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NOTO ITALY 67

The Best Places to
Eat Gelati

Corrado Costanzo inexpensive
Tucked into a narrow lane below Noto’s luscious
NOTO
central piazza, Largo Landolina, is a café that
looks like any other in Sicily. But the ice cream
NOTO ITALY
created in gelateria Corrado Costanzo is judged
by connoisseurs from all over the world to be
Gorgeous Gelati in Baroque Sicily the best on the planet. Eating a Costanzo ice
cream is one of the world’s most voluptuous
gastronomic experiences, melting neither too
slowly nor too fast on the tongue, suffusing
Built on a hill a few miles from the sea, Noto is the apogee of Sicilian Baroque. Much of its charm the mouth with the unadulterated essence
of mandarin, almond, rose, pistachio, mulberry,
lies in its limestone buildings, their colors changing from gold to apricot depending on the light.
jasmine, or whichever locally grown fruit,
Sicily has been defined as a place where “doing nothing is not seen as a waste of time, where nut, or flower is in season.
The death of Costanzo himself in 2003 has
people still eat jasmine ice cream” – and Noto, on a summer evening, is a fine place to do both.
changed nothing – his daughter and son
continue to produce ice creams and granitas like
In the wake of the terrible earthquake favorite pastime for visitors – and locals – is to no one else. In spring, opt for rose, jasmine, or
of 1693 that devastated Sicily, the savor the delicious gelato (ice cream) and almond wild strawberry, and in summer pistachio,
ricotta with cinnamon, or dark chocolate with
ruined hill town of Noto was completely sweetmeats for which the town has become famous.
orange. Unlike most, Costanzo’s gelati contain
reconstructed, building by building, on a Noto’s reputation for ice-cream making originated
no gums, using only egg white as a thickener.
flatter location closer to the sea. Through the 1,000 years ago, when Sicily was under the rule of the
Via Spaventa 7 (behind the Palazzo Ducezio),
18th century this became an enormous Arabs. They planted citrus and almond groves across Noto; closed Mon; +39 931 835 243
construction site run by the prominent the island, and brought with them the technique of
architects of the day. Today, the town’s Baroque making sherbet, or sharbat, from fruit syrups, flower Also in Noto
architecture is unique in Sicily and, after substantial essences, and snow from the slopes of Mount Etna. It Noto is blessed with another great dessert-
restoration, its long-decaying buildings are being seems probable that it was a resourceful Sicilian who creating family, the Assenza brothers, Carlo and
revealed in all their glory. The steps that lead up to the first had the idea of making a good thing even better, Corrado, who own the popular and authentic
cathedral from Largo Landolina are a good place to freezing a mixture of milk, sugar or honey, and fruit, Caffè Sicilia (+39 931 835 013; inexpensive),
which has been operating since 1892. The
start a tour of the town’s voluptuous palazzi and and giving the world one of its favorite foods.
cakes, pastries, and homemade jellies here are
grandiose churches, replete with ornamental detail. By the 18th century, ices were so popular in Italy
as superb as the innovative gelati – people
Designed specifically to include vistas of the that almost the entire revenue of Sicily’s Bishop of
come from far and wide to sample the flavors,
surrounding countryside, Noto’s urban plan was Catania came from selling the snow from Mount Etna. which include almond blended with cinnamon,
people-friendly and still works well today. Steps lead Not far from Noto you can still see neviere, limestone lemon, saffron, mulberry, wild strawberry, and
to the upper part of town and breathtaking views. One pits roofed with domes of stone, where snow was buried a radical basil-scented ice.
of the most popular tourist activities in Noto is just to in winter, remaining frozen for months. Warm winters
Also in Italy
wander the picturesque streets, taking in golden stone provoked national crises: in 1777 a boat thought to be
When in Rome, eat gelato. The Italian capital’s
buildings with their handsome facades and elegant carrying snow was attacked and its precious cargo
favorite place to do so is San Crispino
balconies, and enjoying spectacular vistas. The other seized – by Syracusans, desperate for ice cream.
(www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it; moderate), a
short walk from Rome’s own Baroque
masterpiece, the Trevi fountain. It is famous for
What Else to Eat subtle flavors, including cream with honey or
Sicily and sweet things go together. The superb figs. Venice boasts Alaska (+39 41 715 211;
offerings from local pasticcerias feature locally inexpensive), beloved of gelato gourmets
grown almonds, and the pastries have a divine who appreciate Carlo Pistacchi’s fresh
melt-in-the-mouth quality. Try Pasticceria ingredients and experimental flavors such as
Mandolfiore (www.pasticceriamandolfiore.com) celery and peach, and licorice and artichoke.
or Caffè Sicilia (see right), whose nougat and
homemade jellies make perfect gifts. Look for Around the World
biancomangiare – blancmange as you’ve never Americans eat more ice cream than any other
tasted it, not unlike the panna cotta of northern
nation in the world, and one of their most
Italy. The chocolate of nearby Modica is still famous ice-cream producers, Ben & Jerry’s
made using the Aztec technique, with pure cocoa
(www.benjerry.com; moderate), offers tours
and sugar, so that it has a crunchy texture. You
may be able to peep at the Iacono family making of its factory in Vermont – on snowshoes in
it in the kitchen behind the bar at Caffè dell’ Arte, winter. Arguably even tastier ice cream can be
on Modica’s Corso Umberto (+39 932 943 257) – found in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at family-
or cross the road to the more famous Bonajuto owned Persicco (+54 11 3339 7377;
(+39 932 941 225), founded in 1880, for free expensive), which has several branches.
chocolate tastings.

Above Farmers harvesting almonds with poles and nets in southern Sicily