Bobby Flay likes ice cream. He is a bit of a connoisseur and even has his own secret copycat McDonald’s Shamrock shake recipe. So, it should come as no surprise that when it comes to gelato, Flay has a special litmus test he uses to determine whether or not the gelateria is serving up quality gelato. While chatting with Katie Lee Biegel during an episode of her “All on the Table” podcast, Flay revealed that in addition to preferring a vanilla-based ice cream over chocolate, he likes to ask to sample a shop’s pistachio gelato before ordering up his frozen treat. While chocolate and vanilla are difficult to mess up, pistachio doesn’t leave a lot of room for mistakes, especially when it comes to gelato.

Pistachio gelato, at least the kind you want to eat, is made with real pistachios, not artificial flavors or green food coloring. If it is neon green, it’s not Flay’s kind of gelato. Still, not just any pistachios will do for this freezer favorite. He explained during an episode of his and his daughter Sophie’s podcast, “Always Hungry,” that he is partial towards Bronte pistachios, and for good reason. This particular Italian variety has been dubbed “Sicily’s Green Gold.” Their hue is vivid, their flavor is bold and creamy, and their taste is rich and nutty. They are roasted and ground into a velvety cream that makes for an authentic Italian gelato experience.

Read more: 11 Popular Vanilla Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

What Makes A Pistachio Gelato Good

While the use of real pistachios is critical, gelato’s consistency is truly distinct. The Iron Chef further enlightened his daughter and their listeners by noting there are two things that make ice cream and gelato different from one another. The first is its texture. Bobby Flay said, “…it’s denser so you can chew it.” The other factor is the amount of butterfat. While both contain cream, milk, and sugar, this may come as a surprise to some, but gelato has less butterfat than ice cream, and gelato is kept 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. Flay also makes the revelation that gelato has less air, so you can eat more — at least that’s his gelato belief, and he’s sticking to it.

While pistachio gelato should be on your list of foods to eat if you have a day in Rome, not everyone can go to Italy for gelato. So, if you want to be sure you are experiencing authentic gelato no matter where you are, you may also want to consider how they serve it. If your server is using an ice cream scoop, chances are you are not in gelato heaven. It is generally served using a spade regardless of whether you are having a cone or a cup.

Read the original article on Chowhound.