Coffee Granita Here are some Florence addresses not to be missed! Downtown: Carabé Via Ricasoli, 65/r Tel: 055.289.476 Web Perché No? Via dei Tavolini, 19/r Tel: 055.239-8969 Read my review! Le Carrozza Piazza del Pesce Near the Ponte Vecchio Tel: 055.239-6810 Read my review! Caffè Ricchi Piazza Santo Spirito,10/r L'Alpina Viale Strozzi, 12/r Tel: 055.496-677 Vestri Borgo degli Albizi, 11/r Tel: 055.234-0374 Read my review! Vivoli Via Isola delle Stinche, 7/r Tel: 055.292-334 Web By the stadium: Badiani Viale dei Mille, 20/R Tel: 055.578-682 Web Cascina Park Ice House for Gelato

The record breaking summer heat has had us all seeking refuge in the gelaterias! What a choice we have here in Florence! Besides the classically wonderful gelato that everyone knows and loves, there are also other gelateria specialties such as semifreddos, sorbetti, frappes, and granitas. The original sharbat, a refreshing iced lemon dessert introduced to Italy by the Arabs, was eventually turned into the Sicilian granita--sweetened citrus syrup poured over snow brought down from Mount Etna. Try the Sicilian coffee flavored granita with whipped cream on top and you have a cold cappuccino! My friend Antonio Lisciandro of Gelateria Carabé says that it is a Sicilian summer breakfast. Served with a warm brioche, for me it is fabulous anytime! On the beaches of Italy, you will see the grattachecche, energetic fellows who makes sno-cones, also called granita, by shaving a huge block of ice and drizzling syrups, such as lemon, orange, tamarind, or mint, to be eaten with a spoon or sipped with a straw. Florence claims the first ice cream. In 1565, Bernardo Buontalenti, the architect to the Royal Court of the Medici family, was hired to create fabulous events for the Florentine banquets, including stage constructions, theater events, fireworks, and food. For one of his creations, he decided to chill pastry cream in the special rooms created to keep ice transported from the glaciers in Abetone down the Florence and used to chill drinks. When Catherine de'Medici moved to France after marrying Enrico, Duke of Orleans, in 1565, she brought her staff along to cook for her and her family. Among her chefs was Ruggeri, the first professional ice cream maker. A hundred years later, a Sicilian, Francesco Procopio de'Coltelli, opened the first coffee and ice cream shop in Paris called Le Procope. A Venetian, Sartelli, opened a shop in London, and in Paris, Tortoni invented the ice cream sandwich! In New York it was an ice cream maker from Genova, Bosio, who opened the first shop in the 1600's. Small ice cream carts appeared selling ice cream on the streets, using glass dishes. But an Italian immigrant Italo Marchiony created a formed wafer and patented it in 1896. This way his clients could take their ice cream with them, and he wouldn't have to wash the cups! A few years later, at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, an ice cream maker ran out of cups, and a Syrian pastry maker rolled some of his cookies to use as a cone, creating the pizzelle style cone. Whatever season, ice cream is always fabulous. Enjoy it anytime, anywhere, and hopefully in Florence! NEWSLETTERS Life's Too Short [fall 2005] Pasqua [march 2005] Estate [summer 2004] Primavera [spring 2004] Tuscan Chocolate Valley [winter 2003] I Scream, U Scream, We All Scream for...Gelato! [summer 2003] Slow Food, Slow Travel [spring 2003] Sagre, Sagre, Sagre! [spring 2003] Tuscan Virgins [fall 2002] Fall Festivals [fall 2002] La Notte di San Lorenzo [summer 2002] Fireflies & Fireworks [summer 2002] I Love EWE! [spring 2002] Andrea's Christmas Dinner [winter 2001] Addio Bistecca alla Fiorentina! [summer 2001] Guelfa e Ghibellini [late summer 2001] Tartufi, Feste & Sagre [fall 2000] Piatti del Buon Ricordo [summer 2000] COMING SOON! Carrara: Marble & White Prosciutto