NEW ORLEANS – On this Carla’s Menu, I take you on Freret Street to a little gelato shop, Piccola Gelateria. Owners, husband and wife, Ria and Ross Turnbull, met in Boston, Massachusetts and have called New Orleans home for the last 6 years.
Ross is a European trained chef and learned to make gelato in Bologna, Italy 38 years ago. All the machinery is imported from Italy–Even the espresso machine and gelato cases. Just about every ingredient they use is European. They say the products are expensive but they buy the best because they want to make the best gelato. The gelato is made with no artificial colors or preservatives.
Every day they offer 18 flavors of gelato and sorbetto and are constantly rotating flavors.
They also make gelato cakes and Semifreddo cakes, which are frozen mousse cakes. Plus, gelato poboys which are made with your choice of three different types of gelato topped with whipped cream in between two eclair pastry with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
They also make homemade savory and sweet crepes. The prosciutto crepe is made with pesto, burrata cheese and arugula. The sweet crepe is made with Nutella and topped with whipped cream.
For beverages, they offer drinks like espresso and delicious Affogato—which is gelato and espresso.
Piccola Gelateria is located at 4525 Freret Street. Click HERE for more information.