You’ll find me where the ice cream is…

Hello summer sweetness! It doesn’t take much to convince me to go anywhere where ice cream is involved, especially this past weekend, when walking around London felt like walking on Venus. So when I hear that the Gelato Festival is coming to The Big Smoke, I knew I had to go!

Now in its 8th edition, the Gelato Festival is the most important event dedicated to the world of Italian gelato. A European competition that recognises the best Italian and foreign gelato artisans and the flavours they create for the event. A festival "on the road" that during the summer travels through Italy and the rest of Europe bringing goodness, joy, experience, culture.

London’s edition of the Festival was over three days where we could sample more than 20 unique flavours by gelato experts from all over Europe and vote for our favourite. Votes of a panel of experts and those of the public determine the winner of each stage and the winner of the European final.

Now, I’m not a fussy eater but when it comes to ice cream I can be a snob. But let me tell you, these gelato masters went above and beyond my expectations when it comes to original recipes, flavor fusions and, most importantly, passion about their craft. The afternoon at the Gelato Festival was an explosion of flavours! From Roberto Culivicchi’s extra dark chocolate gelato infused with Yorkshire tea, through Heddon Street Kitchen’s brown bread & butter ice cream with a drizzle of marmalade and to East Coast’s ice cream Bakewell tart, there was something to satisfy all your taste buds!  My favourite? Sandro de Castro’s brioche and Nutella. I could literally live off this goodness!

Now imagine you had to decide which of all these mouth-watering creation is the best! The jury and public chose the winners of the London edition as 'Scottish Rasberry Sorbet' by David Equi & Kaelin Halcrow Gelato Shop Equi's Ice Cream and 'Creme della Baklava' by Akash Vaghela  GelatoShop.

Thank you Gelato Festival for the sweetest weekend!