Three Italian desserts: Cremolato, Granita, or Grattachecca?
Summer it is! In Italy, as soon as the warm weather opens its doors, there’s no shortage of opportunities to cool off. Cremolato, Granita, or Grattachecca? Yes, let’s do all three! We reveal the differences and the best kiosks in Rome.
Ice: a luxury for a few
In the past, as today, ice represented a way to take a breather from the excessive heat. Particularly in scorching temperatures. Enjoying an ice-based preparation represented a moment of refreshment, very common already in Cleopatra’s time. Later, with the Islamic invasion of Sicily in the 9th century, people started to collecting snow coming from Etna and the Nebrodi mountains. The snow was preserved in natural caves, called niviere, ancestors of the modern freezer. Once it became ice it was then continuously mixed with honey and fruit juices. In this way the consistency of the ice became particularly soft and pasty. So, what changes between the Italian Granita, Grattachecca or Cremolato? Let’s reveal the differences!
Cremolato
Very famous in southern Italy, it however boasts Apulian origins. Traditionally it gets its sweetness from figs, the characteristic summer fruits. In fact, the typical Apulian Cremolato is the one with figs, sweet and fresh. However, the biggest difference between Cremolato and Granita is the consistency. We can say that Cremolato, compared to Granita, is much creamier and the ice is finer, because it is mixed more. Furthermore, for the Cremolato, the composition includes 80% fruit, roughly blended, frozen and then finely grated. Water and sugar are then added and never syrups or juices. Cremolato is therefore a spoon dessert with a higher percentage of fruit than Granita and Grattachecca.
Granita
Ice, sugar and frozen fruit pulp. Typical above all of central and southern Italy, in Rome the most famous is that of coffee with the addition of whipped cream. However, the queen of granitas is undoubtedly the Sicilian one. We define it a spoon dessert, served in large bowls, usually for breakfast, together with a delicious brioche col tuppo. Granita isn’t just about fruit. In fact, the most famous are the chocolate, almond, coffee or pistachio ones. To obtain a creamy consistency, although less than Cremolato, they mix slowly and continuously the frozen ingredients. The ancestor of the Granita is the Sherbet, a kind of fruit juice of Arab origins flavored with rose water and then frozen.
Grattachecca
Born in the early twentieth century, it has this name thanks to the people of Rome, who venerate it. It is a block of ice, in Rome we call it checca, which is scraped with an iron scraper, creating little pieces of crunchy. With ice, in the Grattachecca, we find fruit syrups (and not the pulp) and pieces of fresh fruit, that also serve as decoration. Unlike Granita or Cremolato, here there is no need of any intermediate step of freezing the fruit. Furthermore, in Grattachecca the ice looks like flakes that are perceptible to the palate. The original Grattachecca must come always from a single block of ice. Although today in Rome we can find many grattacheccari (the Grattachecca kiosks), it is really difficult to find authentic ones.
The Best Grattachecca Kiosks in Rome
When in Rome, why not enjoy the traditional grattachecca at one of the historic kiosks of the city? Below is a list of the best in Rome.
- Alla Fonte d’Oro (Lungotevere Raffaello Sanzio, 41)
- Sora Mirella (Lungotevere degli Anguillara)
- La Sora Maria (Via Trionfale, 37)
- Er Chioschetto (Via Magnagrecia, 49)
- Grattachecca Sora Lella (Via di Porta Cavalleggeri)
- Il Tempio della Grattachecca (Lungotevere in Augusta)
Join us during our tour and try one of the best granitas in Rome!
