During my latest trip to the grocery store, I decided that it was about time for another pint review! As I was browsing through the frozen food aisle, looking for an intriguing flavor of frozen goodness, I spotted a pint of Ciao Bella Gelato. Until now, I thought that Ciao Bella only made sorbets. I have tried several of the sorbets and found the pints to have a very bold flavor and smooth texture. Needless to say my interest was piqued when I saw two pints of gelato on the shelf – Key Lime Graham and Malted Milk Ball. I am not a big fan of malt and I am a huge fan of lime, so the choice was obvious. Into the cart it went.
Once the pint made it home safely, I took a closer look. The container looked promising, reading “temptingly tart” and “all natural.” On the back side it showed that the gelato is made with milk products from cows raised without hormones. I dug in my spoon and took a bite. Creamy, smooth, but a bit chewy. I tasted more and noticed a subtle, pleasing lime taste, but it definitely fell short of tart. I would have preferred a bolder lime flavor and more tartness. The graham cracker crumbs scattered throughout the gelato added a nice texture. All together, the taste and texture reminded me of a frozen key lime pie.
Ciao Bella gelato and sorbet can be found in most grocery stores. Check out the company’s website for more information about their products and flavors (there are 12 different gelato pints available). I plan to try many.
Hb says
I am smothering between my tongue and my hard palate one of their sorbets (mango) as I write this. It is my first of theirs. It's very much as I imagined it would taste like. Nanometer texture and the peck-on-the-cheek of a mango used slightly after it's ripeness had peaked. I have not tried their gelato, but I almost grabbed one (key lime graham also). In part due to your pleasant review and in part due to the tastiness of my sorbet, I will be picking one of these. So far, so good.
J.D. says
Ciao Bella is BORING gelato. Way too icy, not enough flavor. I've tried both the espresso and dark chocolate — flavors you'd think would be strong — and they left me unimpressed and disappointed. I'm sticking with Talenti gelato — it's a million times better, more creamy, more smooth, and with rich favors. Give Talenti's double-chocolate a try… it's got a dash of vermouth!