The history of the relationship between ice cream and the Val di Zoldo is all about people, courage and dedication.
It is a success story built up over generations, from the late 19th century until the present. The people of Zoldo, like those of the Cadore area, were already emigrants when they began producing ice cream in the areas bordering their own. The origin of the recipe for ice cream is unknown, and we do not know how it could have made its way into the valleys of the Dolomites.
What we do know is that it brought significant fortune to the people of this area, who were the first to introduce the rest of Europe, and indeed the world, to the culture of ice cream, one of the most popular Italian artisan desserts. The ingredients the emigrants from Zoldo added were skill and simplicity, which allowed them to create a genuine, top-quality artisan product.
Over the years, these emigrants from Zoldo and the Cadore began to open up ice cream parlours in major cities in Italy and abroad, so don’t be surprised to find one of us behind the counter if you fancy an ice cream in Frankfurt, Tokyo or Buenos Aires!
"I have a distinct memory from my youth of going for ice cream made by a family from Zoldo, who had an ice cream parlour in Bra (Cuneo), where I was born and raised. I remember the photo of Monte Pelmo looking down on us from the wall..."
Carlo Petrini (founder of Slow Food).
Genuine artisan ice cream
There are all kinds of ice cream on the market, but there is nothing as natural and healthy as the artisan variety, made with carefully selected, fresh, genuine ingredients such as cocoa, vanilla pods, milk, eggs, sugar and fresh fruit. Close attention to the quality of the raw materials, teamed with an ability to dose the ingredients carefully and to stick to traditional ice cream making times and methods is able to turn a simple food into a delight for the palate. Let’s not forget that artisan ice cream making is an art!
Discover the secret of the taste:
Fist step: cooking the mixture;
Second step: preparing the machine with salt and ice;
Third step: pouring the mixture;
Fourth step: freezing.
Ice cream festivals:
In Val di Zoldo, ice cream and its history are celebrated in two yearly festivals not to be missed:
- 24 March: Gelatoday, an international festival called also "European ice cream day", with special offers on the slopes of Ski Civetta and demonstrations of ice cream making with the ancient machineries at Pian del Crep;
Other events:
- MIG: Mostra internazionale del gelato artigianale (International exhibition of artisanal ice cream, the "gelato"), at Longarone fiere, every first weekend of December.
- Il gelato in festa: ice cream festival at Longarone, every first weekend of July.
Where to taste the ice cream of Val di Zoldo
In Val di Zoldo you can taste the artisanal ice cream of Val di Zoldo at the three ice cream parlours of this area (four with Zoppé di Cadore), in the villages of Forno and Dont, and at "Al Soler" of Pecol (tel. +39 0437 789114).
