This past Sunday was hot and humid - a perfect day to indulge in sunburns, cold drinks and gelato. Which is why the boyfriend and I found ourselves at Stella Luna after a sweaty, red faced, soccer game. It was the gelato cafés opening day and we weren't the only ones who wanted to cool down with a cup of frozen deliciousness.
Stella Luna is the product of a Italian love story that ended in marriage and a passion for gelato. Owner Tammy Giuliani knew she didn't want to make mediocre gelato, she wanted it to be authentic - fresh, bursting with flavour, using only the best ingredients she could find. The only problem was that she didn't know how to make it. So, she went to school - the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy. There she would learn not only how to make gelato and sorbet but how to use the proper equipment and balance flavours. With her Master Training complete she and her husband Alessandro Giuliani are offering Ottawa mouthwatering gelatos, gelato cakes, sorbets, frappes, crepes, cakes and even lunch!
On my visit I ordered a large ($5.25) and filled it with creamy chocolate, caffe, ferrero rocher and dulche de leche. I also sampled (thanks to friends and Tammy) lemon, dark chocolate, toasted almond and rose peach lavender. When I compare this gelato to others I've had in the past the textures are creamier, the flavours more concentrated, more intense. Right now Tammy is using gelato recipies she learned in school but I wonder what's up her sleeve. With her passion and drive I expect big things. Big gelato filled things.
