What: The Toffee Granucci gelato
Where: Gelato Granucci, 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 104, Palm Springs
How much: $7.50 for two scoops (as shown)
Contact: 760-318-7700; gelatogranucci.com
Why: It’s a delicious collaboration.
Gelato Granucci is a small, unassuming shop in downtown Palm Springs that serves up a whole lot of yumminess.
As the story goes (per Gelato Granucci’s website): The place is owned by Simonetta “Sam” Rainieri and Tom Allen. Sam’s grandfather, Luigi, moved from Italy to the Netherlands in 1929. Luigi started making and selling gelato, and today, that business supplies gelato to more than 50 stores in the Netherlands. Cool!
All of the gelato at Gelato Granucci is made in-house—and because of this family history, it’s no surprise that Sam and Tom know what they’re doing. I’ve been to Gelato Granucci a large handful of times now, and I’ve always gotten a different flavor. There hasn’t been a dud in the bunch.
One of my favorite flavors loops in a contribution from another local business with a cool story, where the people also know what they’re doing: Brandini Toffee. As that story goes (per Brandini Toffee’s website): In 2006, Brandon Weimer wanted to go on a high school trip to Italy with a friend. Their parents challenged them to earn at least half of the money to pay for the trip; they started selling toffee; and today, that business includes three local toffee shops, including one 2 1/2 blocks away from Gelato Granucci.
The result of this collaboration, the Toffee Granucci—toffee gelato with Brandini Toffee crumbles folded in—is packed with toffee flavor. It’s smooth, and it’s oh-so-good.
If toffee isn’t your thing, Gelato Granucci usually has about 18 flavors on offer—and about a third of those are vegan options. They all range in price from $5 for one scoop to $12 for four. You can get pints or quarts to go, too—perfect for a hot, roasty summer day.
