When I finally decided to make the move to Italy a reality, my philosophy was:
“When life hands you lemons, move to Rome and make lemon gelato.”
I moved to Rome, and I found my lemon gelato- it was at San Crispino all along:
Now listen to me very closely: if you are in Rome, you are going to get gelato at San Crispino.
If you get gelato at San Crispino and they have lemon that day, you are going to order lemon.
If you order lemon, you will order it from this man. He will give you exactly half a cup of lemon, allocated with a kind of military accuracy. He will not allow you to order a second flavor that does not go with lemon:
Pistachio is an acceptable compliment to this sorbetto.
As you can see, all the gelato is hidden away in stainless steel buckets. You may not be able to see the flavors, but you can trust that they are all delicious.
San Crispino gelato is made fresh every day, and the flavors depend on the ingredients that can be found. Only the best for San Crispino- so if there are no good Amalfi lemons available, there will be no lemon ice cream that day. Yeah, you heard me, Amalfi lemon gelato. Have you bought your plane ticket yet?
Oh. But don’t think you’re going to get cones at San Crispino… some business about cones contaminating “real” gelato. Take your cup and savor slowly.
San Crispino Locations in Rome City Center:
Via della Panetteria, 42
(Near Trevi Fountain)
Piazza della Maddalena,3
(Near Pantheon)
I love this post, and your instructions. I love all the rules, too. It makes me laugh that food rules are maybe the only rules followed in Italy. Being a chocolate fanatic, I’ve never tried San Crispino’s lemon gelato. You’ve sold me though. Next time I’m in Rome (March), I’ll try the lemon gelato, that is, if it’s available. I don’t think chocolate and lemon will be an acceptable pairing though, si? :-).
I also love San Crispino. My favourite is licorice. I have written about San Crispino a couple of times and send everyone I know there. I also love Grom, but I don’t think there is one in Rome – at least I haven’t found it. I have tried several times to sign up for your blog, but it just doesn’t happen.
Your blog is simply lovely. I came across it on my last night in Roma and have been amused for quite some time. I’ll say that I got serious about gelato during my two weeks of adventures through Rome, Florence, Siena, Naples and Sorrento and I’m sad I haven’t tried (or heard about) San Crispino! I did Fassi & Giolitti in Rome and Grom in Florence and Siena…. all were fabulous & I’m a little addicted 😉
Good luck with everything!
PS- Debra, there isn’t a Grom on Rome (crazy, right?), but there are THREE in NYC. This of course if a must know for me because my bff lives in Hoboken.
I studied abroad in Rome for three months. Once I found San Crispino nothing else would do. Try the millefoglie, it is AMAZING!! And goes with everything. Also go to Pizza Buffetto in Rome if you get a chance, if I remember correctly is it by Piazza Navona.
Happy new year! In your spare time in Rome, can you develop a deep freeze gelato machine so you can bring me back some? Thanks. Also, your new year’s day entry inspires me to actually do something in 2011 to show for being alive in 2011. Be safe!
Yum.
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