Pozzetto: Italian Ice Cream with Soul

As a kid there was little I awaited with as much anticipation as the daily passage of the ice cream man during the summer. The mysterious yet familiar music-box melody that bellowed from his rooftop speaker was identifiable from afar and signaled snacktime.

Slip and slides were shoved to the side, basketballs were dropped to the asphalt and sprinklers were left carelessly unattended as the wail of the Good Humor truck, toting ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and dixie cups, turned the corner onto the street where my friends and I spent hours amusing ourselves. The thrill of making it to the idled truck before our mothers could scold us for spoiling our dinners outlasted the sweet pleasure of the ice cream which was inhaled instantly to combat the sticky heat. Those were the days of unadulterated joy, before lactose intolerance reared its nasty head.

Soon after I realized that thick and creamy Turkey Hill ice cream would be an infrequent indulgence, I had my first taste of gelato at Capogiro in Philadelphia, recently named the world’s best ice cream parlor. The experience was nothing short of revelatory. I couldn’t go back to regular ice cream after that – my stomach reacted well to less cream and my taste buds were converted to the artisanal side after the very first spoonful.

On my first vacation with Mr. C, we spent ten days traveling between Rome, Naples and Capri doing the requisite hop between pizza, spaghetti and gelato. We found ourselves entertaining our cravings multiple times a day alongside the legions of gelato-crazed fiends lined up around the block at every shop across Rome. It was easy to understand the excitement. It’s dense and rich but without the cream and quite so much butterfat as traditional ice cream and the flavors are intense and pure. Wouldn’t you queue for a scoop of heaven?

But just like Italy’s climate, its world renowned dessert varies greatly by region. Ice cream in the south, for example, is slightly fattier which helps to prevent it from melting. The nuances are as numerous as the flavors.

The gelato in Paris is of varying quality and most places brandish their silky ice cream in the window, luring you with their illustrious mounds and bright colors. I’ve had my fair share of cups and cones over the last six years but only one place has been consistently good on all fronts, from service and savoir-faire to quality and flavor.

Pozzetto, “little well” in Italian, was born out of a genuine passion for ice cream. Co-founder and owner Maura Burlando recalls bemoaning the absence of decent ice cream in Paris every time she’d return to her hometown of Turino during her French university vacations. Her brother-in-law Paolo told her that if she found a suitable space in Paris, he’d go into business with her. Several months later they opened their doors.

I recently sat down with Maura and Paolo to learn about their craft, how they got started, what makes them different from the other shops in Paris and what type of experience they strive to offer. What resulted was an enlightening two-hour discussion followed by a tasting.

Paolo’s detailed explanation of how the delicate and unstable composition of gelato makes its texture and quality difficult to perfect made me realize how little I actually knew about the process. The basins or wells (Pozzetto) in which they store the gelato allows for better temperature control and helps maintain the desired texture – which is silky but not shiny. And given the way ice cream is presented at most places (not just in Paris!), shiny is typically what attracts the ignorant eye.

But those who go to Pozzetto don’t need to see mountainous, artificial rainbow displays because they know that each of the 12 all-natural flavors prepared daily in small quantities are exceptional. Pistacchio, gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut) and fior di latte are Maura’s favorites and some of the most popular flavors. “I seriously love ice cream. I eat gianduja every single day, even if only a litte bit! It’s my patisserie!”, she beamed. They may be common, but they’re some of the best I’ve ever tasted. And the kiwi and pumpkin flavors I also tried? It was like biting into the actual fruit.

But aside from the superior quality, the hedonistic tasting (complete with homemade whipped cream!) and the charming storytelling, what still stands out most in my mind is their commitment to producing a dessert that leaves mouths feeling refreshed, not assaulted. “I want people to feel like they didn’t have any at all”, Paolo said, “like they could have another“.

At first, I wasn’t sure what he meant. Assaulted mouths? Is that how he perceived other ice cream? But then he slid an overflowing cup of fresh pumpkin and thick chocolate gelato across the counter, and I took my first spoonful. I closed my eyes, felt the cold across my teeth and savored every silky ounce until I was left with the enthralling remnants of each flavor. No unwanted aftertaste and no sugary film left behind on my teeth. Just a refreshing sensation and a desire for a second scoop. Now, I understood.

There may not be a musical gelato truck circling my block to secure childhood joy but Pozzetto offers a treat so luscious that I’m nonetheless transported back to carefree summer days. I may have swapped artificially flavored Klondike’s for artisanal Italian scoops but the pleasure remains the same.

Pozzetto
39 rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004
Métro: Hôtel de Ville
01.42.77.08.64.

Pozzetto isn’t just for take-out! Go inside, grab a seat and be sure to order your ice cream with an espresso – they have some of the best in the city. Don’t forget to talk to them about their methods, flavors and history; they love to share!

More Pozzetto photos HERE.