Rehoboth Foodie

Blink and you'll miss it. The Gelato Gal has situated herself out on the west side of Coastal Highway where Rehoboth Avenue meets Rt. 1, just south of the big white Coldwell Banker building. Jot down these directions, because the gelato there is truly unlike any I've ever had (your Foodie has slurped a lot of gelato in his time).

Truth be told, I went in there with the intention of finding fault with something. I am supposed to criticise, after all. But I failed. The more I tasted (she loves to provide little tastes) the more I liked. She makes every bit of this light and creamy stuff right there on the premises. Gelato (Italy's take on ice cream) has less air than ice cream, and is not quite as cold, All this adds up to enhancing your ability to taste the flavors. There are some you'll like more than others (that's why she has so many), but I think you'll agree that every taste is equally intense. I guess what I mean is that the first thing you taste is the intended flavor, not any sort of milky dairy note or chemical additive.

Owner Amanda Randall traveled all the way to Italy to learn the secrets of making good gelato. If she can't find the flavorings she wants here in the States, she imports them.

Like chocolate? Get Chocolate Zen. As the taste fades after your last bite, it's all still chocolate, with no bitter aftertaste. Cinnamon oil gives Red Hots gelato its bracing flavor. Remember the little "red hot" candy hearts? Now imagine them cold and creamy.

Another amazing tastebud rollercoaster is the Lemon Buttercake. (You'll swear it's orange. Take another bite and it's lemon. The orange again. Gadzooks!) Pistachio is one of my favorites, and this is the cleanest pistachio taste I've experienced, including some of the high-dollar ice creams in the grocery store.

Chocolate Hazelnut (think Nutella, but cold and on steroids), Strawberry Yogurt (like you just picked 'em) and Ginger (not my favorite, but the ginger taste is 100% accurate. If you like the bite of ginger, you'll love this). On the other hand, the Vanilla Cardamom (she created it on a challenge from a customer) raises the taste of vanilla to entirely new heights. Tell me if you agree.

By the way, she also serves Sorbetto, a lactose free version of the tasty gelatos. Gelato Gal has a wide array of espresso coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, chai lattes and other dessert items. I'm sorry, but after the 5th or 6th taste, other dessert items were the last thing on my mind. I'm sure they're all good, but if I'm going to make that death-defying U-turn at Shuttle Road, then I'm goin' for the gelato.

One thing that I really like about Gelato Gal is that there's none of that "sugar-free" nonsense. There are already naturally occuring sugars in milk, and adding artificial sweetners just makes it taste bad. Keep your Splenda and all that stuff. People who say it tastes the same in baking are just fooling themselves. Go out and get an apple, for goodness sake. Amanda is an insulin-dependent diabetic, so you can be sure this girl knows her sugars.

Sorry I couldn't criticise anything, but I believe in giving credit where it's due, and I suspect you'll agree with me. Give the Gelato Gal a try, then post your own comments below. She rotates flavors from time to time, so if you discover something new, tell us, please. For the bulk of the summer, Gelato Gal is open 7 days. Feel free to call to check the hours (302) 227-1001. Check out the website at www.gelatogal.com.