assassina (Killer Pumpkin), la vedova nera (The Black Widow), il morso di Dracula (Dracula's Bite). Also for October, about 50 chocolate flavors will arrive at the gelataio's discretion ranging from white chocolate to 100% cocoa. An Angolo del Thé (tea corner) is planned for the winter where a high-quality selection of teas will be available to add to the gelato delights.
Yes, Los Andes is off the beaten track of Padua's tourist areas but well worth the trip. Even the Gambero Rosso agrees, based of what I hear! Take bus line 4 south from the city center to the final stop "Terranegra" (about 10-15 minute ride) and continue north a couple of blocks to get your cooling gelato thrill next the Alì supermarket in the Residence Terranegra complex on the left.
A good idea might be to come out of the city center after a day of touring Giotto and Saint Anthony wonders, have a delicious gelato or centrifuga and then walk those calories off along the nearby riverbank, just like the locals do! It's a slowfood philosophy gelato solution!
Los Andes di Furlan Donato
Gelateria Artigianale-Caffetteria
Via Mons. G. Fortin, 43
35128 Padova (Terranegra)
tel and fax: 049.8022382
closed on Tuesdays
Looks yummy! Fruit shakes are hard to find.
ReplyDeleteI love the gelato so much that I never get around to eating the shakes, but they are supposedly really good, too!
ReplyDelete