Longarone, 27 November 2023 – The curtain rises on the 12th edition of the European Day of Artisan Gelato, the only food-related day dedicated by the European Parliament. Held on March 24 each year, it officially opens the season for one of the world’s most loved desserts. This event has become a must-attend for gelato lovers of all ages across Europe (and beyond), providing a significant opportunity to showcase and promote artisanal knowledge, which has always been synonymous with quality, authenticity, and local traditions, as well as to support high-quality, traditional Italian gelato production.
2024 FLAVOR OF THE YEAR.
Each edition of Gelato Day features a main protagonist: the Flavor of the Year, selected annually by a different European country. After last year’s "Apfelstrudel" chosen by Austria, the 2024 Flavor of the Year will be the "Gaufre de Liège," selected by Belgium to celebrate one of its most characteristic and beloved desserts. The gaufre, a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside waffle-like treat, dates back to the Middle Ages and rapidly spread, becoming a traditional dessert of Candlemas and a symbol of good luck. Initially made with honey, it was later replaced with sugar. Tradition holds that, during the wedding of the daughter of the Prince of Liège, the royal pastry chef presented the gaufre as a dessert, replacing honey with sugar, a true innovation at the time, achieving a success that is still felt throughout Belgium today.
Thus, the ancient "Gaufre de Liège" will take center stage as the 2024 Flavor of the Year: it will be a neutral-flavored gelato infused with vanilla and cinnamon, swirled with salted butter, and served with a gaufre wafer. On March 24, it will be offered in all participating Gelato Day gelaterias in its "original" version, according to the official recipe, or creatively reinterpreted by master gelato makers across Europe, using local ingredients and inspirations from their respective regions.
GELATO DAY AT THE 63RD MIG IN LONGARONE.
The first event of the 2024 Gelato Day will take place at the 63rd International Artisan Gelato Show (MIG) in Longarone Fiere Dolomiti, running until November 29. Attendees will have the chance to sample the Flavor of the Year and discover the secrets behind the 16th-century recipe of the Gaufre de Liège. In addition, Artglace has announced the winners of the third edition of the video contest, which tested gelato makers from across Europe. Contestants created videos showcasing their creative process in making the 2023 Flavor of the Year, "Apfelstrudel." The winners included the “Burrocacao” gelateria from Imola, run by twins Elisa and Giulia Manara, who took first place, while Gelateria Perlecò (Alassio), Tenuta Chirico (Ascea, Salerno), and Gelateria Mil Sabores (Pontenure, Piacenza) shared second place. Third place went to L'Arte del Gelato (Anzio Colonia, RM) and La Sorbettiera (Florence). The technical jury, composed of five industry professionals, evaluated the videos based on originality, video quality, process description, and the final product's appearance. The winners will be honored at the upcoming SIGEP – The Dolce World Expo, scheduled for January 20-24, 2024, at the Rimini Fair.
2024 CONTESTS.
Also from the MIG in Longarone, Artglace has announced the new "Gelato D'Autore" contest, where Italian gelato makers will compete on January 22, 2024, at the Artglace stand at SIGEP in Rimini (free registration, with full details and rules available from December 15 at www.gelato-day.com). Furthermore, a new edition of the video contest for Gelato Day 2024 will take place from February 1 to October 30, 2024, capturing footage of gelato makers across Europe as they interpret and share the Flavor of the Year.
"Despite 2023 being a challenging year, with new difficulties and a long summer season, our master gelato makers continue to show incredible resilience and an unyielding desire to innovate and push boundaries. It is thanks to them that we can optimistically open the curtain on this new edition of the European Day of Artisan Gelato," comments Domenico Belmonte, President of Artglace. "We invite all gelato makers across Europe to join us in this new edition, with Belgium as the protagonist, to promote and celebrate the quality of artisan gelato together, as always."
For all updates on the 12th edition of Gelato Day, visit www.gelato-day.com and follow the official Gelato Day pages on Facebook (@24MarzoEuropeanGelatoDay), Instagram (@Gelato_Day), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/GelatoDay).
All gelaterias in Italy and Europe are invited to participate in the 2024 Gelato Day by registering at www.gelato-day.com and sharing their planned activities for March 24, 2024.
The European Day of Artisan Gelato is the only food-related day officially dedicated by the European Parliament. Celebrated annually on March 24 across all European countries, it features events, meetings, and initiatives aimed at spreading the culture of artisan gelato. The "Gelato Day" is a unique opportunity to contribute to the valorization of this product, promote artisanal knowledge, and further develop the culinary traditions of the gelato industry. A key feature of "Gelato Day" is the "Flavor of the Year," chosen annually by one of the participating countries. For the 12th edition on March 24, 2024, the chosen flavor will be "Gaufre de Liège", selected by Belgium: a vanilla and cinnamon-flavored gelato, swirled with salted butter and served with a Gaufre de Liège wafer.
In addition to its creators, Longarone Fiere Dolomiti and Artglace, the 2024 edition of Gelato Day has several key partners: ACOMAG – National Association of Gelato Equipment Manufacturers, Italian Gelato Makers Association, CNA, Gelato Makers Committee of Campania, Confartigianato, Conpait Gelato – Italian Pastry Confederation, Italian Gelato Federation, G.A. – National Committee for the Protection and Promotion of Artisan Gelato, G.A.T. – Artisanal Gelato Makers of the Triveneto, Ilgelatoartigianale.info, Masters of Italian Gelato, SIGEP – International Gelato, Pastry, Bakery, and Coffee Exhibition by Italian Exhibition Group.