The 2020 Gelato Festival is hosting COVID-friendly and socially distanced competitions, as well as adding a new coffee making competition.
#SaferAtHome families and individuals have the opportunity to purchase a sampling box and be the judge of the world’s best gelato. These cool gelato boxes are filled with 12 different artisan gelato flavors, and are available for purchase for $69 until December 9th. Boxes will be shipped to your door shortly thereafter.
Each box includes four QR codes that allows gelato fans to have a gelato taste testing party at home and vote for their favorite flavor, and ultimately take part in picking the winner of this year’s tournament, to be announced in January.
Here are the 12 flavors I received and who created them:
1. Figs Pecan and Chocolate – created by Carlo Piccinini of Gelato Italyano – Fiordilatte with figs, pecans and dark chocolate.
2. Fior di Mandorla by Fabio Vota of Guess & Marciano Family Private Kitchen – almond gelato and lemon zest
3. Dama Pistachio Vegan by Joseph Maatouk of Paradise Ice Cream made with Oat Pistachio Gelato, orange blossom and rose water
4. Hazelnut and Honey Truffle Stracciatella made by Luca Moriconi of Culina Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Hazelnut with truffle and Acacia honey
5. Lavender Honey by Peter Macias of La Peer Hotel
6. Banana Pudding Gelato by Theresa Black of Amore Congelato
7. Mimosa Siciliana by Vincenzo Grasso of Likery – Blood orange and almonds (vegan)
8. Drunken Chai by Vinn Brooks of Coffee Manufactory – oat vanilla chai gelato drizzled with chocolate and caramel
9. Gianduia Gelato and Amarena Cherry by Michael Miranda of Gelato D’Oro – Giandula gelato with crushed hazelnut and whole Fabbri Amarena cherries
10. Cardamom and chocolate pear gelato by Samantha Santiago Torres of Saint Clair Inn – Cardamom, pear and crunchy chocolate
11. Blueberry Basil by Mike Guerrero (American Champion in 2019) – organic blueberries, fresh basil leaves, a squeeze of lemon and water (vegan)
12. Texas Pecan Salted Caramel by Diego Comparin of Paciugo Gelato Cafe (Silver Award Americano Championship 2019) creamy salted caramel gelato with swirls of organic pecans roasted in Dallas, Texas.
Gelato Festival is open for purchases of gelato at 8906 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (424)249-3966.
Dine, Travel & Entertainment 