Nasto’s Olde World Desserts

Nasto’s ice cream desserts remind me of many childhood desserts in Italian-American restaurants. For my Dad’s birthday, we put candles in Spumoni wedges and sang “Happy Birthday.” The dessert was a hit, even if not an actual cake.

Just in case that wasn’t enough dessert for our party of six, we also picked up a selection of fresh fruit sorbets in the shell and Tartufo ice cream balls filled with peanut butter. The peanut butter was my favorite – it was like a cold and milky Reese’s Pieces.

A quick drive to their store in Newark, New Jersey, and you’ll find your freezer filled with treats.

Auguri, Babbo!

Dolcezza Gelato in Washington, DC

I ate gelato as often as possible in Italy while I was living there. Nothing I’ve tried in the United States comes close to the same texture or purity of seasonal flavor. That is, until my husband and I discovered Dolcezza  in Washington, D.C., a few years ago. We immediately became regulars.

Their website reminds us of the differences between Italian gelato and American ice cream:

It contains half the fat (see, you can eat it everyday like you want to.)


There is less air mixed into the treat.


It is served at slightly warmer temperatures.

When we returned to Georgetown for a spring visit, we immediately walked up Wisconsin Avenue for a dish. Between us, we tried these flavors: cinnamon, Thai coconut milk, pistachio and honey. My favorite? The cinnamon, which was both intense and spicy.

We look forward to taste-testing their gelato at each of the four Farmer’s Markets where they sell and the Bethesda location after we move to Washington. You know, just to make sure the gelato is as good as it is at their Georgetown location. We wouldn’t want to lead you astray or spend a gelato-free day.