There is definitely an Italian influence in the countries of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.  You know how I can tell?

GELATO.  Gelato is very popular everywhere I have traveled in these three countries.

I admit that I am an unabashed Gelato fan.  In fact, I am a fanatic.  If you will recall, on a trip to Italy some 7 years ago, I wrote about gelato (refer to September 4, 2016 – Trip to Italy https://neilstrips.com/gelato/).

My travel mates at the time, PJ and Tom, and I got to the point where we were averaging at least two Gelatos per day.  One of the major issues for us in every city, town, village we traveled to was which Gelato establishment (Gelateria) was the very best.

If you are like me, you just want to know as much as possible about Gelato (juh-lah-toh).

I did not realize that there are Gelatologists to consult with to help understand better how “Italian ice cream” as it called by some, is so spectacular.

How is Gelato evaluated by Gelatologists and others, you may ask.  They focus on four factors — consistency, mouthfeel, visuals and flavor.

They talk about the overall organoleptic experience (the way our senses interpret a food).

Surprisingly to me, Gelato is not just a simple Italian ice cream but rather an incredibly complex product.

For example, according to Medium.com, Gelato…

• Is composed of the three physical states: air, liquid water, and solids.
• Incorporates simultaneously four types of chemical mixtures— solution, colloid, emulsion and suspension.
• Contains solids — sugars, fats, proteins — that provide its taste, aroma and color.

They conclude with the statement — “When carefully balanced so that the proportion between the different physical states, the different mixtures and the different solids groups is just right, (Gelato) can be produced in a consistent, predictable manner using a wide range of ingredients.”

Bottom line, Gelato is a heck of a lot more complicated than I realized. As I continue to learn more about Gelato, I will continue my daily “research.”