While we’re savouring the impossibly thick and gratifying hot chocolate from this gelateria on Portobello Road, owner Adriano di Petrillo tells us everything there is to know about gelato, the world famous Italian dessert. First and foremost, he
Whilst we’re savouring the impossibly thick and gratifying hot chocolate from this gelateria on Portobello Road, owner Adriano di Petrillo tells us everything there is to know about gelato, the world famous Italian dessert. First and foremost, he explains, ‘gelato’ is not the Italian word for ice cream; it’s made with milk rather than cream, so it’s much lighter and significantly lower in fat. “A good gelato should be rich in flavour, but should not leave a coating on the inside of your mouth,” he says. “You shouldn’t feel full after you’ve eaten even a pint of it. Trust me!”
“The second important thing,” di Petrillo continues, “is that most ice cream, if you have two litres, one litre will be air. Gelato is made by a process called mantecazione, where it’s put through a machine which is essentially a freezer that churns the ingredients very slowly so it doesn’t absorb air. This way, we’re able to achieve a very creamy texture without much fat.”
Di Petrillo was born in Parma, and before launching Dri Dri (pronounced dree dree) last July, he lived in New York and managed Art Partner, a leading talent agency for fashion photography and styling. Although he’s travelled extensively, he could never find a good gelato outside of Italy, so he resolved to bring his favourite dessert to the world, starting with London. “I’ve always had this idea of creating a brand for gelato” he says. “Everybody loves it, but nobody has done this.”
Fresh, natural gelato needs to be kept at a low temperature, di Petrillo explains, so despite their elegant array of colours, none of the flavours are kept on display at Dri Dri. “We are radical about quality; changing our selection according to what’s in season, using organic milk, pistachios from Sicily and the best cocoa from São Tomé. Anytime you see gelato on display, it’s sure to contain emulsifiers and preservatives, otherwise it would melt.”
With a mischievous smile, Di Petrillo then tells us about their Valentine’s-inspired flavour. “It's called William loves Kate. It’s a William pear sorbet with dark chocolate chips.” He adds, “Gelato is associated with romance in Italy. It may seem an unusual place to come in February, but it’s perfect for Valentine's Day.”
Ananda and Neil visited Dri Dri on Thursday, 10 February at 5:00pm. Dri Dri is located at 189 Portobello Road, London, W11 2ED.
Text by Ananda Pellerin
Ananda Pellerin is a London-based writer and editor of Wheel Me Out. Neil Wissink is a visual artist also based in London.
