Destinations

Italian Ice Cream in Paris and More

As one who has never really liked ice cream from childhood, the discovery of the best Italian glace purveyor in Paris, Deliziefolie (literally ‘Crazy Delights’ or some other combination of delight and madness according to the Italian dictionary you prefer) was one of those pleasant serendipitous finds I was unexpectedly privy to in a recent visit to The City of Lights. The roots of my antipathy are not important, although perhaps it was parental rebellion: my father had ice cream and thick pretzels every night for dessert. He followed this with Cognac. Similarly I have never acquired a taste for that.

The owner of Deliziefollie is Rino Gaeta, an ingratiating thirty-two year old Italian of Neapolitan and Sicilian heritage, whose enterprise has been open for over a year, seven days a week. The  walk-in-off-the-street emporium is unique in several respects, the most crucial being the quality and
reliability of his product, which he makes fresh every day at 6 AM without chemical colorings and proudly with organic fresh fruit among other ingredients.

Rino described some of his more exotic offerings (I have translated them loosely from French):

Tentazione – delicious mousse au chocolat

Tiramisu – made according to a traditional formulation

Caffé Espresso – made with real Italian espresso

Pistachio di Bronte – made from quality, very pure pistachio

Liquirizia – very pure licorice; very rare to fine commercially

He enthusiastically offered scoops of about ten different ice creams, sorbets and granitas for me to taste, commenting that he usually stocks up to forty different flavors a day for his clients who seem to return again and again and again. We were no exception, stopping by Deliziefollie three out of four days in a row.  Even after a large seafood dinner of bouillabaisse, we had to walk right past it to get to our apartment. One of our group, an ice cream connoisseur, claimed that “this was the best ice cream I have ever eaten.” She planned her wanderings around Paris so that she would walk by 7 rue Montorgeuil at least once every twenty-four hours.

The familiarity Rino develops with his customers is the result of his product, his personality and his staff, whom he says are “like family.” Some of his stalwart returnees have suggested special flavors to him (e.g. champagne), believing he can create anything (which he probably can but doesn’t because of time constraints). Rino never takes a day off and it shows in the pride he takes in Delziefollie. His exuberance and commitment make it one of the best glace emporiums in Paris, if not all of France, if not the world. I am proud to admit that I am an addict and ashamed to admit how quickly it happened. Merci, Rino.

Deliziefollie
7 Rue Montorgueil
Metro: les Halles
75001 Paris