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Frequently Asked Questions About The Gelato Fiasco

What is gelato?
Gelato is an Italian style of ice cream. It is made with milk instead of cream. Our gelato contains milk, sugar, and natural stabilizers and emulsifiers. We then add the unique items — ranging from brownie batter to cinnamon — that make each flavor special. Our base is made without eggs, gelatin, or corn syrup.

What is the difference between gelato and sorbetto?
Sorbetto is a style of gelato that was originally from the southern part of Italy. It is made without milk and is typically fruit based. Sorbetto is made from fruit, sugar and water it is fat-free.

My customers may have lactose intolerance, Celiac disease, or another food sensitivity. Where can I find information that will help them make good choices with The Gelato Fiasco's products?
Many of our products are naturally free of gluten and/or dairy. Please see our Food Sensitivity Information page on our retail web site for information about our recipes.

Is your gelato and sorbetto really made in-house?
You better believe it. Each morning, our creation team uses Maine milk, cane sugar, fruits, confections, and candies to create gelato from scratch.

What makes your gelato so delicious/as good as Italy’s/better than anyone else?
We use the same techniques that were perfected at the best Italian gelaterias a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, many creators of gelato have replaced these practices with inferior — but faster and cheaper — production methods. We make our bases from scratch using a traditional “hot process,” instead of the more prevalent “cold process,” which basically is a “just add milk and freeze” approach. And instead of using the flavor pastes made by manufacturers, we use authentic ingredients — like real fruits, nuts, candies, cookies, confections, and whatever else our imaginations call for. Not only does this practice allow us to create more interesting and unique flavors, the flavors themselves taste like the real thing — because they are made from the real thing.

Is The Gelato Fiasco part of a franchise or chain?
Absolutely not. The Gelato Fiasco was created from scratch in 2007 in Brunswick, Maine, by Joshua Davis and Bruno Tropeano. Loans were provided by local banks and backed by the Small Business Administration.