When I sang the familiar tune of "eating as much gelato as possible while here" to my Italian cooking instructor, a Florence local, her eyes immediately brightened.
"You're in luck," she told me, pointing out that the very best gelateria in Florence was just down the road.
So, despite the four hefty courses of homemade Italian food under our belts, my partner and I practically skipped our way toward her suggestion, Carabe Gelateria.
At the establishment, which has been open for roughly 25 years, we were met with a rainbow of flavors in both traditional Sicilian gelato style and "granita" (an icier, semi-frozen dessert). As I deliberated the weighty choice before me __ hazelnut, ricotta cheese, almond, fruit salad, lemon, strawberry, peach cream and olive oil, among others __ an employee animatedly shared that Rick Steves had visited the shop just a week ago. Even better, the renowned travel author and television personality had declared what our cooking instructor also believed: Carabe is the very best gelateria in Florence.
And whether that bold statement is actually true, the shop's creamy, icy offerings __ including the kiwi and "Sicilian soul" (orange lemon) flavors that I eventually chose __ are inarguably delicious.
Sure, we had already consumed a lot that day __ admittedly, to the point of gluttony. But when in Florence, one must do what the Florentines do: eat gelato.
