It is “Apfelstrudel”, a real one homage to the ancient strudel, the sweet symbol of Austria and appreciated far beyond its borders, the official taste of the eleventh edition of the European Artisanal Gelato Day, and it is celebrated every year on March 24thor. For the 2023 edition it will be offered in all the ice cream parlors participating in the day, in the "original" version according to official recipe or revisited with creativity by master ice cream makers in every part of Europe using ingredients and inspirations from their territory. The choice of the "Apfelstrudel" this year was up to Austria who dictated the rules: a white-based ice cream to which apple pulp is added, flavored with rum and lemon oil. the other ingredients that characterize “apfelstrudel” and which cannot be missing are a sprinkling of cinnamon, sultanas, preferably dark ones, finally breadcrumbs.
True trait-d'union of all Europe, since 2012, artisan ice cream has been the only food to which the European Parliament has ever dedicated a day. The celebrations, for eleven years, fall on March 24 and that of European Giornata of Gelato Artigianale it is now an unmissable appointment that everyone is waiting to join the celebrations, between events and demonstrations, to the sound of cones and cups, to promote artisan knowledge, which has always been an expression of quality, authenticity and territoriality, and to support quality productions of traditional Italian artisan ice cream.
The choice of the year was up to Austria which opted for its traditional dessert
Peculiarity of Gelato Day is the Taste of the Year, chosen at each edition by one of the member countries – with the exception of last year's tenth anniversary when the recipe for the Taste of the Year, “Dolce Sinfonia”, was decided by the special competition between European gelato makers organized by Artglace in collaboration with Longarone Fiere Dolomiti and the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG).
First appointment with the 2023 edition of Gelato Day at Longarone Fiere Dolomiti - which has officially become the new headquarters of Artglace, after Paris - on the occasion of the 62nd MIG - International Artisan Gelato Exhibition. Here, in addition to being able to taste the Taste of the Year as a preview, you can attend the first edition of the "Challenge between Nations" organized by Artglace to promote the typical ice cream productions of each member state, which sees Austria rivaling the Germany: a full-flavoured battle where quality, creativity and craftsmanship will win. Not only that: during the event dedicated to the art of ice cream, Artglace proclaimed the winners of the second edition of the video contest which in recent months has put master ice cream makers from all over Europe to the test: the ice cream artisans, in fact, have ventured into the creation of a video in which to tell, with flair and creativity, the creation of "Dolce Sinfonia", the Taste of the Year 2022. Numerous contributions came from European master gelato makers (with some participation also from the New Continent), but only three winners : Silvia Chirico of Tenuta Chirico (Ascea, Salerno), Kairet Denis of Place Docteur Jacques Anthee (Onhaye, Belgium), Maria Chiara Sanna of L'arte del gelato (Anzio, Rome).
Ice cream: the only food to which the European Parliament has dedicated a day
The ranking was established by the Technical Jury, made up of five members chosen from among professionals and experts in the artisan gelato supply chain, who evaluated the videos on the basis of four parameters: originality of the presentation, quality of the video, illustration of the production process of the "Dolce Sinfonia”, finally aesthetics and decoration of the tray. The winners will be awarded at SIGEP – The Dolce World Expo scheduled from 21 to 25 January 2023 at the Rimini Fair.
«After two years of restrictions - comments Domenico Belmonte, president of Artglace on 2022 - also thanks to the mild temperatures that lasted for most of the autumn, it was a very important year for the recovery of the entire artisanal gelato chain. But, between the war in Ukraine and the heavy increases in energy and raw material prices, 2022 is also a year marked by new difficulties, in the face of which, however, our master gelato makers continue to demonstrate great resilience and an inexhaustible desire to do and put yourself to the test".
