The History of Gelato

Bernardo Buontalenti

"Hard to know whether it was Ruggeri, the poultry dealer and amateur cook, or the fine artist Bernardo Buontalenti, but we do know that the origin of gelato can be traced back to Florence.  No research or essay on the origin of gelato could ignore the primary importance of the Tuscan city in the invention of gelato in the form that is closest to what we enjoy today. That was the era of the great inventions and the rebirth of art and culture, evidently in cuisine too: that’s the Renaissance.

The Gelato Mojito was yummy!

They were the first decades of the XVI century, according to the history books, when a poultry dealer and amateur cook named Ruggeri took part in a contest set up by the “Signori” of Florence, the Medici, on the theme: "the most peculiar dish ever seen". Ruggeri resorted to some old recipes to prepare a frozen dessert which immediately conquered the judges, who awarded him victory. The fame of its recipe of "sugary and scented water ice" spread all over Tuscany and when Catherine de' Medici, just fourteen, was about to move to France to marry Henry, Duke of Orleans and future King, she made it perfectly clear that Ruggeri should’ve followed her along with the best cooks of the family.

The Gelato Festival, in Piazza Santa Maria Novella.
13,000 kilos of gelato served; 220,000 cups used

In 1536 Bernardo Buontalenti was born in Florence. An eclectic and versatile artist, painter, sculptor, architect, scenographer, gunsmith, he was also in charge of the organization of the court parties for the Medici family.  Appointed by Cosimo I to supervise the set-up of the inaugural banquet at "Fortezza del Belvedere", in 1559 Buontalenti stunned the guests with a frozen cream made with milk, honey, egg yolk, just a sprinkle of wine, and flavoured with bergamot, lemon and orange.

An estimated 400,000 people visit the Gelato Festival.
That's pretty much everyone in Firenze.

Thus, if the Florentine art of gelato had been exported to France thanks to Catherine de' Medici, the delicious frozen dessert prepared by Buontalenti was introduced in Spain by some Medici’s Spanish guests who had enjoyed it in Florence. Thereby, in few decades Florence became renowned for being the cradle of gelato, laying the foundation for a tradition which still today boasts success in the culinary field."

The History of Gelato is compliments of the Firenze Gelato Festival, which owns copyright to the text above.