The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

bitedesserts Jada Brookes experienced the authentic taste of gelato at Badiani in Angel on Pancake Day and admired their history, ethos, forward-thinking and selection of delicious goodies. Paolo Pomposi, dubbed the ‘gelato creative genius’ and ‘archi- tect of taste’, took Badiani to higher heights after taking over from his father. “I’ve always dealt with gelato since I was a kid in the family business,” he remarked. “My father, Orazio, start- ed making gelato in 1961 in the shop in the historic centre of Florence.” Paolo specialises in producing high-quality artisanal gelato, especially Buontalenti, which he says is “the first and real one born at Badiani.” He also attends numerous professional updating courses for gelato and semifreddo production. In the last several years, he has been a ‘qualified judge for tasters’ for gelato and sorbets. “I’m taking the Buontalenti around the world to let everyone discover what ‘true gelato of the past’ is,” he declared. “And my trick is not to use any trick except choosing the best ingredients and combining my passion with a great deal of creativity.” A year after their victory at the London Gelato Festival, Ba- diani opened its first London shop at Mercato Metropolitano in Newington Causeway. Today, they have eight more shops - Notting Hill, Chelsea, Elephant Park, Canary Wharf, Angel, Mayfair, Covent Garden and Wood Wharf with uniquely chic and colourful decor and irresistible gelato goodies. Each has its specific colour theme, such as Angel in pink, Notting Hill in dark blue, Chelsea in bubbling orange, and Covent Garden in sunshine yellow. Badiani’s gelato is crafted in the age-old Italian tradition with modern culinary trends. It has four exclusive signature flavours created by Paolo, including Buontalenti, its world-famous trademarked taste with milk, cream, sugar and eggs, named af- ter the founder of gelato. Buontalenti Pistachio contains three layers of the original enhanced with a Californian pistachio sauce. La Dolcevita, voted ‘best flavour’ at the 2015 Gelato Fes- tival, is layered with cocoa and Piedmont hazelnut sauce. Dark Chocolate Sorbet with Venezuelan dark chocolate is dubbed the creamiest in town. For lovers of something classically simple on the surface and amazedly rich flavoured as you dig deeper into the gelato, choose Badiani Classics, the epitome of the brand’s style. Vegan sorbets consist of the freshest seasonal fruits, while chocolate lovers can delight in the overpoweringly irresistible Chocolate Fever. In A Nutshell features popular nuts and adds texture to your gelato, and Crème de la Cream captures the timeless qual- ity of cream flavours whilst charming you with its silky and soft texture. Other delights include Pinguinos, a collection of varied fla- voured gelato on a stick with a coating of fine chocolate. Gela- to Cookies have two layers of delicious cookies around a thick layer of gelato. Enjoy the Badiani Classics in a Pistachio Gelato Cake, Buontalenti gelato on a sponge cake bed covered with a special pistachio cream. Or, the Hazelnut Gelato Cake with the signature La Dolcevita flavour on a sponge cake base with a cherry on top. For something simpler, try Badiani’s crepes with various flavoured ice creams. Visit any of the nine branches in London for a genuinely de- lightful Badiani experience. www.badiani1932.com