The winning pistacchio flavour. Photo: Dino Buffagni
The
Gelato World Tour is coordinated by the Carpigiani Gelato University, also
known as Bologna's ice cream university, and is supported by the Italian
Foreign Ministry as it tours the world each year to track down the tastiest
gelato on the planet.
Judges
have toured the world during a three-year selection process with over 1,800
gelato-makers taking part. The 36 finalists representing 19 countries competed
in the Grand Finals in Rimini this weekend, with a number of challenges ranging
from dairy-free ice cream to speedy gelato-making.
But
it turned out that the very best cone can be found in Italy, with the Gelateria
Crispini in Spoleto scooping the top prize.
Alessandro Crispini poses with his prize-winning gelato. Photo: Dino Buffagni/Gelato World Tour
Gelataio
Alessandro Crispini's pistacchio flavour, made of three kinds of Sicilian
pistacchio roasted for 24 hours, was crowned the World's Best Gelato.
The
winners were selected by a 45-strong jury including gelato experts, chefs, and
journalists.
In
second place was the German Eiscafé De Rocco in Schwabach with a grape sorbet
created by a father and son in a tribute to their hometown of Venice. And a
chocolate-passion fruit gelato from Amor-acuyà in Medellín, Colombia was
awarded third place.
A
total of 50,000 visitors came to the finals to watch the competition and enjoy
the 2,500kg of gelato which was produced over the three-day fair.
Photo: Alexandra E Rust/Flickr
And
according to organizers, 2017 has been a record year for gelato-eaters as well
as makers, with consumption of the dessert up ten percent on last year.
By The Local