The European Gelato Route project, funded by the Creative Europe programme, has been presented to the public. Along with Serbia, it includes 11 EU countries – Italy, Belgium, Greece, Germany, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Spain, Poland, and Bulgaria.
In Serbia, the project is implemented by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia – the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.
It officially started on April 1, 2023, and through the networking of European gelato producers, it promotes the preservation of local cultural heritage and identity.
To preserve traditional products, their quality, and artisanal methods of production, ice cream producers are advised to use fresh local ingredients and to follow clearly defined processes and regulations. Thanks to the project, they will be able to expand their sales opportunities at both the local and European levels.
"Our mission is to promote and nurture gastronomic tourism. We want to create a network, not only of producers but of everyone involved in the production of artisanal ice cream – raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and consumers. We also want to encourage the creation of innovative local ice cream flavours, to stimulate and support the economy, and to spread the European history and culture of artisanal ice cream," said Miodrag Veseli, national coordinator of the project from the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, according to Agronews.
"If you know the craft, you can make ice cream out of anything edible. One of the key principles when we talk about artisanal ice cream is using local fruit. I can’t grow bananas, mangoes, or papayas, but I use cornelian cherry and blackthorn, medlar, only ‘Karamanka’ pear, and dried plums like ‘Hungarian’ or ‘Čačanska rodna.’ Making ice cream involves serious math, where you have to know the right ratio of sugar, protein, fat, and dry matter. Artisanal ice cream is much harder to make, more expensive to produce, but truly, what you get as the final product is worth every bit of effort," explains Veroljub Šobić, owner and ice cream master of Zemun Confectionery, and one of the participants in the European Gelato Route project.
Participants in the project also include the Belgrade Tourist Board, the Belgrade Hospitality and Tourism School, and the Arilje Raspberry Association.
As stated by Emil Čukić from the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, the outcomes expected from the implementation of this project include the development of new tourist attractions and the promotion of cultural tourism, innovation and creativity in the creation of new artisanal ice cream flavours through the use of local and traditional ingredients, the connection of tour operators, suppliers, producers, and consumers of artisanal ice cream, as well as raising awareness about sustainable energy among both producers and consumers of artisanal ice cream.
"The European Gelato Route is more than a gastronomic adventure; it is a journey through history, culture, and heritage. By supporting the route, we preserve tradition, encourage the local economy, and promote artisanal ice cream production," concludes Čukić.
(EUpravo zato/Agronews)