June is bustin’ out all over
All over the meadow and the hill
Buds’re bustin’ outa bushes
And the rompin’ river pushes
Ev’ry little wheel that wheels beside the mill — Rogers and Hammerstein, Carousel

It’s just about summer and the gelato flavours are bursting out of their cones. From my machine in my freezer now are: Skor bar with a vanilla base; Pistachio based on David Lebovitz recipe; raspberry and dark chocolate sorbets and ripe banana and walnut. The Pistachio is an interesting one.

All of the flavour derives from pistachio cream, all 7 oz of it. The base is completely neutral and corn starch thickens it. Corn starch is tricky as it has to be incorporated carefully into the medium, milk or water. Occasionally, when I’ve put the mixture in a sieve, the corn starch bunches up and looks like tapioca pellets. To be avoided. But turned out tasting exactly like the pistachio mix. Good but not what I am aiming for. 

All around town, gelaterias are trying out flavours, some of them quite amazing. In an informal survey, here are some of the more remarkable ones (I’d like to try)

Mizzica, 307 Queen St. W. 

Milky gelato with caramel swirl with gluten free caramel crunchy bits and dark chocolate Stracciatella

Nani’s, 

6 Charles Street East, Toronto

6039 Erin Mills Parkway, Mississauga

120 Lynn Williams St, Liberty Village

Saffron Cardamom Kulfi 

Vietnamese Coffee

Indian Chai Pint

I am intrigued with Nani’s. The flavours are always interesting and oriented to India and Southeast Asia. I’d like to profile them in these pages. 

Gelato Shack 

25 Overlea Blvd, Unit 8,

790 Military Trail #1A, Scarborough, Ontario

Soon to be in Pickering

S’mores the perfect summer at the cottage flavour

Hotel Gelato, 532 Eglinton Ave West

Mojito or sweet and spicy Mayan Chocolate

Lola’s

14B Brookers Lane, Etobicoke

A must try is Lola’s signature Elvis gelato ($2.55 for a single scoop). Introduced in honour of the King’s 80th birthday. Originally, intended for only a limited time but the combination of banana gelato, peanut butter crunch and grape jelly proved enormously popular, and it’s now a menu staple.

Bar Ape , 283 Rushton Rd, Toronto

Fior di Latte (sweet milk) with a choice of rotating toppings made by us or other amazing local shops (eg. Kitten & the Bear, Roselle).

Moon Milk, 1695 Dundas W.

Kaya jam n toast! (coconut pandan custard swirl in a buttery brioche ice cream)

Root beer float (ice cream but all is forgiven)

For travellers:

Halifax

Dairy Bar HFX , Stillwell Gardens 

malt chocolate soft serve, sticky sponge toffee, fudge sauce

Chicago 

Vaca’s Creamery, Lincoln Sq. 

Vanilla chocolate swirl topped with a peanut butter shell and strawberry sauce

strawberry olive oil and tahini