What would Pavlov have said about my mouth salivating before I’ve even entered Paciugo Italian Gelateria? Once inside, the process is fairly predictable. The gelatos, nesting in stainless-steel bins, are first consumed by the eye. If an eye could accomplish this, the bin would be licked clean. The hilly mounds of gelato are on the left side of the glass-sided case; the frothy tufts of sorbet are on the right. Plastic sampling spoons are in a cup on top of the case. “One lady asked to try 16 different flavors today,” moans the worker-girl who wears several shades of gelato on her T-shirt. That’s not bad, considering there are 28 flavors on this day, and I’d like to sample every one of them. The choices vary, but I see tiramisu, chocolate mint, green tea and rose (yes, like the flower) gelatos. For sorbets, there’s seedy mixed fruit, tart watermelon and an acutely sweet raspberry. The texture of Paciugo’s is dense and, as expected, less creamy than ice cream. (Gelato, typically made with milk rather than cream, has less butterfat than ice cream.) The dark chocolate gelato is an exquisite jolt of cocoa intensity. Two locations: Mayfair Mall and Brookfield Square. Prices: $3.49-$5.99.
Spoonful Things
What would Pavlov have said about my mouth salivating before I’ve even entered Paciugo Italian Gelateria? Once inside, the process is fairly predictable. The gelatos, nesting in stainless-steel bins, are first consumed by the eye. If an eye could accomplish this, the bin would be licked clean. The hilly mounds of gelato are on the left side of the glass-sided case; the frothy tufts of sorbet are on the right. Plastic sampling spoons are in a cup on top of the case. “One lady asked to try 16 different flavors today,” moans the worker-girl who wears several shades of gelato…
