Perry's Launches New Line

Gelato is an increasingly popular Italian treat which differs from American ice cream in that it is made with more whole milk than cream. Though this means the butterfat content is somewhat lower (which is different from the overall fat content of the product), gelato is made using a slower churning method, so the gelato itself is typically more dense than ice cream.  Also, because of the lower butterfat content, gelato doesn't coat your mouth the same way traditional ice cream does, which has the effect of making each bite more flavorful.

Homegrown food manufacturer, Perry's, has released a new gelato line just in time for our warmer weather. Perry's new, pint-size gelato comes in four flavors: Tahitian Vanilla, Pistachio, Berry and Cannoli.  It is also made using all-natural ingredients and does not contain preservatives, additives or food coloring.

I do not consider myself a gelato aficionado, but I do taste things for a living, so I thought I'd offer a review of the new item and its flavors to our readers.  First, as with any fat-based product, you should allow it to warm up a little bit.  We let the gelato sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes before tasting it.  It was easy to scoop, yet cold enough to still enjoy on a hot day.

Of the flavors, the Cannoli is the best of the bunch, in my opinion.  Made with a mascarpone base and riddled with mini chocolate chips its ingredient label is very short and the product itself is very tasty.  I prefer sliced almonds over chocolate chips with my cannoli, but I know I'm the minority, so I think that this gelato is a good bet for fans of the traditional Italian pastry.  I am glad that they didn't include chopped pieces of cannoli shell.  If they had, I think the textural experience and quality of this flavor would have been compromised.  The Berry flavor is a bright purple color and is strewn with tiny frozen blueberries.  This gelato was quite bright and tangy, and overall I cared for it the least despite my preference for fruit-flavored ice cream.  Both the Tahitian Vanilla and the Pistachio are intensely flavored.  The vanilla has great texture and could be called Vanilla Extreme if the market called for it.  The Pistachio is different from traditional pistachio ice cream in that it is neither green nor filled with infinitesimal pistachio bits.  Here, pistachio lovers will rejoice in the generous serving of whole pistachios one can find sprinkled throughout the entire pint.  One issue some pistachio ice cream fans might have with this gelato is the powerful and arguably overwhelming amount of almond extract used to enhance the flavor--a common practice, but maybe not a preferable one.

Perry's new gelato is available at local supermarkets all over Western New York. If you are looking for it, or any other brand of Perry's ice cream, you can use the Perry's online locator.