About Gelato Paradiso 

Hey, what do you mean, "authentic Italian?"

It's a fair question, and we hear it a lot. I mean, why wouldn't you be skeptical of a southern Californian gelato shop with the audacity to call itself Italian? It's not just that we like to throw words around - though if it's a good word, why not - there's also a philosophy behind the lingo. What we strive to provide for our guests is the experience of travel, the experience of the quintessential Italian gelateria – but with a little So-Cal twist.

To bring our "authentic Italian" philosophy to light, we've compiled some terms and ideas that guide our approach to the gelato biz. (And yes, we admit it, we do like to throw these words around.)

Here it is, Gelato 101...

Artisan

This is basically the "chef" behind the gelato, the one waking up in the wee hours of the morning to craft each pan of gelato by hand. Synonyms for artisan include architect, master, and virtuoso. It's a lot to live up to, but the Italians have been using these guys for centuries, so we figured we'd better get ourselves a gelato genius too.

Artisan Techniques

The skills and methods the artisans use to make the gelato. When we say we're using artisan techniques to craft our gelato, we're not just talking about the fact that our gelato is hand-made in small batches every day right in the shop where you come to eat it...or that we make it using only the freshest ingredients imported directly from Italy, the official home of gelato...While all this is true, we also mean that we're using old school methods and recipes that have been passed down and improved upon through generations of master gelato-makers. When we say "artisan techniques," what we're really trying to convey is hundreds of years of gelato history behind each bite.

Authentic

Authentic is an ideal we strive for in all aspects of our company. To us, it means a true and genuine approach to making, presenting, and serving gelato. From our artisan recipes to our Italian imported ingredients and decor, we do our very best to bring the authenticity of the Italian gelateria to each of our stores in southern California. The authentic ideal extends to our employees as well. Whether it means studying up on the latest trends in artisan gelato or flying across the Atlantic to see how they do things at the oldest gelateria in Italy, our people are serious about gelato.

Italian

Okay, we know we're not literally Italian, but the idea is to come as close as possible from where we stand on the West Coast. A little history: In the year 1999, when the idea for Gelato Paradiso first came about, we were a bit nervous about putting forth a product to compete with the 20,000 gelaterias already operating in Italy. In fact, our original concept for Gelato Paradiso was to take orders at our counters in Southern California and then fly over to the Boot to bring back a cup or cone of whatever our guests desired. But when our accountant told us this business model would severely limit our viability, we decided to rethink things. Accepting our geographical limitations, we decided to import our recipes, our ingredients, our counter and floor tiles, our in-store artwork, our cups, our coolers - EVERYTHING from Italy. That way we could make true  Italian-style gelato from the comfort of our own home and cut wait times by more than half! Eureka! Authentic Italian gelato was born on the West Coast.

Gelato

It's like ice cream, but not. (This one's a real mind-bender, so pay close attention.) You see, while gelato and ice cream both belong to the same family of “delicious frozen treats,” there are some important differences between the two...

In its basic form, ice cream is a mixture of cream, egg yolks, sugar and air, and usually some artificial flavorings we can't pronounce. In contrast, gelato omits the extra fat and artificial flavors and yet achieves an even bolder taste and creamier texture than its ice cream counterpart. How does it do that, you say?

Well, just exchange the cream for milk, subtract the excess eair, substitute the artificial stuff for fresh ingredients like nuts and chocolates and berries, divide everything by three, carry the two, and multiply the remainder by a secret prime number, and you've got some really good gelato on your hands.

Sorbetto

Sorbetto is the dairy-free alternative to gelato or ice cream, blending only fresh fruit, pure water, and a touch of sugar to create the ultimate frozen refreshment. Using fresh ingredients (rather than frozen) means we are able to bring about some truly intense flavor, born of the natural sweetness of the fruit. When blending our sorbettos, we adhere to the Willy Wonka rule of thumb, meaning the strawberry tastes like strawberry, and the snosberry tastes like snosbery!

Now that you've completed the written portion of Gelato 101, there's just one more challenge on your way to becoming a gelato connoisseur: Go taste it!