A Turkish Italian marriage license led to the birth of a Turkish Italian gelato that is now five years old. Vero Gelato in Bağdat Caddesi carries the name of its owner Veronica, of Italian origins who grew up in a small town near Bologna where gelato was an essential part of her and her circle’s everyday life. Veronica decided to name her gelateria Vero after her first name but also because vero in Italian translates to ‘true’, referring to the true gelato her little shop offers.
Veronica and her small family, husband and two children, moved to Istanbul nine years ago after they felt a desire to experience the big city life. Her Turkish husband met a fellow Turkish businessman who sells Salep in Turkey nationwide and this pushed them into the big step of opening up the gelateria and starting Veronica’s profession that later expanded into three different branches in the city with great success.
In order to maintain gelato’s authenticity yet still cater to Turkish culture, the couple has found the secret bonding agent: Salep! Stepping into the traditional cuisines of Italy and Turkey, Salep is used in the gelato to add to it the binding element that slightly hardens the final product a little bit into the Turkish ice cream. But in order to keep the right smooth and creamy texture, Veronica prepares her gelato using traditional Italian techniques. The Salep trick also encouraged the couple to avoid importing products and support the local businesses.
Gelato, for most Italians, is a soft spot. It’s not just ice cream or just a summertime snack, rather a refreshment shared between friends and family on the seaside or the park, it tastes like the warm Sunday evenings, the narrow town streets, and the long walks with loved ones. In short, gelato is not just a fun dessert to locals, but more importantly it resembles rich childhoods and warm presents.
This makes Salep not the only Turkish binding agent at the little shop. The owner states that because this shop means a lot to her, she considers it her second home and wants her customers to feel what she feels when she’s home: a mix between equally respected and shared cultures of Turkey and Italy.
The owner explains that when it comes to gelato, playing around with flavors is very easy and flexible, even with salty flavors, as long as the gelato base is properly made and from good-quality ingredients. “You must start with the traditional base,” assures Veronica. Each year, especially around summertime, the gelateria introduces two or more new flavors to their menu. The ones with the highest demand make it to the permanent menu, and the others go away by the end of season to make way for new innovative flavors.
With hot summer days just around the corner, our team decided to hit the right spot with exploring multiculturalism with gelato. From the traditional Italian gelato recipes to the innovative flavors, Vero Gelato is a mix of the two traditions, with the use of salep and the Italian technique. The atmosphere of the gelateria is a home away from home, where customers can feel the warmth of both cultures and enjoy the happiness that gelato brings to everyday life.
Vero Gelato: Caddebostan, Bağdat Cad. No:264, 34728 Kadıköy/İstanbul