Our Partners talking about us: Amedei & Artico for the best Traditional Chocolate Gelato

THE BEST ARTISAN CHOCOLATE GELATO ACCORDING TO MAURIZIO POLONI: WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MASTER GAMBERO ROSSO 3 CONES?

Maurizio Poloni, ice cream maker of Artico tells us the secrets of what is considered by many to be the best artisan chocolate gelato, so much so that he won, in fact, the Gambero Rosso 3 cones. This year the Maestro celebrates 40 years of activity in the world of gelato: what for him at the beginning was just a job, over time, has become a passion that still guides his choices today and that pushes him to continually put himself in I play without ever being satisfied.

THE VALUES AND SECRETS OF THE MASTER GELATIERE MAURIZIO POLONI

Let's start by telling the values ​​of a master gelato maker who has amazed us with his creations since 1981. I begin by saying that in my profession as an gelato maker there are no particular secrets, but certainly there are values. In 40 years of business, I have witnessed many changes in the world of gelato, without ever giving in to the fashions of the moment and without losing sight of the characteristics that distinguish true traditional Italian gelato. To all this I have combined study, dedication, experimentation and today the technology so that the gelato I propose is both traditional and contemporary, therefore in line with changes in taste and with new market needs. Constant study is the means that allows me to grow from a professional point of view, dedication is the result of passion, while experience is the common denominator that glues and unites all the steps. Today, however, I also have another goal: to teach how to produce good Italian-style gelato, without compromises or shortcuts. I therefore believe that the term "Master" encompasses precisely this precise meaning; it means handing down a profession, transferring some of one's knowledge, skills and experience, while at the same time following my path of professional growth.


THE BEST CHOCOLATE FOR A PROFESSIONAL ARTISAN GELATO: WHEN AND HOW DOES ARTICO MEET AMEDEI?

Chocolate is certainly one of my professional passions, so much so that in 2012, the opening year of Artico, I gave birth to the Chocolate Show. During this event, which will see its tenth edition this year, we offer 32 flavors of chocolate gelato for a whole weekend. In fact, we "celebrate" the chocolate that becomes gelato, telling it in its most varied facets and, even if there is no universal rule for choosing the best chocolate to use, it is obvious that to achieve the best possible result it is necessary to start from the excellence of the chocolate. Hence our choice to use Amedei's chocolate.

WHAT ARE THE SECRETS TO PRESERVE THE AROMATIC NOTES OF A FINE CHOCOLATE?

This is where professionalism comes in. In order not to compromise an excellent raw material, a correct and appropriate balance of the recipe and a minimum of skill is needed, with the aim of preserving as much as possible the different original nuances. Amedei's toasting and conching process allows to obtain a perfectly balanced finished product, allowing it to pass from craftsman to craftsman, that is, from chocolatier to ice cream maker. Both when we work pure chocolate and when we go to offer dark chocolate with flavoring elaborated in our laboratory. The choice to use Amedei chocolate, however, is not dictated only by the fact that we are dealing with a high quality chocolate, but also by the all-Italian craftsmanship that Amedei represents and by the company philosophy of respect for tradition. Values that we fully share and that we constantly implement in the production of our gelato.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CHOCOLATE AND HIGH QUALITY RAW MATERIALS.

Chocolate is a versatile raw material that artisans like me can work, re-elaborate and present under a new guise to their customers and certainly Amedei's Chocolate, a pure chocolate with precise scents, without lecithin, is undoubtedly the raw material par excellence that I allows me to fully express my idea of chocolate gelato. The entire professional range of Amedei is of the highest level, whether we are talking about Single Origin, including the award-winning Chuao, or Blend such as the multi-awarded “9”. Each reference has its own precise connotation of aromas and scents and a precise personality. From a professional point of view, using a chocolate with these characteristics is really stimulating because the raw material must be processed, but also respected so that the original characteristics can be found unaltered in the gelato.

WHICH RECIPE FOR THE BEST ARTISAN CHOCOLATE GELATO?

Personally, for a professional recipe, I prefer 100% cocoa mass to be processed in purity on a water basis. In particular, the two masses of the Amedei house, Madagascar and Venezuela so that offering them to our customers side by side, making them appreciate the different shades, is a great feeling.
To prepare a flavored dark gelato, I use the combination of blends of Toscano Black 70 or 90 optimally, combining them with some particular salts or types of fine peppers such as Pepe Timut or Pepe Cumeo, which enhance their properties and organoleptic characteristics.
Another extraordinary combination is the one between two great Italian excellences like Amedei Chocolate Toscano Black 70 and the Bronte Pistachio. Right now I am applying the wine barreling process to the Madagascar cocoa beans that Amedei provided us.The beans have been "aging" since October 2020 in an oak barrel that first housed the Refosco wine and subsequently a distillate, they will remain there until October 2021 when we will use them to produce a chocolate gelato (which we have called Unico ) in the 10th edition of the Chocolate Show.

FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU FEEL TO GIVE TO FUTURE GELATO MAKERS?

It is essential to never settle, never take anything for granted and constantly set new goals. The passion for this profession is something that lies within oneself. Like a small flame that lights up and feeds through small everyday satisfactions, an example are our customers, who undoubtedly represent the greatest stimulus.