Well, i have a bit of an update on the gelato situation down here, and who’s got the best & what not. In a couple of posts ago, i said that Persicco was our favorite out of the big 3. Now after 3 visits, i have to say that Chungo tops that of the aforementioned Persicco. Their texture, more than anything else, is what sets them apart, such a minor detail, but such a huge result. We have learned this in our 5+ years of making gelato. The smooth creamy texture has all to do with the balancing of the recipes, the balance of the FATS, SUGARS, SOLIDS, etc… It took us a long while to balance all of our recipes, all 350+ of them, because each flavor has it own fat content, sugar content and so on. The other factor that makes this balancing more difficult is working with fresh fruit. Fruits change throughout their lifecycle. When the strawberries begin in May, they have less sugar and more acidity, thus we have to adjust the amount of sugar, water and fresh squeezed lemon we add to each batch. As we get into June and the end of the local strawberry season, the sun gets stronger and the strawberries get sweeter and less acidic, thus we have to adjust the sugars, water and lemon content. Each fruit that arrives to our kitchen, we eat, checking and commenting on where it is in the lifecylce. It is a delicate and alive balance, which always changes and forces us to be in contact with our ingredients. The texture alone will make the difference between an excellent or subpar gelato, and we are obsessed, possessed and turned on by only the most exquisite gelato. So, although we have a set recipe with its balance worked out, we make adjustments depending on where the fruit is at. It is the technical side of the craft of artisanal gelato. So, back to the subject of the who’s got the best shit down here in Buenos Aires. Chungo has it when you are going to be in the city of Buenos Aires, but if you are going to be in the delta region of Tigre, you must go to Via Toscana, that is where you will find the old grump of Osvaldo, who will tell you of how many times they have offered him a space within the city of Buenos Aires for him to open up a store, and how he can’t stand them suite people, and how he loves cracking open each egg and bringing in his coconut from Ceylon. He is the maestro heladero and you will be happy if you look him up and eat his goods.