ottawa foodies

Hubby and I stopped here after a 20k bike ride on Saturday. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!

The flavours (too sweet)and service (apathetic at best, occasionally terse) at Pure Gelato on Elgin have always left something to be desired, but we have now found our go-to gelato spot.

Major benefit - the vegan/dairy-free flavours are colour-coded to take any trepidation and guesswork out of the equation (look for blue labels!). Huge relief for the SO.

Hubby got grapefruit - a bit sweet for my taste (if I'm getting citrus, I want the classic puckery lemon, but it was a perfect balance for him).

I got a dark chocolate with white chocolate chunks after asking for a "not too sweet" recommendation. It was a beautiful combination. Rich, and definitely not stingy on the chunks.

After making my selection, I kept chatting with the lady behind the counter. I asked to try the mint chocolate for next time, and she insisted that I should also try the "cocoa mint". One is a chocolate base with mint added, the other is a mint base with cocoa added. Both divine. I really appreciated that she was still wanting to talk about the flavours after I had made my choice.

For about $8 we both got a nice-sized serving, and we're already excited about our next visit.

be brave, choose new flavas each time. recently: pistachio + amaretto + banana chocolate chunk. UN.F***IN.BE.LIEV.A.BLE combo.

and if you enjoy making ice cream at home, the following are ideas to springboard creativity.

and babygirl you know cleaning up is just as fun as making the mess.

come and get your love @ PG. survey of this summer's flavas as there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. you know the staff (and the modern world) get impatient at many who have the coveted talent of being indecisive, holding up the line!

study these pics take time to think ahead of your ice cream delights. i recommend you to be brave and try something new everytime.

back: STRAWBERRY, GUAVA, KIWI/STRAWBERRY, RASPBERRY, WATERMELON

front: HONEYNEw, WILDBERRY, CANTALOUPE, LEMON

come and get your love @ PG. survey of this summer's flavas as there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. you know the staff (and the modern world) get impatient at many who have the coveted talent of being indecisive, holding up the line!

study these pics take time to think ahead of your ice cream delights. i recommend you to be brave and try something new everytime.

back: RASPBERRY, WATERMELON, PINA COLADA, RUM FANTASY

front: LEMON, APRICOT, DREAMSICLE, AMARETTO

come and get your love @ PG. survey of this summer's flavas as there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. you know the staff (and the modern world) get impatient at many who have the coveted talent of being indecisive, holding up the line!

study these pics take time to think ahead of your ice cream delights. i recommend you to be brave and try something new everytime.

back: VANILLA, BANANA CHOCOLATE CHUNK, BACIO BIANCO, BIANCO NERO, MOCCACCINO

front: PISTACCHIO, CHOCHOLATE CHOCOLATE CHUNK, CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE

come and get your love @ PG. survey of this summer's flavas as there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. you know the staff (and the modern world) get impatient at many who have the coveted talent of being indecisive, holding up the line!

study these pics take time to think ahead of your ice cream delights. i recommend you to be brave and try something new everytime.

back: GUAVA, CANTALOUPE, PAPAPYA, MAPLE CRYSTAL, BANANA PEANUT BUTTER

front: ORANGE, HONEYDEW, LEMON, KIWI FRUIT, NOUGAT

come and get your love @ PG. survey of this summer's flavas as there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. you know the staff (and the modern world) get impatient at many who have the coveted talent of being indecisive, holding up the line!

study these pics take time to think ahead of your ice cream delights. i recommend you to be brave and try something new everytime.

back:
BANANA PEANUT BUTTER, VANILLA, STAGGIATELLA, PEACHES & CREAM, BIANCA NERO, CHOCOLATE CHOCOALTE

front:
NOUGAT, BANANA, COCONUT, NOCCIOLA, ZABAGLIONE, GIANDUIA

your babes like fruit? watermelon + rum fantasy = hot summer night. PG is where it's at.

The gelato is always pretty good, but I've been annoyed that since the new owners have taken over, the hours of operation for the main store seems to have been dramatically reduced. I have found myself hauling the family down at 7:30 on a hot spring or fall evening only to find the doors are locked. I like the 'good ol' days' when you could get a gelato at 10:30 pm on a warm summer night. Piccolo Grande, if you are listening, please bring back longer hours!

My fave gelato place in Ottawa. Baccio is my fave but I really enjoy the fruity flavours as well. Wonderful treat when you're in the market on a nice summer day.

Pure Gelato simply doesn't come close.

hot summer's comin' with hot days and nights in the market, just mozy yourself down on over to piccolo grande and get the pent up passion for your *seriously* good clean ice cream sufficiency satisfied. no artificial flavors, colors or fillers. their ice cream is somewhat half-way in between soft-serve and home-made ice cream. no gummy binders or emulsifiers. it's lick'dy-split!!!!!!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pistachio + mint chocolate + gianduia waffle cone. trust me, it was hard just picking 3 flavaz!

OH YEAH!!!!!!!!

I know nothing about the correct DNA of gelato, but my taste buds still enjoy the rare dip into the lactose world; Piccolo Grande is my usual go-to.

Love any of their Peanut Buttery flavours.

Featured here is kiwi, completely covered by Mint Chocolate Chip and PB. I can never walk back to the office without making a mess..

Constarch is a thickener and they claim to not use it unless it's one of the 'secret' ingredients.

Xanthan gum (which they don't use) is a stabilizer and Dextrose is a sweetener all three are byproducts of corn.

The latter two are both produced through the fermentation of corn syrup

www.piccologrande.com

Dextrose, a refined concentrate of corn syrup is by their own admission an ingredient in their product and I stand by my original statement.

When I think of Ottawa and Gelato I just get frustrated, Mondo Gelato and La Casa Gelato in Vancouver are probably the high water marks for Canadian gelato.

I mean not that I can have it anymore seeing as I gave up eggs but here's my two cents.

Real honest to goodness gelato has eggs and heavy cream in it and not much more. To use corn syrup is a total abomination yet I am given to understand both the big guns in Ottawa use it.

There are other variants that use soy and the like more power to them but they are not 'real' gelato they're something else (often yummy just not gelato)

The sorbettos I have had in Ottawa just make me miss Vancouver.

If you're in Vancouver and you want to taste the difference for yourself definitely check these

www.lacasagelato.com

www.mondogelato.com/

Just had the pumpkin gelato - WOW!

This is my addiction! How can you resist mouth-watering flavours like:
Apple Pie
Bourbon Vanilla
Lychee
Blackberry
Banana Peanut Butter
Chocolate Caramel
Pumpkin
Rum Raisin...and on and on.
I've had Pure Gelato, and in my opinion Piccolo Grande is tops.