Buffalo Rising Online

Jul 5th 2007, 7:46am By Nancy Vargo

The summer weather has put in a serious appearance, so it's time to get serious about keeping your cool.

Homemade gelato is one delicious way to stay cool. You may have heard about it and thought, Nah, I'll stick with my good old fashioned ice cream. But, once you've tried this Italian-inspired treat, you'll never turn back. That is, if you've had real, honest-to-goodness homemade gelato.

How can you tell when you've had the real thing? It's one of those times when you just know you've found it. Homemade gelato is more dense, has less air than ice cream and is creamy beyond words. It's more pudding-like than ice cream, but a bit healthier, because it's made with milk instead of cream.

And there's no better place to satisfy your taste buds than at Dolci in the heart of the Elmwood Village. If you can manage to make your way past the sparkling cases of out-of-this-world Italian cookies, pastries and specialty cakes, you'll be glad that you saved yourself for Dolci's ice cold adventures in gelato. Dolci's gelato is made on-site in the “gelato lab” where part-owner David Simpson works his magic.

My visit to Dolci was like a walk through wonderland. I didn't know where to stop or which way to turn!

I suspect that most people out on a gelato quest would expect to find the standard vanilla, chocolate and fruit flavors. At Dolci, even the basics are not so basic. Vanilla Bean, Callebaut Chocolate, and Strawberries and Cream are an improvement on the classics. Some of the not-so-traditional treats include Caramel Chocolate Chip Walnut Biscotti, Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Mousse, and Nutella.

Now, if you really want your taste buds to sit up and say, "Hey!", time your visit to coincide with one of Simpson's completely off-the-wall creations. Would you believe that I tasted a beer gelato made with Canal Street Stout? I was amazed by the pickled ginger sorbet and wasabi sorbet--some of Dolci's more obscure offerings--occasionally found paired with sashimi at Prime 490 or Torches.

On really hot days when you need something tart, tangy and really refreshing, you'll have to try one of Dolci's sorbets. I just about melted when handed the Mojito with Rum and wished that I'd had the time and appetite to try the mixed berry or raspberry.

Not all of the flavors I've mentioned are always available. The selection is determined by Simpson's creativity and mood. On your visit you may find, for example, Coconut Lemon Grass Honey Ginger sorbet.

David and his partners Kevin and Melissa Gardner enjoy the fun comments they get from their customers in response to the variety of gelato flavors and they're proud of their quality product.

Don't let the summer pass you by without stopping in at Dolci.

Dolci
732 Elmwood Ave, 14222
716.882.5956, call for hours

Photo by Nick Barone