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Pili nut gelato wins rave reviews in Rome
ROME, Italy - Curiosity quickly turned into delight as guests tasted the creamy, buttery richness of pili nuts at the Foods Lab of the FAO Museum in Rome.
What began as simple intrigue soon gave way to smiles and enthusiastic reactions — “It’s creamy! It’s delicious!”— marking a memorable celebration of Filipino food in the Italian capital.
The event was part of the official observance of Filipino Food Month in the Philippines, held every April under Presidential Proclamation No. 469 issued in 2018. The initiative seeks to appreciate, preserve, and promote Filipino culinary heritage on both local and global stages.
At the heart of the celebration in Rome was the pili nut, a prized Philippine ingredient sourced from the Bicol Region and the provinces of Samar and Leyte. Known not only for its distinctive taste but also for its nutritional value and potential as a sustainable source of livelihood, the pili nut took center stage through a curated tasting of toasted varieties that captivated international guests.
Its unique flavor profile inspired two gelato artisans to transform it into three innovative gelato creations.
Barry Flores, owner of a gelato house in Rome and a gelato maker with over 22 years of experience, has long incorporated Filipino flavors such as ube and mango into his craft. This time, he explored the versatility of the pili nut. Collaborating with him was Stefano Ferrara, an Italian gelato maker, renowned for his expertise in non-dairy and vegan gelato.
“Now, I'm fusing my two worlds—Italy and the Philippines,” Barry shared. “I've created flavors like chili vanilla with salted caramel pili nuts, and another that imagines what might happen if Sicily and Bicol were neighbors, combining pili nuts with Sicilian tangerine.”
Stefano highlighted the ingredient’s technical advantages: “Compared to nuts commonly used in Italy, pili nuts have more fat than walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds, but less protein than almonds. In our laboratory, we used pili nuts as the base for a vegan gelato—this creaminess is particularly valuable.”
Guests were then invited to sample the three new gelato flavors, which drew even more enthusiastic praise:
“Delicious, full of flavor! Congratulations!” said Arianna Zocca, a personal chef.
“Very good, very creamy. Doesn’t taste vegan at all!” said Ann, an FAO Filipino employee.
“This ice cream is amazing! Very soft and of very good quality! This is my first time tasting Filipino gelato, and it is the best experience!” said Camilla from Argentina.
“Very delicious with its particular taste—salty and sweet at the same time,” noted CNA (the Italian Confederation of Craft Trades and Small and Mediun Enterprise) honorary president Indra Pereira.
Flores expressed great joy over the results of the gelato tasting. He shared that beyond introducing pili nuts to a wider audience, the fact that it was held at the FAO Museum—where there is an international audience—made the event even more meaningful. According to him, this is proof that Filipino products have the potential to reach world-class standards.
In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial highlighted the timely significance of the event: “It was recently Gelato Week in Rome from April 13 to 17, making it the perfect opportunity to introduce the promising flavors of pili for gelato.” He added that Filipino Food Month serves as a platform to promote, preserve, and ensure the transmission of Filipino culinary traditions.
He also announced the release of the 3rd Edition of the Filipino Food and Restaurant Guide in Rome – "From Home to Rome: Filipino Cuisine in the Eternal City", a valuable resource for those eager to discover authentic Filipino dishes and where to enjoy them in Rome.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu graced the event and underscored that food extends beyond nutrition, representing culture, tradition, and inherited knowledge. He noted that this principle guides the FAO Museum’s mission to highlight the value of food and agriculture and to foster greater cultural understanding through shared knowledge and innovation.
“I love it. It is very good,” he commented after tasting the raw pili nut and pili nut gelato.
The celebration was led by Dr. Joy Javelosa, agriculture attaché of the Philippines to Italy and deputy permanent representative to FAO, WFP, and IFAD. It gathered Philippine Embassy officials, FAO personnel, Italian partners from Agriturist-Confagricoltura, members of the Filipino community, private sector representatives, restaurant owners, and content creators.
“We are hoping that next year we will see pili-flavored gelato in gelaterias during Gelato Week in Rome, alongside other Filipino ice cream flavors such as ube, mango, and macapuno,” Imperial said. —KG, GMA News
